Would you let a stranger in your house to drop off a package? Amazon hopes so.
The online retailer said Wednesday that it will launch a service next month called Amazon Key that would allow delivery people to walk into your home and drop off a box when you're not there.
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Those who want to use the service would need to be an Amazon Prime member and would have to buy a camera and a Wi-Fi-connected lock from the Seattle-based company that starts at $250. Shoppers will then be able to select in-home delivery on the Amazon app.
When the delivery person shows up, they will knock first, scan the package and Amazon will make sure the delivery person is at the right home and unlock the door. No codes are needed and the indoor camera will record the in-home delivery.
Walmart is testing a similar service in California's Silicon Valley, which lets delivery people drop off packages or stock the fridge with groceries bought from Walmart.com. The delivery person is given a one-time code to open the door and Walmart said customers will get an alert on their smartphones when someone enters.
Amazon.com Inc. said its service will be available Nov. 8 in 37 cities, including Atlanta, Cleveland and Denver. The company said the smart lock can also be used to let in housekeepers to scrub the kitchen, dog walkers to take your furry friend for a walk or out-of-town guests who want to make themselves at home.
The company said its in-home delivery service is covered by the Amazon Key Happiness Guarantee, which covers delivery issues, property damage or theft.
And Amazon said the deliveries are carried out by drivers who are vetted with background checks and driving record reviews.
Company hopes Amazon Key will curb package thefts
The online retail giant hopes customers will trust it enough – and be willing to pay the price tag – to use Amazon Key to fight the theft problem.
Surveillance video from a package theft in Pierce County last week caught a woman casually walking up to a home, taking an Amazon package, and leaving in a maroon van. The entire crime took about 40 seconds.
Paul Casey lives in Seattle and says he’s been a victim.
“Theft of packages has been a problem for me, and it's always (a) disappointment. It feels like a violation any time there's a theft,” he said.
But he’s not sure about Amazon Key.
“I think the Equifax hack, retail stores also, even just the vulnerability of it – I think it's just one more opportunity to become vulnerable to something,” Casey said.
Another Amazon customer says he opts to get his packages delivered at work, because of theft concerns. But that doesn’t mean he’s ready for the Key.
“I'm all for technology but I'm not sure I'd want a stranger being able to get inside my house,” said John Bayliss, who lives in Seattle.
But other people say with Amazon Key, you only need to trust one stranger – the delivery person -- while a package left outside the front door means you essentially have to trust every stranger who walks by.
“All day. Envelopes, big packages, small packages, I walk with Zoey (her dog) around town all the time and there's literally anything. You could literally walk up and take anything,” said Kristin Wright, another Seattle resident. “I see all these packages, and I think, ‘The honor system is not going to work for forever, that’s for sure.’”
She says she’s on board.
“I think it's a genius idea. I have so many times gotten a package delivered, and I've had to worry about the package, I've had to give the special instructions to the delivery guy,” she said. “It's a no-brainer to have my packages safe, for sure,” Wright said.
Associated Press
