7 ms·

Amazon, the time has come to give you a key

51 points by jordn 13y ago

tolmasky 13y ago
Wow this is the most unusable page I've ever loaded in mobile. Can't read a single thing.
- lukasm 13y ago
  Works fine for me. Do you request desktop version?
virtualsue 13y ago
I've started picking up amazon deliveries at local shops (Collect+). This is working out rather well - no need for special lockbox or a supersize ring o' keys.
- bergie 13y ago
  That is pretty much the convention here in Berlin... they just drop the package either at the kiosk downstairs, or to a neighbor. A lot more convenient than when they (luckily rarely) decide to drop the package to the local post office, which is quite far away and closes early.
- danpalmer 13y ago
  I've just taken a return back to my nearest convenient Collect+ location. It's a 30 minute walk away, despite me living on a busy shopping road with lots of suitable places. They really need to expand this a considerable amount. I'm not against the idea of giving keys to Amazon, if done in the right way. More ideally, I'd have an electronic lock that could grant them access for particular orders.
johnmurch 13y ago
I always wondered by UPS/FedEx don't have keys to the outside or every apt building have "drop boxes" - large empty boxes that UPS/FedEx could put in a package, lock it with the key, then drop the key in the mailbox of the person who needs it. Thinking a bit more - I wonder if lockitron could solve this allowing "carriers" to enter, drop off package or put groceries away (for the most part) - cold items in freezer, perishable items in fridge, etc. Super interest - also how a retail spans years with various connections/products and integrates into your life.
- aaronem 13y ago
  Canada Post's community mailboxes have oversized slots for packages, which work on exactly the model you propose. I gather it works reasonably well. On the other hand, I have absolutely no desire to have random delivery staff wandering in and out of my apartment. If that means I have to shop for my own groceries, rather than having them delivered, then that's what I'll do. This also has the benefit that I can pick my own produce, rather than relying on someone who works for Peapod or similar, who likely gets paid rather poor wages, and who, to pick one particularly memorable example, has no particular interest in seeing to it that I get fresh, firm, ripe bell peppers instead of sallow, sunken, half-gone-over ones.
  - canistr 13y ago
    But the oversized slots don't actually fit all oversized items. And depending on how Amazon, Dell, etc. packages the boxes, it can be bigger than it needs to be or multiple items are put in one box requiring you to go pick up at the nearest post office anyway.
    - aaronem 13y ago
      "Oversized" only by comparison with the regular mail slots in the postbox, not by comparison with actual packages. It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a few much larger slots, perhaps in a second housing alongside or below the existing one.
- shou4577 13y ago
  I used to live in a set of townhouses that did exactly your "drop box" idea. It worked really well, and I thought that it was quite common.
- byoung2 13y ago
  then drop the key in the mailbox of the person who needs it. Usually apartment mailboxes are locked, so that only USPS and the box owner can access them. There is no slot accessible to drop the key in.
- 13y ago
Pxtl 13y ago
Every house in my neighborhood has a disused milk-delivery-box on the driveway side that could easily store smallish parcels. It would be so simple to convert those into locking delivery boxes.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
petenixey 13y ago
Just to clarify (because the comments here are suggesting that a lockbox does what I'm asking for) - a lockbox does not address the issue for me. Lockboxes are never all that local and they don't carry heavy things home for you. I literally want Amazon to go directly into my home and leave the goods in there. I want to order groceries on my phone and find them in my flat. Frozen items don't matter - I won't order them, it doesn't matter if they sit for a while. I want to leave a return package in my hallway and have it taken back by someone who collects it. I know that this sounds entitled but I also know that Amazon's already got the chops to support this and that if they did I would buy a lot more from them (like maybe £50/week more from them). Combined with Prime it would mean I would never want to order from any other merchant either.
- angersock 13y ago
  Physical security means nothing to you, does it?
  - kozhevnikov 13y ago
    Physical security is a nice myth given Amazon itself sells bump keys and there is no shortage of rocks near by. Threat of prosecution (with CCTV as evidence) on the other hand might be the main deterrent for majority of typical households.
  - petenixey 13y ago
    Leaving the house compromises my physical security. Your comment is easy and throwaway and I think you probably already what I'm about to say but life is a balancing act between security and utility. The web and history are littered with examples of things that a "hacker mentality" would have baulked at in theory. AirBnB, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Uber. All of these things would have triggered the line "Identity/Physical security means nothing to you does it?". And yet, for many people, they are more than worth the risk involved. We live in an age where it's accepted that perfect strangers should rent our house or drive our car and yet it seems odd that we should allow a liveried delivery man access to our house. How bizarre.
brubaker 13y ago
Describing this post is difficult, it's downright stupid of course, but it seems to be sprinkled with "douchy cleverness" and a bit of blowhard. Was the author actively jerking off while thinking he was writing a masterpiece of creativity and intellectual thought?
