eBay delivers reusable boxes in waste clampdown

EBay has introduced a reusable shipping box for sellers on the auction site, in a move that the company said would not only deliver environmental benefits but would also encourage buyers to become sellers.

The "eBay Box" is designed to be reused over and over again, allowing users of the site to significantly cut down on packaging waste. The box is made of 100 per cent FSC-certified and recycled material, printed with water-based inks, and is designed to require minimal tape.

The company is due to start a pilot run of 100,000 boxes from October and sellers will be invited to place orders for free eBay Boxes until supplies run out. Once the boxes have been distributed it is hoped that they will make their way around the US, as buyers reuse the boxes when they sell on other items.

EBay said each box will be printed with a number of tips on reuse and resource saving. According to calculations by the company, reusing every box at least five times would protect nearly 4,000 trees, save 2.4 million gallons of water and conserve enough energy to power 49 homes for a year.

Recipients of the eBay Boxes can log its location on TheBox.eBay.com; the site will track the boxes' progress and engage with the people who use and reuse them to help eBay assess how the pilot has performed.

The eBay Box programme was one of five winning ideas to emerge from the company's annual Innovation Expo earlier this year, where employees were invited to put forward new ideas for the business.