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UPS, at least, will deliver to my local bodega, which keeps commuter-friendly hours (open till 10pm most days). It's called "MyChoice." It's free, but you have to sign up for it. I typically use it for high-value deliveries; it's worked well so far.
What is a bodega?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most people don't know who their neighbours are, never mind trusting them with their packages.
We take parcels in for people we don't know (UK). Why do you need to know them? Yes parcels sometimes go missing (suspected stolen) but delivery drivers have a pretty good idea where not to leave packages if they care.
If the neighbor "looses" the package, the loss can be enforced against him.
One alternative is to allow the parcel service to put the parcel in a safe space (e.g. throw it over the fence ;). Only if you allow the parcel service to do that, they will do it, because only then they are not responsibly for what happens to the package once they've put it in the "safe space".
The best invention in parcel servicing over the last few years are so called Packstationen (package stations), big cupboards with large lockable compartments. The parcel service places the packages there, sends you a text with a mobile TAN, you get the package from there whenever you have time (within the next 2 weeks or so, then it's being sent back). They are placed all over larger towns.
Amazon locker is a good starting point, but moe Uber style convenience store joint venture would be a practical solution. There, a startup idea for anyone who care to try.
Last week, a $100 worth package was picked by a guy on cheap bike from my front door 20 minutes after the delivery. Though entirely captured on camera, there is nothing the police could do about it. Amazon might just refund the loss, what if this is eBay or newegg, surely troubling.
The solution is to leave it to a convenience store nearby for a fee, the delivery company UPS or else should cut a deal with all the 7/11s nearby for temporary parcel holding. Amazon locker is a good starting point, but moe Uber style convenience store joint venture would be a practical solution. There, a startup idea for anyone who care to try. Last week, a $100 worth package was picked by a guy on cheap bike from m…
You can buy something online and ask for it to be delivered to your local dairy where it'll be held for up to 10 days. You're required to show ID when picking it up, but it's so much more convenient than asking for evening or Saturday delivery when you're not sure when the courier will be around to deliver the item (although we're not getting very good estimates from analysing past delivery history for streets, 80% of the time accurate within 30 mins).
Instead of accepting that "property crime gets no attention", increase the risk to those would would steal packages by making it more likely that those who do so are caught and punished. Put a tracking device in a bait package, record the theft with a video camera, and report the final location to the police.
If the police fail to react to such a credible tip (especially if you can do this multiple times), turn the video and police report over to some local reporters. I think (hope?) that the reporters would have a field day, and make enough noise that those particular thieves will not be in business much longer.
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Just an open padlock and a note to the delivery person to snap it shut when the parcel is in the box.
But then you could tell from looking at the box whether there was anything in there (if it's locked, it's got something). Probably enough to deter an opportunist, but a determined thief might bring bolt cutters (or just take the box)
The solution is to not leave them outside a home. In the two European countries I have lived, if you are not home they take the package back to your local post office to pick up on your own time. Problem solved.
This isn't really a solution when you start multiplying the # of carriers (USPS/UPS/FedEx/Ontrac/etc) that deliver in the US, to the number of packages that heavy e-commerce users receive per month. It's not unusual for people with Amazon Prime accounts to have 10+ packages delivered in a month. If they would have to go to different locations to pick up all these packages, then it quickly negates much of the convenie…
It's really non-issue.
This makes me think about low tech solutions to the problem. What about a simple box (maybe 1 meter cube) that is unlocked until it is closed. Once closed, it must be opened with a key. A simple plate on the top can explain to the delivery man to place close the door when a package is placed inside, not very complicated. It doesn't scale to >1 package a day, but it is something.
