Newegg drive packaging, a welcome surprise

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Bones

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 11, 2000
Messages
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I recently got a new Western Digital drive from the Egg. I've received many drives from them before, wrapped in bubble wrap and submerged in foam peanuts. I'm used to the drives having settled onto one side of the box, with all of the bubbles mashed flat so that the drive isn't padded anymore. So this was a welcome surprise:

drivepack.jpg


This is an OEM unit in a Western Digital branded box, so I don't think that Newegg had anything to do with packaging it. I wonder what prompted the change. Has WD wised up to Newegg's questionable drive shipping practices?
 
I just got my two drives in with the rest of the hardware I ordered from the Egg. They were doubly wrapped around in bubble wrap and there were a lot of foam peanuts, so nothing would have been able to really jump about much. I don't really see what the problem is with that, though it seems other people have issues. When I ordered the last 320gb's in my array (4 or 5 of them) I received basically a chunk of a foam container I assume was built for shipping OEM drives en masse. The thing was so wrapped up I think it took me about 5 minutes to even get to the drives.
 
I received my two new drives in "usual bubble wrap" packaging day before yesterday.
 
I've never had a problem with any of Newegg's packaging. Just luck of the draw maybe?
 
I just received an oem drive yesterday along with a few other items and it was well packed in my opinion. It had several layers of bubble wrap strapped to it and the box was filled with foam peanuts. I'm trying to imagine the kind of abuse that would have popped the bubble wrap it was in. I have an image of a UPS loader calling out "go long" as he launches the box across the warehouse. :eek:
 
Just a question, what does it say on the shipping label? Depending on your response, it can tell us whether Newegg drop-shipped the HD to you.
 
wow, that sure is packaged well. I hope they continue to package like that.
Kudos to Newegg :D :cool:
 
Stuey83 said:
Just a question, what does it say on the shipping label? Depending on your response, it can tell us whether Newegg drop-shipped the HD to you.
Click to expand...

It has a Newegg packing slip, ship from address is Newegg in Whittier, CA. The ship from address on the UPS box label is Newegg in Jonestown, PA.

EVERY bubble wrapped drive I've gotten from Newegg has had the drive(s) settled onto one side of the box, with the bubbles completely deflated where they are touching the sides. Which, of course, completely defeats the purpose of wrapping them like that. So far, though, I've not received a dead drive.
 
AMD RULES said:
wow, that sure is packaged well. I hope they continue to package like that.
Kudos to Newegg :D :cool:
Click to expand...

I don't think Newegg packaged it. It is in a WD branded box, so I believe that the Egg got the drive like this and passed it along to me.
 
i wonder why they did that then?
well who ever did it, did a nice job.
Hows the drive running? Good? :D
 
AMD RULES said:
i wonder why they did that then?
well who ever did it, did a nice job.
Hows the drive running? Good? :D
Click to expand...

It's going into a Christmas present I'm building for my father, so I won't know for a while yet.

I haven't gotten a bad drive from Newegg yet, regardless of whatever violence was done to the shipping box. I guess the bubble wrap dies while doing its job. But it makes me wonder about the long-term reliability of each drive I get like that.
 
Bones said:
It has a Newegg packing slip, ship from address is Newegg in Whittier, CA. The ship from address on the UPS box label is Newegg in Jonestown, PA.

EVERY bubble wrapped drive I've gotten from Newegg has had the drive(s) settled onto one side of the box, with the bubbles completely deflated where they are touching the sides. Which, of course, completely defeats the purpose of wrapping them like that. So far, though, I've not received a dead drive.
Click to expand...
People are under the impression that a lot of shipping damage is not immediately apparent, but can affect the long-term reliability of the HDD. Making such statements and backing them up factually is rather difficult, given the really small sample that each one of us is bound to see.

However, if you consider the packaging and shipping instructions that end-users are to follow when returning a dead drives for RMA, it is not too far fetched to imagine that there could be some truth to that idea.
 
I've gotten tones of bubble wrap drives and never had a problem.

