Amazon continues to roll out its “Hub” apartment delivery lockers, announcing today that the service is now available to more than 500,000 residents across the U.S.
The company launched the initiative last year, giving apartment residents another way to receive their Amazon.com orders. It’s similar to Amazon’s existing Lockers, which launched seven years ago as an alternative to receiving packages from Amazon at home or work.
One difference with “Hub” is that it accepts packages not just from Amazon but from any sender, shipped via any carrier — a strategy that could make Amazon a much bigger rival to retail mailbox stores and existing package lockers.
“Building on Amazon’s expertise in locker solutions, the Hub addresses frustrations from property owners, carriers and residents concerning package delivery,” Patrick Supanc, director of Amazon Worldwide Lockers and Pickup, said in a statement.
It’s the latest package delivery offering from Amazon as door-step package theft continues to be a big problem. Earlier this year the company unveiled Amazon Key, a service that gives delivery personnel access to a customer’s home. In April it announced Amazon Key In-Car, turning personal vehicles into a package delivery locker of sorts.
It’s also another example of Amazon’s growing physical retail and delivery infrastructure, ranging from its Whole Foods acquisition to the Treasure Trucks to its delivery drones.