crazygringo 13y ago
I never thought about it before, but this would be awesome, especially considering: 1) Security webcams are so cheap these days, it would be trivial to catch any delivery person who has "other ideas". And if delivery services started doing this, they'd probably have their delivery people wear cameras as well, to protect again false claims from residents with "other ideas" 2) Keycode entry locks allow delivery people to have a code, not to carry around keys, each delivery service could have their own keycode, and if you wanted, you could even create single-use codes tied to specific deliveries (much like single-use credit card numbers), well assuming there are locks that support that 3) As an even greater security measure, you can prevent the codes from working while you're at home, asleep, etc., so no threat to your personal physical security I mean, I'd go even farther than the OP and be asking FreshDirect to put the ice cream directly in my freezer. But then again, literally the most valuable single object I own is my laptop. People with valuable jewelry collections might not be so enthusiastic.
- zanny 13y ago
  Well, when we have the automated delivery trucks with some standardized connector on our house with our homes central server controlling processing of deliveries, we won't need the USPS guy to put my ice cream in the freezer, but for now it sounds like a nice stopgap.
- gamegoblin 13y ago
  As someone else with not much in the ways of physical possessions, I fully agree. I remember once I left my place for the weekend and forgot to lock the door, but I had my laptop on me so no worries. And it's not even the laptop, that's just a cheap $450 code editing box. Now that I type this I remember I have all of my data backed up across three different servers and I realize there are really no physical possessions I couldn't stand to lose. Come on in Amazon!
brownie3003 13y ago
This is something I've been thinking about for a while. I agree that allowing delivery drivers/drones into the house is the best solution, and with Amazon I would have no worries about doing this as they would make sure drivers behaved. However for other companies or random delivery companies contracted out... not so sure. I've been developing an alternative solution. A secure box that you can put outside your home which delivery drivers can request access to. The box's lock is similar to lockitron or bike locks that can be controlled with a phone. This would require the delivery driver to have an app installed to communicate with the box and the owner, which is not always going to be the case. I'm working on allowing the driver to request access by identifying themselves to the owner via voice or video (VOIP/camera) even if they don't have a smartphone/don't have the app. I have uploaded a video of super early prototype here: https://vimeo.com/85355890 https://vimeo.com/85355890 Anyway thought I'd chip in as I'm working on it. I've set up a landing page a http://www.lockboxx.co http://www.lockboxx.co if anyone wants to find out more.
- zyxley 13y ago
  Why not put a keypad on the box, then generate limited-use codes that delivery people can use? Then it can be used with local delivery services and the like with no extra work needed past a "put it in the lockbox at the front, code is 393536" instruction.
  - brownie3003 13y ago
    Also sounds like a good solution. I will look into this instead of VOIP/camera.
sentenza 13y ago
I wonder why he writes that the lockerbox didn't work. Deutsche Post introduced them here in Germany a few years ago and they are used to capacity. I've had this "I'm never gonna do it but it sure would be nice" idea about a refrigerated postbox rollout for years: First you put a refrigerated lockerbox in the most densely populated neighborhoods to get the unbroken refrigeration chain infrastructure flowing. Then, over the years, homeowners could install a two-sided refrigerator in the external wall of their house. That refrigerator would have electronic locks on both sides. The locks on the outside can only be opened by the various deliverymen and the lock on the inside can be opened only by you. The remaining risk would be a deliveryman cleaning out your fridge, but since everything is logged these days, we'll at least catch the guy.
- pavel_lishin 13y ago
  Why would you need any sort of "lock" on the inside at all, aside from a physical latch that can't be opened from inside the refrigerator? If someone's already in my house, the contents of my delivery-fridge are the least of my concerns.
  - sentenza 13y ago
    In most cases, anything that can't be opened from inside the fridge would also do it. The lock on the inside is only neccessary if it's a house with multiple renting parties and there are multiple such refrigerators in the wall between the outside and the hallway, as opposed to one refrigerator between each flat and the hallway.
  - jowiar 13y ago
    Presumably the idea being such the delivery fridge key grants access to the fridge and not the house?
    - sentenza 13y ago
      Yes, of course. I failed to specify this in my other reply to the parent.
- 13y ago
sprite 13y ago
Move into a high end condo. Front desk will sign for packages for you and the doorman can put them in your unit.
xlevus 13y ago
While not possible for everybody, a dropbox is what you want: http://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Mailboxes-6900RZ-Elephantrunk-Parcel/dp/B00AESQ1CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391015848&sr=8-1&keywords=parcel+drop http://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Mailboxes-6900RZ-Elephan... Effectively, your own deposit-only lockbox that any mail service can use.

