We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
DON’T WANT AMAZON deliveries sitting on the porch? The company hopes you’ll let a stranger inside to drop them off.
Amazon has said it will launch a service called Amazon Key next month that will let people allow the door to be unlocked when they’re not there so packages can be left inside.
The proposal raised concerns about safety and delivery employees being mistaken for intruders.
Amazon said the drivers would be well-vetted, while one expert said the company has built up trust with customers and younger customers were more likely to try it out.
Convenient shopping
An in-home delivery program also falls in line with Amazon’s strategy of trying to make shopping with it so convenient that consumers don’t think about buying elsewhere. And with the option requiring a specific camera that it sells, the move helps Amazon tie customers even closer to its gadgets as well as the items it delivers.
Customers who want to use the service will need to be Amazon Prime members and will have to buy a camera and a wifi-connected lock from the Seattle-based company that starts at $250 (€211). Shoppers will then be able to choose in-home delivery as an option in the Amazon app.
When the delivery person shows up, they will knock first and scan the package.
Amazon will make sure the person is at the right home and unlock the door. No codes or keys are needed, and the indoor camera will record the in-home delivery.
The Amazon Cloud Cam also lets users watch a livestream or recorded video on Amazon’s Fire tablet, Fire TV or its voice-activated Echo devices that have a video screen.
‘Millennials are less concerned about privacy’
The service is likely to be more of a hit with younger families, said Timothy Carone, an associate teaching professor at University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He said millennials are already comfortable posting photos and their whereabouts on Facebook, Instagram and other social media.
“They’re less concerned about privacy than older generations are,” Carone said.
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.
For Amazon, the in-home delivery service helps it enter the fast-growing home security camera market, competing with Google’s Nest cameras, said Martin Garner, a device and internet analyst at CCS Insight. Tying the camera in with the in-home delivery service gives people a reason to buy it, said Garner.
“They’ve been on a mission to do this,” said Garner.
Amazon.com said in-home delivery will be available 8 November in 37 cities, including Atlanta, Cleveland and Denver.
The company says the service is covered by the Amazon Key Happiness Guarantee, which applies to delivery issues, property damage or theft. Amazon said the deliveries are carried out by drivers who are vetted with background checks and driving record reviews.
Nothing could possibly go wrong
@Shane Dunne: yes the vetted tell the unvetted
@Shane Dunne: What a stupid idea. First you’ve to pay to have all the equipment installed, so that your privacy can be invaded, via cameras in your house and the amazon delivery person who you know nothing about, I won’t even get into how the system could be hacked, all to justify a parcel delivery which you could easily have delivered to your place of work, neighbour, or collected from your post office. Anyone who uses this service needs their head examined!!!!!!!!! Humans are turning into a bunch of lazy morons and stuff like this perpetuates the problem.
@Ciaran Fairley: I worked at a place that did not allow staff deliveries as the post room got overwhelmed. All my neighbours worked the same type of hours as me so were not at home. As for the post office, it was closed when I went to and from work during the week and Saturday I was busy. Although some bright spark did invent a service to drop and collect post at the pub…very dangerous
My family down the country still dont lock their doors, if the car not parked outside the post man will leave the post on the kitchen table. Suppose this the modern way.
@:
where did u say you lived?
@: nothing left to rob by now is why.
@: I live in the country and wouldn’t dream of doing this.
@Nick Allen:
In fairness it does happen, we installed a monitored CCTV system in the parents house in the country because they rarely lock the door and an alarm system wouldn’t be turned on.
There’s so many legal implications of letting a person cross your threshold, that make this a very bad idea.
@Paraic McDonagh: Do elaborate.
@Ben McArthur: Vampires
@Paraic McDonagh:
And when you sign up for the service you accept the terms and conditions. It’s not that different to letting a Plumber into your house to fix the upstairs loo.
@David Ronan: They need an invitation, and would only come at night time, anyway, just hang some garlic above your door, and windows, and you’ll be grand
@Nick Allen: Except that you would certainly be there with him.
@Ben McArthur: They could do do something unsafe while you are not there to witness it, injure themselves and sue you just to name one.
@Paraic McDonagh: well occupiers liability would come into play. The app would allow you to notify them of any dangers such as a dog that may be aggressive toward strangers or step up inside your door that’s a potential trip hazard in an ‘additional delivery info’ option. Therefore as long as you make the visitor (delivery person in this case) aware of any concealed or inherent danger in the area they will be in your home you’re in the clear. Also they are there to place a package inside your door not go roaming around the house so anything outside the purpose of being in a certain area of your home would constitute trespass.
@PJ Maguire Kavanagh: What if they injured themselves in some way that you haven’t warned them about? Are you supposed to list out every possible scenario?
The postman always knocks twice.
