Is it just me, or do all of you who order directly from Shenzhen receive your package taped up as if it’s the end of the world? As if they’re expecting the shipping carrier to dunk the package in liquid or something. I mean, I understand that plastic tape over there is probably 2 cents a roll, but damn … The box my two reels came in today had not one, not two, but THREE layers of tape all over it. You couldn’t tell the color of the box! And it’s not because it got opened and re-opened, because that you can tell. Not this one. Yikes.
Yeah, it’s insane, I feel like I want to get a chainsaw to cut into some of the packaging 
YES! Next thing you know they’ll be wrapping six layers of tape around Internet posts even discussMMMMMPHPHMMMMMMRRMMRMMM
I do get the feeling that the more they wrap it, the less chance of customs checking… All small packages always have the “gift” code neatly written…
Yeah, mine was labeled ‘SAMPLES’ … for 10 meters! The bag also had a sticker on it stating it was inspected by the carrier with the shipper present and then sealed up.
Did you happen to notice the shipping box wasn’t actually a box at all but parts of many different boxes all taped together with multiple rolls of tape. I think China Post must give the tape away…and charge extra for boxes. Everything I get ends up looking like it came out of a Chinese laundry.
Your just used to American made cardboard 
What’s American made?
Spark fun and adafruit both use custom boxes… As does farnell element 14, and RS just chuck it in a bag!
I love those little red boxes!
Actually, the stuff that comes in a box, so far has been a complete box, not bits and pieces. And I also have a small stash of SFE boxes. Love 'em.
I’ve noticed that the corners of the boxes tend to be very rounded and smooth. I think that the boxes are being seriously mangled. An ounce of prevention prevents a pound of care or however that goes.
My package from Guangdong arrived today. It is covered with four distinctly different boxes and four layers of tape on the outside of the “box”. On the inside everything is stretch wrapped with at least six layers. And bubble wrap around that. Well protected.
I will say this though, not a single shipment from China to me has ever contained any Styrofoam, peanuts, or any other kind of filler material other than cardboard, bubble wrap, and plastic tape.