Whether you’re a child or an adult, the suspense of opening a surprise gift on Christmas day is half the fun, even if the contents turn out to be disappointing.
But Amazon customers have been complaining that Christmas is “ruined” after their gifts arrived at the door fully exposed.
HuffPost UK reached out to Amazon, who can’t comment on individual cases but explained there are a couple of simple things you can do to ensure your xmas pressies arrive fully covered.
To ensure you receive the packaging you’re expecting, be sure to check for packaging details in the “product description” section of the page. You may be required to click on the “read more” tab to find the information you need.
In this section, some products are listed as “Amazon Certified Frustration-Free”, meaning Amazon has worked with the manufacturers to ensure the product comes without excess packaging materials and any materials it does come with can be recycled.
These products are usually dispatched to customers in the original branded packaging, so to keep the contents a surprise, you’ll need to select the “gift” option during checkout if it’s available. Additional costs for this service may vary depending on the item.
Unfortunately the “gift” option isn’t available for all items, but you will be told at the checkout if your order can’t be double packaged, giving you the option to cancel it if you decide not to go ahead.
There’s also a way to ensure an Amazon sticker isn’t stuck to your box, even if the packaging is not listed as “frustration-free”.
According to Amazon’s customer information pages on packaging, some items will be sent without external packaging and dispatched directly to you in the manufacturer’s box.
However, if the product isn’t listed as “frustration free” this can be changed without any additional charge.
“You can see whether an item is sent in its original packaging on the Product Detail Page. If you choose an item sold and dispatched by a Marketplace Seller please contact the Seller directly for questions about packaging,” the website explains.
“If available for the item, you can mark ‘Ship in Amazon box’ on the checkout page if you don’t want to reveal the contents. If that option is selected the item will be dispatched in an Amazon.co.uk box at no additional cost.”
While checking these few details may feel like annoying extra steps, the fact the Amazon is actively trying to reduce it’s packaging and reduce environmentally damaging waste has to be a good thing.
Just make sure you read the small print to avoid disappointment this Christmas.