But, I also got a Hitachi SCSI 320 drive that came packed identical to your WD. I bet some drives just get to newegg packaged like that. I don't think its anything special they do.


People are under the impression that a lot of shipping damage is not immediately apparent, but can affect the long-term reliability of the HDD.
Click to expand...

There is a statement with absolutely no proof and no way to prove. I've gotten at least 3 hdds a year in bubble wrap from newegg, to this day not a single one of those drives has failed.
 
drizzt81 said:
People are under the impression that a lot of shipping damage is not immediately apparent, but can affect the long-term reliability of the HDD. Making such statements and backing them up factually is rather difficult, given the really small sample that each one of us is bound to see.

However, if you consider the packaging and shipping instructions that end-users are to follow when returning a dead drives for RMA, it is not too far fetched to imagine that there could be some truth to that idea.
Click to expand...
este said:
There is a statement with absolutely no proof and no way to prove. I've gotten at least 3 hdds a year in bubble wrap from newegg, to this day not a single one of those drives has failed.
Click to expand...
Actually, his statement is not one without proof. He's merely describe the pretenses that the assumptions are made under. He's also only confirming the possibility that there is a correlation between poor packing and long term drive reliability. If you read his words carefully, he is absolutely accurate in his statements.
 
drizzt81 said:
People are under the impression that a lot of shipping damage is not immediately apparent, but can affect the long-term reliability of the HDD. Making such statements and backing them up factually is rather difficult, given the really small sample that each one of us is bound to see.

However, if you consider the packaging and shipping instructions that end-users are to follow when returning a dead drives for RMA, it is not too far fetched to imagine that there could be some truth to that idea.
Click to expand...
este said:
There is a statement with absolutely no proof and no way to prove. I've gotten at least 3 hdds a year in bubble wrap from newegg, to this day not a single one of those drives has failed.
Click to expand...
Actually, his statement is not one without proof. He's merely describe the pretenses that the assumptions are made under. He's also only confirming the possibility that there is a correlation between poor packing and long term drive reliability. If you read his words carefully, he is actually absolutely accurate in his statements.

Edit: What's with the doube posting?
 
este said:
There is a statement with absolutely no proof and no way to prove. I've gotten at least 3 hdds a year in bubble wrap from newegg, to this day not a single one of those drives has failed.
Click to expand...
"You can't prove this, and here's proof!"

I don't claim to have magical knowledge about what causes hard drive deaths. All I have to say on the matter is I'd rather buy from a place that ships drives in a manufacturer-recommended way than one that doesn't. All 5 manufacturers (WD, Maxtor, Seagate, Fujitsu, Hitachi) require that you return drives to them in foam-rubber or retail-pack (the plastic end-caps seen in the first post of this thread) packaging. In no case is bubble-wrap/foam peanut packaging acceptable.
 
Actually the manufacturer has no legal standing to require specific packaging.

I have never had problems with any WD drive I have purchased. Most have come in bubble wrap.

(Last week I thought a WD drive was dying but it appears to have been the external case it was in.)
 
GeorgeHR said:
Actually the manufacturer has no legal standing to require specific packaging
Click to expand...
The warranty is limited:

WDC said:
Additional Limitations on Warranty

Western Digital's warranty does not cover Products which have been received improperly packaged, altered, or physically damaged. Products will be inspected upon receipt. You can view additional examples of the warranty limitations below by clicking on the available links.

Packaging
o Improperly packaged
o Non-qualified shipping container
Click to expand...
 
And Seagate too:
Warranty is void if ... it is improperly packaged
Click to expand...
Seagate will not provide any warranty coverage unless claims are made in compliance ... Product returned to Seagate must be properly packaged in its original packaging (or packaging providing the product with protection equivalent to the original packaging)
Click to expand...
Right there in the terms of the warranty. IANAL, but that seems as legal as apple pie. To misuse a metaphor.
 
Stuey83 said:
Actually, his statement is not one without proof. He's merely describe the pretenses that the assumptions are made under. He's also only confirming the possibility that there is a correlation between poor packing and long term drive reliability. If you read his words carefully, he is absolutely accurate in his statements.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I am glad that you understood what I was saying.
 
