August and Garageio, two smart home companies that make connected locks and garage door openers, are working to make possible in-home deliveries of Amazon packages. According to a report in The Information, early tests have already been carried out in Seattle.
Here's how the process would work: When you check out a purchase from Amazon store, you can opt for an in-home delivery -- allowing the courier one-time access to your home via an August-locked door or Garageio-controlled garage. During delivery, the courier would use the access key via the appropriate app and leave your package safely inside.
This feature seems similar to August Access, a 2015 update to August's own app that lets people give temporary virtual "keys" to service people like dog-walkers and couriers. Garageio's feature would reportedly work a bit differently, giving couriers access to the garage, but not necessarily the rest of the house, if the interior door were locked.
If in-home delivery becomes an option, it won't just impact users. Packaging costs for distributors could go down, since extra packaging to protect deliveries from the elements would no longer be necessary. (Who knows if those savings would be passed along to consumers?)
The new system might also do the trick to getting more people to adopt smart home tech. On the other hand, it could also prove unsettling. Not everyone will be comfortable giving even temporary home access to strangers.
Amazon has not announced if or when this new service will become widely available.
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