The Lackluster Unboxing Experience of Sony TVs

Sony_X900C_Unboxing_1

Earlier this month, we brought you the unboxing video from the Sony X900C. Now, the video itself was from Sony but with such videos, it gave you an overview of what you can find inside the box and how best to take it apart. Only problem is, while the final product is a beautiful piece of technology that anybody would love to display in their home or office, the experience of getting to it is simply underwhelming. Before I get ahead of myself, go ahead and watch the unboxing here and then meet me after the jump for some thoughts.

Sony_X900C_Unboxing_2If I had one complaint to lob at Sony and frankly the entire TV industry, it’s the unboxing experience. Companies like Apple have continued to set the bar for product packaging, something that’s always been lacking from Sony. While optimal and sufficient, the product unboxing from Sony products tend to range from forgetful to plain ugly design where even on the box, you find a mess of multiple languages and pieces of information that aren’t displayed neatly or clearly. To their credit, Sony Mobile over the past few years has gotten better with their product packaging and unboxing experience.

Apple_Watch_Sport_UnboxingIn fact, as a whole, mobile products from all manufacturers have improved greatly by offering clean and well-thought-out boxes and packaging, down to the way each piece greets you and how it’s removed from the box. As you could see from the X900C unboxing video, not a lot is different about how you experience the X900C which ranges from $2,500 to $5,500 and a TV versus a $600 TV or just a TV from 5 years ago. It’s crazy to think that, despite the extra price tag that comes with a TV versus say an Apple Watch which only costs $349 and is a joy to take out of the box, you get a worse experience.

Sure – once you’re done with the box, the likelihood of you ever revisiting it is slim to none, yet that’s no excuse for a lackluster presentation. In fact, I believe that the care given to the unboxing experience is an indication of the care and thought that’s likely present in the entire product. From the hardware components to the UI, if you have it in your company DNA to care about the box that people will throw away within minutes of owning the product, imagine the level of craftsmanship they’re likely to put into the actual product.

Discuss:

How important is the unboxing experience to you?