http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Lemme say out loud what we're all thinking when we read this headline:

"PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!!"]]>Mar 31st 2010 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
It's Double Plus Good.]]>Mar 31st 2010 5:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Gives you piece of mind knowing that they've at least put the right thing in the box!]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
exactly. I don't think this would remove liability from the shipper. Taking a picture of what they're supposed to be including in the shipment doesn't prove they actually shipped anything. All it proves is that the items were in stock.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
So what happens when you receive the video/photos as it's being packaged and you notice that instead of the copy of Mass Effect 2, they are packing a copy of Ass Raiders 19?

By the time you get the information won't the box be packed and on a truck?]]>Mar 31st 2010 2:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
To me this just seems like a way of getting out of providing good customer service.]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
I guess, I've never had anything but stellar customer service from Amazon though. ]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Y'all are so paranoid. They just want to stop being liable for shipping screw ups. Ive seen the inside of some shipping places. I wouldn't trust them to ship a day old turd...
This allows Amazon to go straight to (in most cases) the source of the issue, and hold the proper people responsible.

Or it's just a huge marketing gimmick... either way, the customer still comes out on top.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Amazon already has some of the most efficient and helpful customer service on the net, second only to a short list of other companies nowhere near as big. Does the WD drive thing suck for those affected? No doubt it does. However anyone that's been ordering from Amazon for any length of time will tell you it's clearly an isolated incident. The fact that they're going to these lengths to regain consumer confidence (not that it was even really lost) is admirable. I am staunchly opposed to any form of corporate ass-kissing but Amazon is a stellar, expertly-managed online retailer that has earned the benefit of the doubt.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/My brand new camera came as an already opened box, scratched and packed back together and another time a router box came empty so some Amazon employees might not have been that honest.]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Lamest fight ever.
But, why stop there? Pit a baby against a UFC fighter for kicks too.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
You can't buy real live UFC fighters on Amazon. Babies, however, are another story...]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
The same way that company in cupertino patents "a thingy that does a thingy"

lmao]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
At least amazon will most likely actually USE this technology. ]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
There are already a bunch of overseas eBay vendors that take pics and email them out as proof of shipping. This is nothing new and nothing patent worthy.]]>Mar 31st 2010 12:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/But did CDW patent it? Doubtful.]]>Mar 31st 2010 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
If they didn't maybe they can't actually sue for damages, but they can get Amazon's patent attempt thrown out due to prior art. ]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Actually, CDW doesn't do this anymore. I was just talking to my rep about it.]]>Apr 2nd 2010 10:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/WOAH Oh my... (in best George Takei voice)]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Niiiice.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
(Really this sounds more like it should be in an industry "best practices" collection, but patents are what we have instead...)]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Ever notice they dont show the footage of how the fudge* gets in the bars.]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Thankfully, Halo 2 got replaced by Amazon no questions asked.

however, I do have to say that I've ordered from Amazon dozens of times and those were the only 2 instances where I've had issues.
]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 10:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
I've never had a problem with any of my Amazon orders.

This all seems like a way to drive costs up. What was wrong with the old way of scanning each item as it entered the box?]]>Mar 31st 2010 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 11:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 1:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/Mar 31st 2010 11:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/products/Product-Inspection_1/CI_Vision.html?als=ci-vision

Try to patent this and your going to have a nice long legal battle with the company I work for.]]>Mar 31st 2010 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
Boxes of liquor being pulled from storage shelves traveled by conveyor, to then be loaded on trucks. The add-on would scan a barcode on each liquor box and and look up the expected weight of the box, comparing the actual weight (detected by the conveyor's in-line scale) to the expected weight.

Boxes that were not in tolerance were shunted off to the side for inspection.

The shortages stopped immediately.]]>Mar 31st 2010 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/
And amazon already has the patent on this. What company did you say you work for again? (J/K)

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT7085677]]>Mar 31st 2010 6:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/31/amazon-patents-packaging-surveillance-says-its-for-our-own-goo/I work for Ingersoll Rand, but the liquor weight issue was addressed in 1988, if I recall correctly. Amazon can patent whatever they wish, I suppose, but it doesn't mean they can successfully prosecute it.

http://www.out-law.com/page-1392]]>Mar 31st 2010 6:22PM