Amazon don’t deliver directly here do they ? Any stuff I’ve gotten was delivered by An Post. Actually I find An Post delivery to be the best. They don’t give your packages to random neighbours you don’t know and then don’t actually tell you like couriers do. I’ve had to go searching for my packages with neighbours who gave false names and wanted to keep my stuff. An Post try three times to deliver your package and if you still aren’t home you can collect from Depot. All brilliant. Plus at Christmas the drivers check first if kids are in the house before taking obvious Christmas gifts out of the van. I always try to buy with companies that use An Post . They are the best out there.
Not on your nelly.
As a millennial who uses Amazon quite frequently, not a f*****g chance Bezos.
@Jimbo Jones: ye big snowflake.
@☘️: They’re a snowflake for having respect for their own privacy and not being comfortable with unknown people entering their house, whilst they’re not there?
I had the same reaction, also as a milennial. I dont do any of the things they say all milennials do either.
If people are comfortable with this service, more power to them.. I for one wont be using it, because it feels far too risky to me!
If you don’t like it, just don’t choose that delivery option?
@Seth Cheffetz:
But then what would people have to moan about on the journal
This can only end well
Much better idea than drone deliveries from their point of view. Very clever of them. Terrifying to an oldie like me though.
@Shane Gleeson: Can’t see much of an uptake, except from hippies with guardian angels, but it’s another string to their bow if anyone does want it.
@Shane Gleeson: They can’t use drones, they’re not allowed fly here over residential areas. Otherwise they’d be dropping all our parcels down chimneys in the traditional way.
Amazon in Cork is one of the most appalling employers in Ireland.
The way amazon treats iis staff is shocking.
Jeff Bezos is a human rights abusing weirdo.
@Colin Morris:
In what way are they appalling? Do they pay badly, have zero hours contracts, not let staff take holidays or is it that they just get the staff to work hard to earn their salaries
@Nick Allen:
If you are sick (even with a doctor’s note) you are fired.
If you are late you are fired.
Your hours are not guaranteed and your contract tends to be short term and minimum wage.
And the culture of the place is disgraceful – the managers speak like they are in a cult instead of a shop.
@Colin Morris: if you’re sick with doctors note and you’re fired then that persons lawyers would be laughing all the way to the bank (or to court) to get such easy win and payout. Unless you’re not telling the truth?
Nice idea. The main thing that stops me from buying online is the delivery part.
@Drahcir: parcel motel?
@Brian Troy: Good idea, unless it’s the one in Lucan :)
They should call the service Amazon ice cream van as the criminals , with a little innovation, will figure it out and probably leave the package alone as a token of appreciation.
What happens with your monitored house alarm??
@RJ.Fallon: omit a zone when arming your system.
UPS have a similar service they just leave it in your green bin.
I call that an accident waiting to happen.
Clever criminals will wait till they have a delivery to some millionaires mansion and clean it out.
@Ken O’Neill:
Maybe he millionaire’s will get their staff to collect it at the door
@Nick Allen:
Could be putting their staff at risk then, and I’m being serious.
You’d want balls of steel to be delivering in America!!
@Deborah Behan:
Or a bullet proof kevlar suit?
Are they serious! HAh. Post office delivery box anyone?
Not a hope, never will I give any online business or anyone else access to my home, Jesus whatever your purchasing from. Amazon surly to go you can wait to collect at post office or something if you are not there, for me that’s one step to far, but I have no doubt people will let it happen,
Omg Never in a million yrs.
i don’t let the family in, nevermind feckin strangers
While an Post deliver you Amazon parcels they can check see if you have an up today tv licence for the address and if you have a tv.
Millennials are less concerned about security? The hell I am, myself my boyfriend and our landlady are the only ones with keys to our flat. My parents don’t even have a key to here.
Idea seems nice but imagine it will bring hacking into new grounds – not just remote connection to your computer from far far away that tries to break in and infect your files or whatever, but now it can be a hacking that can affect your whole home. While I like new technology and ideas I think that’s bit too much. Ah feck it, just use parcel motel, or deliver to work, where you are in the day.
Tell you what I be happy to have what I pay for already without fedex get steal from me and the trying again for a bigger charge ! I am sick of it !
What about the Rottweiler lurking behind the couch ?!
What a stupid idea. First you’ve to pay to have all the equipment installed, so that your privacy can be invaded, via cameras in your house and the amazon delivery person who you know nothing about, I won’t even get into how the system could be hacked, all to justify a parcel delivery which you could easily have delivered to your place of work, neighbour, or collected from your post office. Anyone who uses this service needs their head examined!!!!!!!!! Humans are turning into a bunch of lazy morons and stuff like this perpetuates the problem.
If this works nobody can never tell me again that my ideas are stupid!
Who would be that crazy…
I wouldn’t, but at least it guarantees that they get the right house. It’s surprising how many neighbours take in a parcel and keep it. I once lived in a cul-de-sac on the Southside of Dublin and for two months we got a bill for milk. No milk, just bills. Finally three of us came home from a party at 6 am and spotted our milk being delivered to the house opposite.
have your say