With Amazon moving to one-day shipping as standard for Prime subscribers, it needs to make deliveries as efficient as possible. With that in mind, brands and sellers are going to be fined for using too much packaging.

As Engadget reports, Amazon wants to reduce waste and shipping bulk as much as it can because both add to the cost of each delivery. This isn't a new idea as Amazon introduced its Frustration-Free Packaging initiative way back in 2008. However, new rules are coming into play on Sept. 3rd for sellers.

Amazon will now fine brands/sellers $1.99 in the form of a surcharge if a product they ship uses more packaging than is required. In other words, if the box is too big, there's more protection than necessary, and the packaging isn't simply functional, expect a punishment. But Amazon is also willing to reward sellers who take the time to rethink their packaging to follow the new guidelines and will credit them $1 for each product that ships in the smallest, lightest, yet still protective packaging it can.

Having products sold on Amazon, the biggest e-tailer in the world, is so important to brands and sellers that they will conform to the new rules. Amazon does need to listen, too, though. I regularly receive products sold and delivered direct from Amazon in boxes that are far too big. I've been experiencing this as far back as 2011 when I ordered two AmazonBasics HDMI cables.

Urging brands to use less packaging is great for Amazon in the short term, but also longer term for the environment. It means less waste, less weight, and less resources being used for the same products. It also works longer term for Amazon, which already has robots that can pack 700 boxes an hour, and probably more if they are smaller. Full warehouse automation is also expected in a decade, and smaller boxes for everything will just make that transition even more efficient.