Amazon is scaling up for back-to-school season, expanding its network of Locker package pickup points to more than 750 locations across 500 U.S. colleges and universities.
The expanded footprint — part of Amazon’s broader network of more than 25,000 delivery hubs nationwide — is designed to integrate directly into students’ daily routines without adding additional costs, the tech giant said in a release Tuesday.
Students can select a campus Locker at checkout, track their order via the Amazon app, and collect packages within a three-day window using a barcode or code, with uncollected items automatically returned and refunded.
The campus expansion marks another major evolution for a program that GeekWire first reported on in October 2011, when Amazon quietly launched its delivery lockers as a pilot program in Seattle-area convenience stores.
Amazon is betting that placing secure, 24/7-accessible Lockers directly on campus will eliminate friction for on-the-go students juggling classes and extracurriculars.
“College students are constantly on the move, and picking up a package should fit into their day — not the other way around,” Viraj Chatterjee, vice president of Amazon Transportation, said in a statement.
Amazon’s physical campus push coincides with a broader subscription strategy targeting young consumers. The company announced that higher education students and young adults ages 18 to 24 can sign up for “Prime for Young Adults” at a 50% discount ($7.49 a month or $69 annually), which includes full Prime shipping and streaming benefits, a six-month trial, and 5% cash-back perks.
