# Amazon starts "The Hub" for apartment deliveries, like Lockers



## Flexibility (Oct 2, 2016)

I read this story from Tech Crunch today about Amazon using "The Hub", similar to Amazon Lockers but marketed specifically to multi-family dwellings like apartment complexes. https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/a...cel-delivery-lockers-for-apartment-buildings/

Wouldn't this help all of us be more successful with deliveries? A convenience for the customer AND a deterrent for thieves? Sounds like a win-win to me.

Since we don't have regular routes like USPS, UPS or FedEx, we never have the code for the ParcelPost (or whatever they call them) lockers at newer apartments that have installed them. If we are really lucky, we might find the leasing office open AND someone willing to give us the code.

Go Amazon...it shouldn't be so hard.

I would add that customers often don't offer the access code for their buildings...even better if these units were placed outside like so many of the Amazon Locker locations.


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## nighthawk398 (Jul 21, 2015)

Love it


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## jester121 (Sep 6, 2016)

That sounds you heard was some startup companies slapping themselves in the forehead, for being so dumb to think that Amazon wouldn't do this on their own. I forget the names but there are quite a few operators in this space already.... soon to be gone I'm sure. 

Now if one of them was smart enough to patent it, and charge licensing fees? They're doing a happy dance.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Some newer partments have this now but this would be a game changer for drivers. Would definitely cut down on customer expectation emails


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## Placebo17 (Jan 20, 2017)

I doubt this will make apartment deliveries that much easier. I've dealt with apartments with amazon lockers and not everyone uses them. People are lazy as [email protected] and they want the packages delivered to their front doors.

This one I stance, there is this 200 unit tricky apartment complex, this guy had this sign up, "please knock on the door and if no one is home leave the packages at the leasing office." I knock on the the door and he was there so that was that. As I was leaving though he pops his head out and says thanks for knocking on the door, no one really does that. Then I replied by saying you should use the amazon locker in this building, it'll be beneficial to everyone. He replied by saying, "Oh they won't let me sign up." I was like alrighty then...

Not sure if the guy is telling me the truth but how can other residents use the locker but they don't let him use it. Made no sense to me.

Bottom line, not every building will have the hub and not everyone will use them.


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## jester121 (Sep 6, 2016)

Won't let him sign up?? I think anyone can use the lockers for deliveries if they're in an apartment or a business, when you check out it's right there as an option for you (on my business account, anyhow -- my personal account is linked to my address which is a single family home.)

Oh, and screw that guy and his sign. When I was doing routes that had a lot of apartments, I was quickly convinced that it was never work stomping around inside the building up and down halls, waiting on elevators, etc. If it looks sketchy in the area where the mailboxes are, it's back to the warehouse as undeliverable. Chances are, somewhere along the way I was going to get an undeliverable anyhow on any given block, so I just stopped putting in the effort to find a way to deliver -- if I'm traipsing back to the warehouse it makes no difference if it's for 1 box or 6.


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## CatchyMusicLover (Sep 18, 2015)

Could be he's not actually the renter and the apartment complex won't let him because of that.
Just a wild guess.


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## Flexibility (Oct 2, 2016)

Since Amazon is data-driven, I am sure they see the number of "undeliverables" that come back from apartments with "no access code" or "no safe location". I try to educate customers about options...assuming I can actually speak to the customer. Only so much we can do.


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## harvesterofbeer (Aug 24, 2017)

It would be fantastic if AMZN could do a better job of screening which apartment customers will be home for a given route. The amount of money they have wasted having me drive around in the evening and try to re-deliver packages to apartments (only to have me return them to the depot as undeliverable) is amazing. And it's such a pain in the ass.

Could be like an automated text message..."reply with YES or NO if you will be home to receive a package between X and Y today"


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## Movaldriver (Feb 20, 2017)

I have been to apartment complexes where the lockers are inside the office and the office is closed. Somebody didn't think through that location very well.


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## jester121 (Sep 6, 2016)

Movaldriver said:


> I have been to apartment complexes where the lockers are inside the office and the office is closed. Somebody didn't think through that location very well.


Yeah.... derp.


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## Cynergie (Apr 10, 2017)

Flexibility said:


> I read this story from Tech Crunch today about Amazon using "The Hub", similar to Amazon Lockers but marketed specifically to multi-family dwellings like apartment complexes. https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/27/a...cel-delivery-lockers-for-apartment-buildings/
> 
> Wouldn't this help all of us be more successful with deliveries? A convenience for the customer AND a deterrent for thieves? Sounds like a win-win to me.
> 
> ...