So if newegg just wraps the the HD in bubble wrap, and puts it in a box of foam peanuts, how do other retailers do it? Such as ZZF?

Just wondering if anyone out there knows...

Thanks
 
maddude0025 said:
So if newegg just wraps the the HD in bubble wrap, and puts it in a box of foam peanuts, how do other retailers do it? Such as ZZF?

Just wondering if anyone out there knows...

Thanks
Click to expand...


My drive from ZZF came in a (custom?) foam box of sorts, packaged in another box with peanuts and such. The foam was perhaps a centimeter thick.
 
maddude0025 said:
So if newegg just wraps the the HD in bubble wrap, and puts it in a box of foam peanuts, how do other retailers do it? Such as ZZF?

Just wondering if anyone out there knows...

Thanks
Click to expand...
This is how my last drive from ZZF came:
front_view.JPG

side_view.JPG
 
For the record, the bubblewrap+peanuts that newegg does is not adequate. I had two DOAs because newegg bubblewapped two hdds together(plus they had shifted to a side of the box). One drive had crushed the drive electronics of the other and the drive that did the crushing, while fine in appearance, was not recognized by three different hdd controllers.
 
That kind of packaging does not provide the proper G-Force protection to the drive as mandated by the manufacturers.

-Larry

hokatichenci said:
I just got my two drives in with the rest of the hardware I ordered from the Egg. They were doubly wrapped around in bubble wrap and there were a lot of foam peanuts, so nothing would have been able to really jump about much. I don't really see what the problem is with that, though it seems other people have issues. When I ordered the last 320gb's in my array (4 or 5 of them) I received basically a chunk of a foam container I assume was built for shipping OEM drives en masse. The thing was so wrapped up I think it took me about 5 minutes to even get to the drives.
Click to expand...
 
I've (and many others) have never had a problem with bubble wrapped drives.

The mfg warranty issue is most likely so if they get a drive back with no packaging they don't have to warranty YOUR mistake. Its a cover your ass move I bet,

However, saying that the drive longevity suffers from shipping events is pure speculation at best. I can imagine a broken drive, no problem. But to tell people there drive will only last a couple years b/c it was shipped in bubble wrap is retarded. There is NO proof of that
 
este said:
But to tell people there drive will only last a couple years b/c it was shipped in bubble wrap is retarded. There is NO proof of that
Click to expand...
What if the manufacturer is the one saying "don't use bubble wrap"? Does their suggestion carry any weight?

Just because it's good enough for you doesn't mean it's good enough for everyone else. Especially in a case like this, where it's a couple bucks saved on shipping materials. ZipZoomFly has my hard drive business for the time being.
 
I completely agree that they should have good packaging..... but only to prevent a DOA.

What I disagree with is that it could effect longevity. In the OLD OLD days when you had to 'park' a drive I can understand, but thats dating me b/c I had a 128Mb HDD that didn't even need that.
 
este said:
But to tell people there drive will only last a couple years b/c it was shipped in bubble wrap is speculation. There is NO proof of that
Click to expand...
As I said before, I agree with your statement. In order to make a statistically sound statement about the effect that transportation methods have on the longevity of drives, a person would need a rather large sample size. Say ~42 drives in each the test and the control group.

Most of the [H]forum contributers are end-users and I believe that few of us see more than 10 of any single drive*. Also, most people that see that many of a single drive are likely to order all of them from the same source, which makes comparison studies impossible.

So yes, people that are saying "the longevity of a drive is influence by its transportation packaging" have no foot to stand on, other than pointing at the manufacturers. However, people that claim the opposite have no data to back up their theories either, which leaves the rest of us stuck in the middle having to select whom we'd like to believe.

* A drive is defined as a harddisk from a specific generation, manufacturer with a specific interface and size, e.g. Seagate 7200.10, SATA, 500GB.
 
drizzt81 said:
As I said before, I agree with your statement. In order to make a statistically sound statement about the effect that transportation methods have on the longevity of drives, a person would need a rather large sample size. Say ~42 drives in each the test and the control group.

