https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-key-takes-deliveries-to-a-new-level-inside-your-home/
So the amazon delivery guy can now throw my package directly into my foyer instead of just throwing it against the front door? Nice!
3 Likes
I’m really on the fence with stuff like this and I’m sure there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered but I kinda agree. I’m sure the camera is to keep them from liability as they can prove when/where the package was delivered. And I’m also sure the delivery people will be well vetted since Amazon doesn’t want a situation where a driver stole something. Plus it would reduce the number of packages people get stolen down to 0. But I’d still worry someone would case the house and refer the info over to a actual crook to then break in. At the same time they know there are cameras in the house. And what about people with dogs or other animals, etc.
Lots of little questions but overall, especially in places where they lose packages to theft, I think its a good idea.
2 Likes
Certainly makes sense for amazon. But for consumers, who can get generally get a replacement item from amazon no questions asked if a package is stolen, the risk/benefit seems different to me.
2 Likes
On the same token Amazon might be trying to push back from people that claim their packages keep getting “stolen” and maybe are trying to reduce some losses.
I know the last couple packages I’ve had delivered have had a picture taken of the package on my front porch added to the order within 5 minutes:
1 Like
That’s interesting. I haven’t noticed if they’re doing that for my deliveries yet. I don’t typically check the tracking updates directly on amazon.com so I’ll have to start looking.
Even bigger picture with potential worldwide delivery. This article was from last year, but Amazon is currently leasing 20 jets. They say that they aren’t out to replace UPS or FedEx, but some speculate otherwise. I was at the airport last week and saw one of these going down the runway.
There were several stories on Amazon’s new delivery services several weeks ago…
1 Like
Amazon is competing against Walmart. Walmart will now have deliveries dropped off inside your home even when no one is there.
I’m not not letting anybody in my house when I’m not there to leave a package.
What about homes with dogs?
My two Beagles would love early sampling of their monthly “Subscribe & Save” cookie order, but other dogs might not be so welcoming!
Gee… It would be a lot more useful if they sent you a photograph of the package being stolen.
Then again, I had extremely clear video of 4 cases of dog food stolen. Police actually caught the suspect due to me communicating photos through Nextdoor.com
They took a report and a link to the video. The Officers acted annoyed the entire time,
Never heard back from them. Never got my dog food back… But Amazon replaced it free.
2 Likes
Can I receive in-home delivery if I have a pet?
We do not recommend using in-home delivery if your pet can access the front door on delivery day.
Yet another hurdle Amazon faces.
44% of US Households have a dog. Of course, not all of them are home alone near the delivery area, but … still.
Right, it’s only a problem if the dog has access to the door that the Amazon delivery person will open. 
There are lots of ways around that, particularly when you know the day the delivery will arrive.
This is just a convenience service being offered for customers. If it’s not convenient for a particular customer they won’t use it.
Yeah, I could easily enough put up a $20 baby gate on the hall going to the door and keep mine back. Infact I’d consider it especially in the winter so I don’t have potentially sensitive packages sitting in -10* F air or a melting snow pile.
1 Like
This is why I just re-route all my packages to the local UPS store. Most of my Amazon packages comes from UPS.
USPS comes early enough in the day that I am at home still (work 2nd shift), but UPS comes just after I leave. Re-routing to the UPS stores gets my packages delivered 4 hours earlier (and it’s only a mile away).
USPS also has the ability to put packages in a locker here for me (apartment complex mailboxes). Larger ones and Sunday deliveries are left at my door though. Again, early enough I am home to get them typically.
Waiting for Nest to lower cloud fees…paying $500 annually
Hi,
I believe vseven was saying that the delivery person took the photo as proof that he left a package on the customer’s door step. It doesn’t mean it can be stolen after the fact, though! But maybe this helps combat claims that it wasn’t delivered vs stolen(?). I’m not sure why it matters if the customer didn’t get the product in the end and police are useless.
Having said that, I am also unsure how I feel about Key. On the one hand, I do enjoy Amazon services. And I do spend with them when it makes sense to and receive hundreds of dollars in savings on shipping. I think I’m considering doing this for my garage side entrance. There are less valuable things in my garage and there isn’t a direct entrance to my home from the garage. Its an interesting convenience feature. Just not sure how compelled I am to want to use it.
I just want to know: will Amazon add integrations into SmartThings so we can view from or trigger recording from SmartThings via automations? I mean, if its always recording, not sure its necessary and with the Alexa app, I can also view everything… I’m just wondering - is all.
3 Likes
Wow, you must have a host of Nest cameras. I use Ring outdoors for floodlight, doorbell, and spotlight. 100$ annually for unlimited cameras. I’m still testing/ debating what to use indoors. I am trying the Samsung Smart Cams, but find them unwieldy to manage. I’ve been curios about Nest and Arlo cameras. I’d love it if Ring made indoor cameras. Technically, I could use the stick up cams, but they are less than inconspicuous and hideous.
We have a utility closet next to the garage and my housemate thinks we should consider getting the lock and key camera for that closet and have the deliveries put there.
There’s nothing in the closet except the water heater and some shelving, so there’s no security issues on our side. And there’s no access from the closet into the main house. But it does have lights and electrical outlets.
My problem is that the area isn’t wheelchair accessible at all, so that means I have to wait for one of my housemates to get home before I get the packages. And I don’t think the system is going to interface with any of our other Home Automation systems, which means I won’t be able to unlock it from my watch, yet another problem for me, but not for my housemates.
Still, it would solve the problems of Amazon packages being left in all kinds of weird places, which happens now.
So I’m thinking about it, but it seems like an expensive solution for that particular problem. Particularly since we’d end up with the camera with a view of nothing except the inside of the utility closet! 
1 Like
Well, the lock companies that partnered with Amazon so far are Kwikset and Yale. Both are pretty common and have apps of their own to manage locks. I don’t think unlocking it via watch should be a problem. But that obviously depends on what your home automation setup allows. Smartthings (what I use) allows routines. Routines can be executed from Apple watch, for instance.