Product Packaging

Zappos wants you to think outside the box. Beginning with the box itself. On June 1, the online retailer will begin shipping some shoes in a very cool new box (designed in-house) that features a collection of template designs printed on the inside encouraging recipients to fold, cut and otherwise reuse the box into items like…

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. has made its private labels a key part of its strategy to capture market share and continue to improve its results. J.C. Penney shares are up 15.4 percent in Friday trading in the wake of its fourth-quarter earnings release on Thursday and management commentary on the higher-margin private label approach.

Honest Co., the online shopping company co-founded by actress and model Jessica Alba, was accused in a lawsuit of fraudulently labeling dozens of home and personal care products as natural, plant-based or chemical-free, causing consumers to overpay. The complaint filed on Friday night by Brad and Manon Buonasera in U.S. District Court in Manhattan targets Honest’s…

U.S. officials on Wednesday sued J.C. Penney, accusing the retailer of deceiving consumers by advertising textile fiber products as containing bamboo and bamboo fiber, when they actually contain rayon. According to a complaint filed by the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, J.C. Penney in "numerous instances" deceptively advertised products such as men's socks,…

Four U.S. retailers agreed to pay $1.3 million of fines to settle U.S. civil charges that they deceived consumers by falsely labeling and advertising textile products as containing bamboo, when they were actually made from rayon. Bed Bath & Beyond will pay $500,000, Nordstrom will pay $360,000, J.C. Penney will pay $290,000 and outdoor gear…

When was the last time you ordered something that didn’t come with free or expedited shipping (or both)? The rise of consumer expectations for expediency and immediate gratification isn't slowing down anytime soon, and the strain those expectations put onto supply chain and fulfillment operations is immense. Something has to give, and it’s probably not…

Buying glasses online, whether prescription lenses or fashionable sunglasses, isn't the easiest of tasks. From finding a pair that are just the right size and color to getting the exact prescription lenses you need to seeing how the glasses will look on your face, the challenges are many. Glasses.com is trying to change that with…

The world’s largest retailer has put suppliers on notice: Pay attention to the little things before they become big problems. Wal-Mart last week sent out a memo to hundreds of suppliers, from Kraft Heinz Co. to Nestlé SA, warning them to comply with labeling laws, emphasizing that the amount inside a package matches what's printed on…

Most consumers expect to receive e-commerce orders in a traditional brown box. However, this doesn’t mean that companies, especially emerging brands looking to grow, should skimp on packaging. Brands that go above and beyond will be remembered. Creating a memorable experience is one of the best things an emerging brand can do, and using the…

Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble Co. has settled a lawsuit alleging that the company used oversized packaging to make its Olay beauty products seem larger than they are. The civil complaint, which was filed by district attorneys in Riverside, Yolo, Fresno and Shasta counties in California, said the Cincinnati-based company violated California's slack fill…