Amazon Launches Amazon Key Service That Allows Couriers to Access Your Home

Maura · Oct 25, 2017

9to5 Mac reports that Amazon has today announced its new Alexa Cloud Cam security camera and Amazon Key service, which is designed to work in tandem with certain smart locks to let Amazon couriers gain entry into your home and leave packages inside your house.

Amazon Key works by sending a notification to your iOS device letting you know that a courier is outside your home and waiting to deliver. If you’re not at home, the courier will enter your house and leave the package inside. You will be able to watch the courier as they deliver your parcel and (hopefully) leave your home.

It will be very interesting to see how many people are prepared to give Amazon access to their home in such a way, even if it is monitored. The amazonkey hashtag has been trending worldwide most of today, leading to a very entertaining thread full of plenty of memes and gifs featuring assorted sloths, robots, etc., showing what might happen with people returning to their homes to find them ransacked, or having their Amazon Key courier judging their house decor. To quote just one example, from @IVYandICE2, “I don’t even want people that I know in my house.”

Amazon Key is currently available to Amazon Prime members in a select few cities in the US, and requires compatible hardware.

An “in-home kit” is currently available on Amazon comprising the Alexa Cloud Cam and suitable smart lock for $250.

Source: Amazon launches smart lock and security cam system to take in-home deliveries for Prime members, with iPhone app alerts

zstairlessone · Oct 25, 2017

Wouldn't it be easier to use technology to schedule a specific delivery time so people can be available to receive the package? Build custom delivery routes daily based on the scheduled deliveries and pump the route to the truck???

933 · Oct 25, 2017

I don’t know if I could trust someone coming into my house. Even though you can see them, doesn’t mean that they can’t or might not take something!! Will be interesting to see that is for sure!!

scifan57 · Oct 25, 2017

zstairlessone said:
Wouldn't it be easier to use technology to schedule a specific delivery time so people can be available to receive the package? Build custom delivery routes daily based on the scheduled deliveries and pump the route to the truck???

Agreed. There’s no reason they can’t give you a delivery window smaller than 8-12 hours.
A few years ago I had an iPhone delivered at 8:30pm after waiting all day.

amylyn1970 · Oct 30, 2017

I’d be worried my cat would get out. Although he’s terrified and runs when someone opens the door. My dog goes to work with me so no problems there.

Pinkpoison · Oct 30, 2017

There is absolutely no way I would allow someone to enter my home like that.
I really can't see this taking off but who knows.

scifan57 · Oct 30, 2017

Poisonivy said:
There is absolutely no way I would allow someone to enter my home like that.
I really can't see this taking off but who knows.

You could set up a lockbox at your house with this technology and the delivery person could place your package in it where it would remain secure until you arrived home, without granting access to your home itself.

brixtonboy · Oct 31, 2017

Surely no one in there right mind is going to allow a delivery person to walk into their home just because they work for Amazon and have a parcel for them.
In Germany if l buy anything from Amazon and it can’t be delivered to the post office then l source it from Ebay. It’s delivered via DHL simple.
I have never seen a courier from Amazon their items are always delivered by the normal post.

Pinkpoison · Oct 31, 2017

Who is going to allow someone into their home so they can look around and see what valuables you have? That is potentially setting yourself up to be burgled at some later time IMO.

933 · Oct 31, 2017

Hard to believe that most will let this happen. It may reach a few people, but I just don’t think we are ready for a full invasion of our privacy and like said, it’s a setup for failure and to get robbed by someone. It happens daily with other companies. Workers take advantage of things!!!! Not saying that it’s a bad idea, just not in the correct way. I think an outside lockbox of some sort as scifan57 said earlier, would make much more sense and make for better business practices and safety of people as well! Truly a hard one to swallow for me anyhow. I’ll never let anyone that I don’t know just come into my house that is for sure!! But to each their own I suppose.

brixtonboy · Nov 8, 2017

Just seen on German TV a spot about this. Interviewing people in the street about the service, not one person said they would use it.
No idea how many people were interviewed but the figures they gave were.
[emoji106]4% [emoji107]96% l know were l stand.

933 · Nov 8, 2017

Heard a commercial running all day on radio about it as well. $250 for the box for key or delivery?? Not too sure about that. But at any rate, they have been advertising it all day here on talk radio stations. I just don’t see it going over too well with most. Still a bit too early for that!

applexman · Nov 13, 2017

I think your insurance would be invalid, well it would in the UK. What if these robbers ambushed an Amazon delivery person at your door and got entry?

brixtonboy · Nov 13, 2017

Hi although l live in Germany l was born and bred in London so l know it’s people and culture.
This Amazon idea would never function there, no way. Maybe they would get away with it in some parts of the UK but if it ever became public, then mark words the crime rate there would shoot up, in those areas dramatically.

London forget it.