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I would think the boxes have to be spec'd to contain the suspended weight of whatever is inside them anyway. I doubt they can depend on always being supported from the bottom throughout the whole delivery chain.

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Take a look at the bottom of a cardboard box next time you get something delivered - it almost certainly will be stamped with exactly what the burst strength, etc, specifications are. This is big stuff in the packaging industry.

https://www.uline.com/CustomerService/ULINE_FAQ_Ans?FAQ_ID=4...

Where exactly in the process of delivery are the majority of boxes not being supported from the bottom?

I'd think the chances would go up substantially after they are removed from the truck and broken out of the palette, and before they are unpacked and the contents distributed.

The vast majority of human lifts that start from a belt or cramped shelf - in sorting, loading, and last mile. Humans will sometimes rotate the box to center the load over an edge or regrasp from the bottom - but any given box is definitely going to experience moments with no support from the bottom.

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