People across the United States frequently take advantage of Amazon’s quick delivery times and accessibility. Whether you’re looking for household essentials or a gift for a friend, it’s almost certain that Amazon can get your items to your doorstep in record time. However, Amazon delivery might not be the ideal solution for everyone. Perhaps you live in an apartment and don’t want packages dropped off at the front desk or have had issues with porch pirates snatching your items before you can get home. Amazon Locker might be the perfect solution for your woes.
What is Amazon Locker?
Amazon Locker was created to give everyone a safe, accessible location to pick up their packages with a reduced risk of theft or tampering. People who purchase items through Amazon have the option of shipping their parcels to a secure locker, accessed through a Self-Service kiosk. When you place an order through the Amazon app or website, you’re sent a special access code that you can enter at the kiosk to retrieve your package.
One noteworthy benefit to Amazon Locker is that it significantly reduces the chances of your package being stolen. If you work long hours, you may be unable to pick up your package when it arrives at your door via regular delivery. This can increase the chances of your package being snatched by an attentive porch pirate before you arrive home. At an Amazon Locker, no one can get to your package without the correct identification code.
As an added perk, some Amazon Locker locations even accept product returns. Instead of visiting the post office, you can just drop your package in a locker and it will be picked up at that location.
Potential Shortcomings of the Amazon Locker System
It may seem obvious, but not everyone is near an Amazon Locker location. Consumers in large cities are more likely to be reasonably close to at least one locker location in their community. On the other hand, if you live in a remote location, it may be challenging to find an Amazon Locker that is nearby.
Even if there is an Amazon Locker near you, there’s no certainty that the item(s) you want can be shipped there. Items that are not shipped to locker facilities include:
- Products shipped internationally
- Packages weighing more than ten pounds
- Orders from third-party sellers
- Packages with dimensions larger than 16 x 12 x 14 inches
- Subscribe & Save purchases
A major critique of Amazon in recent years is that their delivery vehicles are capable of causing catastrophic accidents on the road. Unsafe vehicles, fatigued drivers, and overweight delivery vans can contribute to costly Amazon delivery vehicle accident lawsuits. Although Amazon Locker can improve the security and efficiency of package pickups, it doesn’t do much to decrease the number of delivery vehicles on the road, since parcels still need to be taken to a locker location.
Retrieving Your Package
If there’s an Amazon Locker near you and you decide to move forward with shipping your package there, the pickup process is quite easy. Once your package arrives at the facility, you’ll have to go pick it up. You’ll see a row of lockers arranged around a touchscreen. To retrieve your parcel, select the package pickup option and enter the code you received when you placed your order. The locker with your package will open automatically, and you can grab your item(s) and go.
Finding an Amazon Locker Near You
At this point, you might be wondering how you can determine whether there’s a locker facility near you that can accept your package. Luckily, Amazon makes it incredibly easy to find the nearest pick-up location. You can search by address, zip code, or landmark on the Amazon website or app. Once you find the nearest pick-up location, you can select it as your delivery address and continue the checkout process as usual. Instead of having your package sent to your front door, it’ll be delivered to the Amazon Locker of your choosing.
Improving Parcel Pickups and Safety Through Amazon Locker
If you’ve been struggling with stolen packages or want to have more control over when your parcels are claimed, Amazon Locker might be the perfect solution for you. As long as you’re shipping reasonably small items, you’ll be able to pick them up whenever suits your schedule. As long as there’s a pickup facility near you, Amazon Locker is well worth a try!