[smolder]

I'd been told they use excessive tape because the quality of the cardboard packaging available is so poor that it's somewhat necessary. I don't know why getting better cardboard boxes isn't the answer in that case but perhaps there's some reason for that, too.

[webmobdev]

I was just exploring some Tablet PC on AE, and one of the sellers had posted a photo of how the tablet would be shipped - it would be without the box, directly wrapped with small-bubbles plastic wrap, then wrapped / placed inside a big-bubble plastic box-like wrap and then placed inside an envelope (obviously with a lot of tape)! Looks like they prefer and trust plastic over cardboard.