Will the Package Locker Come Home Again? – Bet on It

The latest and greatest thing in package security is the package locker. Banks of package lockers are showing up in office buildings, apartment complexes, and retail spaces. They offer a safe and reliable way to deliver packages without fear of theft. So here’s my question: will the package locker come home again?

I say ‘come home again’ because the package locker is not a new concept. The very first package lockers were known as package safes. They were individual lockers designed for residential use. They only fell out of favor because delivery companies weren’t making the effort to use them. But now that porch piracy is so rampant, things might change.

A Fairly Simple Principle

The package locker and its purpose are fairly simple in principle. Rather than leaving packages on a porch or stoop, where porch pirates can easily swipe them, they are delivered to a secure locker where they are both protected and kept out of view. Customers retrieve their packages from the locker at their convenience.

It is a great concept which seems ideal for certain types of situations. In a recent post published on the Vivint Smart Home website, the nationwide provider of home security and automation systems mentioned three practical applications for package lockers:

• Apartment Complexes – Apartment complexes and other multi-family living units are ideal for package lockers simply because you don’t want to leave packages lying around where there are so many people. Public areas in these types of spaces are terribly insecure.

• Office Buildings – Both office buildings and other types of commercial spaces make great homes for package lockers. Individuals can have packages delivered to their workplaces, then simply grab them and go as they head home.

• Retail Spaces – Retail spaces are convenient for package delivery and pickup. They are easily accessed by customers and fairly secure. Best of all, retail spaces are generally located near heavily populated areas.

All of this is great from a package security standpoint. But the one downside to the public package locker is that it’s not home. You still need to go out to retrieve your packages. And if you are going to do that, hasn’t some of the appeal of online shopping been lost?

Personal Package Lockers

I am of the opinion that public package lockers will continue to pop up in the three types of spaces Vivint mentions in their post. But I also suspect that it won’t be long before manufacturers start concentrating on the home market in earnest. A device that homeowners would not purchase a decade ago will probably be a hot seller if delivery companies get on board.

I am especially intrigued about the possibilities of incorporating a personal package locker in a newly built smart home. The locker could be tied to the rest of the home’s automation equipment, allowing for some incredible possibilities.

One of the things Vivint mentioned is being able to unlock a package locker with a voice command. Right now, the smartest of smart lockers utilize technologies like QR codes and smartphones.

The Best Way to Secure Packages

It seems to me that the package locker represents the best way to secure packages against thieves. It is an idea that began years ago under the guise of individual package safes consumers would install at home. They have since become banks of lockers installed in public places.

Will the package locker ever come home again? I believe it will. It’s only a matter of time before the convenience of online shopping demands it. I will say this: I am ready to buy one.