Most of the [H]forum contributers are end-users and I believe that few of us see more than 10 of any single drive*. Also, most people that see that many of a single drive are likely to order all of them from the same source, which makes comparison studies impossible.

So yes, people that are saying "the longevity of a drive is influence by its transportation packaging" have no foot to stand on, other than pointing at the manufacturers. However, people that claim the opposite have no data to back up their theories either, which leaves the rest of us stuck in the middle having to select whom we'd like to believe.

* A drive is defined as a harddisk from a specific generation, manufacturer with a specific interface and size, e.g. Seagate 7200.10, SATA, 500GB.
Click to expand...

To sum your post up: There's not enough empirical evidence to support a conclusion.

Also, ~42 drives in each group is not a sufficient data sample.
 
All of the 250's that I got earlier this year from Directron were packaged like that. Seagates disks came in boxes such as that as well. And the Maxtor Atlas II's I ordered came in a ~12x12x8 box that had a top, bottom, and inner piece of foam. The inner piece was cut out specifically for the hard disks to slide in.
 
feigned said:
All of the 250's that I got earlier this year from Directron were packaged like that. Seagates disks came in boxes such as that as well. And the Maxtor Atlas II's I ordered came in a ~12x12x8 box that had a top, bottom, and inner piece of foam. The inner piece was cut out specifically for the hard disks to slide in.
Click to expand...

When I received a big lot of 40 Gb hdd to remplace all the dying DeathStars we got around at work, most of them are packaged in big boxes with 3 foam pieces, with the middle foam cut out to the exact drive size like you mentionned. This is the best packaging possible and I saved a few boxes myself in case...

I also received 20 Seagate 7200.9 drives in a big crate box. there are 20 slots in the foam and the foams close together to form a coffin. It may be possible that online stores receive disks under this form of packaging so they must repackage individually for shipping, hence the peanuts/bubblewrap shit.
 
Xilikon said:
When I received a big lot of 40 Gb hdd to remplace all the dying DeathStars we got around at work, most of them are packaged in big boxes with 3 foam pieces, with the middle foam cut out to the exact drive size like you mentionned. This is the best packaging possible and I saved a few boxes myself in case...

I also received 20 Seagate 7200.9 drives in a big crate box. there are 20 slots in the foam and the foams close together to form a coffin. It may be possible that online stores receive disks under this form of packaging so they must repackage individually for shipping, hence the peanuts/bubblewrap shit.
Click to expand...

when you buy in bulk from distros
they either ship alot of drives out to like local stores in 25packs

like you describe, the box has a foam stacked coffin style
i used to work at a local pc shop. we get HDD shipments every week like that
and hardly ever had any DOAs.
 
slow_poke said:
Lmfao, my dumpster is full of newegg bubble wrap and peanuts.....ALOT! :eek:
Click to expand...

lol

thats the case with many, many of us...

use it to sell stuff on ebay, and mark up the shipping! lol
 
oooeric said:
like you describe, the box has a foam stacked coffin style
i used to work at a local pc shop. we get HDD shipments every week like that
and hardly ever had any DOAs.
Click to expand...

Roughly the same thing that I've had with Dell's packaging of OEM HDD's, I went and ordered 3 at the same time, I got the foam padding that would have held 5 HDD's.

ZZF's method at least offers some protection for the corners as well....It's the only place I order HDD's anymore online.
 
Dew said:
For the record, the bubblewrap+peanuts that newegg does is not adequate. I had two DOAs because newegg bubblewapped two hdds together(plus they had shifted to a side of the box). One drive had crushed the drive electronics of the other and the drive that did the crushing, while fine in appearance, was not recognized by three different hdd controllers.
Click to expand...

after reading your post, i placed two separate orders for the 2 drives I was getting hoping to minimize the damage since they're in two separate physical boxes.. well one of the drives still came DOA since it decided to settle itself onto the very bottom of the box with the bubblewrap padding completely smashed.. now im out 10 bucks for the RMA.. but ive gotten quite a few good oem drives from the egg in the past, guess it's a risk im willing to take.. :)
 
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