ABSOLUTELY.

Works best if they put lockers at every supermart/shopping mall as this would be the most convenient.

I wish 100% of my SF apt and city deliveries were to lockers. Especially Amazon lockers which are the most intelligent of all lockers I've encountered to date. Simply scan the pkg at the locker, scan the pkg with your phone, then place it into the appropriate sized locker that pops open. 

That 15-25 pkg drop to a gated apt complex is no longer a cyber nose bleed. No more deactivations from concessions due to leaving pkgs from UTA/BC/NSL at drop off. All 100% pkgs delivered to the safety of ONE single location in 5-10 mins. In the convenience of the nearest Safeway/shopping mall or a central apt location

Don't know WTF Amazon doesn't advertise their locker system more. I've been educating a lot of the apt pax here in SF and Bay area about it. Especially in SF city where the rate of concessions due to UTA/NSL is extremely high. And find myself increasingly amazed by their ignorance this highly customized and convenient service even exists. 

Couple weeks back, I was dropping off pkgs at the Marina Safeway in SF. A lady who had been watching me for a while, came over. She asked me what I was doing and what those strange looking yellow gym lockers were for.


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## jester121 (Sep 6, 2016)

Cynergie said:


> Don't know WTF Amazon doesn't advertise their locker system more. I've been educating a lot of the apt pax here in SF and Bay area about it. Especially in SF city where the rate of concessions due to UTA/NSL is extremely high. And find myself increasingly amazed by their ignorance this highly customized and convenient service even exists.


My guess is the lockers run at or close to 100% capacity -- the few times I've delivered to them I had 6 or 8 items to drop, it wouldn't surprise me if they're just plain full up.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

harvesterofbeer said:


> The amount of money they have wasted having me drive around in the evening and try to re-deliver packages to apartments (only to have me return them to the depot as undeliverable) is amazing. And it's such a pain in the ass.


Remember the warehouse folks are judged on attempts. Not actual deliveries. If you waste gas trying to find a place and bring it back they don't care.


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## UberPasco (Oct 18, 2015)

jester121 said:


> My guess is the lockers run at or close to 100% capacity -- the few times I've delivered to them I had 6 or 8 items to drop, it wouldn't surprise me if they're just plain full up.


The users also have to pay a fee to use them. In one St. Pete apt, it is $5 plus tax per use. And a lot of times the larger boxes are all being used and it won't let you split the delivery into several small/medium boxes.


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## Flexibility (Oct 2, 2016)

jester121 said:


> My guess is the lockers run at or close to 100% capacity -- the few times I've delivered to them I had 6 or 8 items to drop, it wouldn't surprise me if they're just plain full up.


I have come across this situation with apartment lockers(non-Amazon). I leave the packages in the room and mark "...secure mailroom ". I got past the secure entrance so these packages are staying here!

Recently, I delivered several packages to an Amazon Locker at a Safeway. I scanned the last package, the locker opened and there was already a package inside. I thought it was odd, called Support and they told me to mark "Undeliverable-Locker full." First time that has happened to me.


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## Cynergie (Apr 10, 2017)

was it for the same customer? If it were, I'd have left the package. I wish Amazon lockers were a bit more intelligent and pop the same locker open for the same customer if they have more than 1 pkg in your drop off. It must be due to the security risk of reopening an occupied locker I suppose. The probability of theft jumps from 0% to 100% once it's reopened I guess. I'm just tired of running out of med & large lockers. Only to find a tiny pkg put in an oversize locker the other day. The smartest Amazon lockers I've encountered already know the customer and the approx dimensions of the delivered package. All you need do is scan the package, wait for the right size locker to pop open, scan the pkg with your phone, and place it in the locker. Why can't that same locker reopen for multiple small packages? No wonder the Fed Ex drivers hate us. Complete waste of space.


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## Flexibility (Oct 2, 2016)

No, it was a different customer. I did find it odd that Amazon, a company so dependent and driven by data, would "overbook", or over commit their locker space.


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## Cynergie (Apr 10, 2017)

yeah. Amazon is exactly like the airlines and LyfUber in that regard. But the airlines logic is to gurantee they make profit by over booking. The logic as to why Amazon would copy this--after the customers have already obligated themselves with their cc AND Amazon is leaving themselves open to concessions by doing so--completely escapes me


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## jester121 (Sep 6, 2016)

So... not exactly like the airlines -- in fact, absolutely nothing like the airlines.

As with much of Amazon Flex, it's just sloppy coding -- and the ability to print barrels of cash despite being all screwed up in so many ways.


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