Amazon on Tuesday launched the Hub – a locker facility that will be installed in your apartment where you can receive your packages even when you are not home – throughout the United States. The interesting part is, it even supports other retailers besides Amazon!
With this new venture by Amazon, apartment residents no longer need to wait for the building staff to deliver a package, or tweak schedules to adhere to front desk timings. According to the e-commerce giant, property owners and managers also get to benefit from the Hub – as it reduces the role of the property staff and helps in decluttering lobbies. “Building on Amazon’s expertise in locker solutions, the Hub addresses frustrations from property owners, carriers and residents concerning package delivery,” said Patrick Supanc, director, Amazon Worldwide Lockers and Pickup.
Here’s a video of Amazon Hub in action:
Many big names that collectively oversee thousands of apartment properties – such as, AvalonBay, Fairfield Residential, Pinnacle, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, WinnResidential, and Equity Residential – have signed up to use the Hub, according to Amazon.
If the Hub takes off, Amazon (AMZN) is looking beyond the New York City to San Francisco area, where many premier apartments already have the Hub, to a nation-wide customer base. This puts the retailer in a unique position where it does a full circle in consumerism – from taking your orders (Amazon website/app) to manufacturing (AmazonBasics) to delivery (Amazon Transportation Services) to receiving your packages (Amazon Hub.)
There is a reason why Amazon is racing to the top. It’s constant innovation while using the simple laws of free market. If you are invested in the stock, hold on to it, for the Hub just seems like the tip of the iceberg. There are sure to be more surprises.