51 points by jordn 13y ago

tolmasky 13y ago

Wow this is the most unusable page I've ever loaded in mobile. Can't read a single thing.

lukasm 13y ago
Works fine for me. Do you request desktop version?

virtualsue 13y ago

I've started picking up amazon deliveries at local shops (Collect+). This is working out rather well - no need for special lockbox or a supersize ring o' keys.

bergie 13y ago
That is pretty much the convention here in Berlin... they just drop the package either at the kiosk downstairs, or to a neighbor. A lot more convenient than when they (luckily rarely) decide to drop the package to the local post office, which is quite far away and closes early.
danpalmer 13y ago
I've just taken a return back to my nearest convenient Collect+ location. It's a 30 minute walk away, despite me living on a busy shopping road with lots of suitable places. They really need to expand this a considerable amount. I'm not against the idea of giving keys to Amazon, if done in the right way. More ideally, I'd have an electronic lock that could grant them access for particular orders.

johnmurch 13y ago

I always wondered by UPS/FedEx don't have keys to the outside or every apt building have "drop boxes" - large empty boxes that UPS/FedEx could put in a package, lock it with the key, then drop the key in the mailbox of the person who needs it. Thinking a bit more - I wonder if lockitron could solve this allowing "carriers" to enter, drop off package or put groceries away (for the most part) - cold items in freezer, perishable items in fridge, etc. Super interest - also how a retail spans years with various connections/products and integrates into your life.

aaronem 13y ago
Canada Post's community mailboxes have oversized slots for packages, which work on exactly the model you propose. I gather it works reasonably well. On the other hand, I have absolutely no desire to have random delivery staff wandering in and out of my apartment. If that means I have to shop for my own groceries, rather than having them delivered, then that's what I'll do. This also has the benefit that I can pick my own produce, rather than relying on someone who works for Peapod or similar, who likely gets paid rather poor wages, and who, to pick one particularly memorable example, has no particular interest in seeing to it that I get fresh, firm, ripe bell peppers instead of sallow, sunken, half-gone-over ones.
- canistr 13y ago
  But the oversized slots don't actually fit all oversized items. And depending on how Amazon, Dell, etc. packages the boxes, it can be bigger than it needs to be or multiple items are put in one box requiring you to go pick up at the nearest post office anyway.
  - aaronem 13y ago
    "Oversized" only by comparison with the regular mail slots in the postbox, not by comparison with actual packages. It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a few much larger slots, perhaps in a second housing alongside or below the existing one.
shou4577 13y ago
I used to live in a set of townhouses that did exactly your "drop box" idea. It worked really well, and I thought that it was quite common.
byoung2 13y ago
then drop the key in the mailbox of the person who needs it. Usually apartment mailboxes are locked, so that only USPS and the box owner can access them. There is no slot accessible to drop the key in.
13y ago

Pxtl 13y ago

Every house in my neighborhood has a disused milk-delivery-box on the driveway side that could easily store smallish parcels. It would be so simple to convert those into locking delivery boxes.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

petenixey 13y ago

Just to clarify (because the comments here are suggesting that a lockbox does what I'm asking for) - a lockbox does not address the issue for me. Lockboxes are never all that local and they don't carry heavy things home for you. I literally want Amazon to go directly into my home and leave the goods in there. I want to order groceries on my phone and find them in my flat. Frozen items don't matter - I won't order them, it doesn't matter if they sit for a while. I want to leave a return package in my hallway and have it taken back by someone who collects it. I know that this sounds entitled but I also know that Amazon's already got the chops to support this and that if they did I would buy a lot more from them (like maybe £50/week more from them). Combined with Prime it would mean I would never want to order from any other merchant either.

angersock 13y ago
Physical security means nothing to you, does it?
- kozhevnikov 13y ago
  Physical security is a nice myth given Amazon itself sells bump keys and there is no shortage of rocks near by. Threat of prosecution (with CCTV as evidence) on the other hand might be the main deterrent for majority of typical households.
- petenixey 13y ago
  Leaving the house compromises my physical security. Your comment is easy and throwaway and I think you probably already what I'm about to say but life is a balancing act between security and utility. The web and history are littered with examples of things that a "hacker mentality" would have baulked at in theory. AirBnB, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Uber. All of these things would have triggered the line "Identity/Physical security means nothing to you does it?". And yet, for many people, they are more than worth the risk involved. We live in an age where it's accepted that perfect strangers should rent our house or drive our car and yet it seems odd that we should allow a liveried delivery man access to our house. How bizarre.

brubaker 13y ago

Describing this post is difficult, it's downright stupid of course, but it seems to be sprinkled with "douchy cleverness" and a bit of blowhard. Was the author actively jerking off while thinking he was writing a masterpiece of creativity and intellectual thought?

crazygringo 13y ago

I never thought about it before, but this would be awesome, especially considering: 1) Security webcams are so cheap these days, it would be trivial to catch any delivery person who has "other ideas". And if delivery services started doing this, they'd probably have their delivery people wear cameras as well, to protect again false claims from residents with "other ideas" 2) Keycode entry locks allow delivery people to have a code, not to carry around keys, each delivery service could have their own keycode, and if you wanted, you could even create single-use codes tied to specific deliveries (much like single-use credit card numbers), well assuming there are locks that support that 3) As an even greater security measure, you can prevent the codes from working while you're at home, asleep, etc., so no threat to your personal physical security I mean, I'd go even farther than the OP and be asking FreshDirect to put the ice cream directly in my freezer. But then again, literally the most valuable single object I own is my laptop. People with valuable jewelry collections might not be so enthusiastic.

zanny 13y ago
Well, when we have the automated delivery trucks with some standardized connector on our house with our homes central server controlling processing of deliveries, we won't need the USPS guy to put my ice cream in the freezer, but for now it sounds like a nice stopgap.
gamegoblin 13y ago
As someone else with not much in the ways of physical possessions, I fully agree. I remember once I left my place for the weekend and forgot to lock the door, but I had my laptop on me so no worries. And it's not even the laptop, that's just a cheap $450 code editing box. Now that I type this I remember I have all of my data backed up across three different servers and I realize there are really no physical possessions I couldn't stand to lose. Come on in Amazon!

brownie3003 13y ago

This is something I've been thinking about for a while. I agree that allowing delivery drivers/drones into the house is the best solution, and with Amazon I would have no worries about doing this as they would make sure drivers behaved. However for other companies or random delivery companies contracted out... not so sure. I've been developing an alternative solution. A secure box that you can put outside your home which delivery drivers can request access to. The box's lock is similar to lockitron or bike locks that can be controlled with a phone. This would require the delivery driver to have an app installed to communicate with the box and the owner, which is not always going to be the case. I'm working on allowing the driver to request access by identifying themselves to the owner via voice or video (VOIP/camera) even if they don't have a smartphone/don't have the app. I have uploaded a video of super early prototype here: https://vimeo.com/85355890 https://vimeo.com/85355890 Anyway thought I'd chip in as I'm working on it. I've set up a landing page a http://www.lockboxx.co http://www.lockboxx.co if anyone wants to find out more.

zyxley 13y ago
Why not put a keypad on the box, then generate limited-use codes that delivery people can use? Then it can be used with local delivery services and the like with no extra work needed past a "put it in the lockbox at the front, code is 393536" instruction.
- brownie3003 13y ago
  Also sounds like a good solution. I will look into this instead of VOIP/camera.

sentenza 13y ago

I wonder why he writes that the lockerbox didn't work. Deutsche Post introduced them here in Germany a few years ago and they are used to capacity. I've had this "I'm never gonna do it but it sure would be nice" idea about a refrigerated postbox rollout for years: First you put a refrigerated lockerbox in the most densely populated neighborhoods to get the unbroken refrigeration chain infrastructure flowing. Then, over the years, homeowners could install a two-sided refrigerator in the external wall of their house. That refrigerator would have electronic locks on both sides. The locks on the outside can only be opened by the various deliverymen and the lock on the inside can be opened only by you. The remaining risk would be a deliveryman cleaning out your fridge, but since everything is logged these days, we'll at least catch the guy.

pavel_lishin 13y ago
Why would you need any sort of "lock" on the inside at all, aside from a physical latch that can't be opened from inside the refrigerator? If someone's already in my house, the contents of my delivery-fridge are the least of my concerns.
- sentenza 13y ago
  In most cases, anything that can't be opened from inside the fridge would also do it. The lock on the inside is only neccessary if it's a house with multiple renting parties and there are multiple such refrigerators in the wall between the outside and the hallway, as opposed to one refrigerator between each flat and the hallway.
- jowiar 13y ago
  Presumably the idea being such the delivery fridge key grants access to the fridge and not the house?
  - sentenza 13y ago
    Yes, of course. I failed to specify this in my other reply to the parent.
13y ago

sprite 13y ago

Move into a high end condo. Front desk will sign for packages for you and the doorman can put them in your unit.

xlevus 13y ago

While not possible for everybody, a dropbox is what you want: http://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Mailboxes-6900RZ-Elephantrunk-Parcel/dp/B00AESQ1CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391015848&sr=8-1&keywords=parcel+drop http://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Mailboxes-6900RZ-Elephan... Effectively, your own deposit-only lockbox that any mail service can use.