BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First • Hacker News Board

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#41

Post by pbhjpbhj » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 9:57 AM UTC

ConstantineXVI wrote: post #15

jenntoda wrote: post #4

What a perfect solution for peer-to-peer delivery and selling/buying stuff from craigslist! Amazon may have their lockers, but there's plenty of room for this take on use cases that Amazon wont (yet) - run fast!!! :)

I don't think this is viable for Craigslist style transactions, meeting in person lets you verify the listing is what you expected and still leaves room for haggling if necessary. Picking up from a locker would require complete trust in the vendor and leave little room for recourse if something went wrong. This could still be good for small transactions, Craigslist is just too small.

It may be possible to reduce some of the risk with escrow tied to locker opening and probably with added ID requirements and maybe recording of locker contents.

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#42

Post by pbhjpbhj » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 9:59 AM UTC

adg wrote: post #24

ryanhuff wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That Wikipedia article described USPS PO Boxes. Private companies (Mailboxes Etc, etc) have offered similar services in the US for years, although they are not technically a PO Box. They may have similar requirements, but the link that you provided does not discuss it.

Right. USPS PO Box was just one example. It's my understanding that the other services have the same requirements. E.g. I checked and UPS offers a service called My Choice: > The UPS My ChoiceSM enrollment process uses public record information to verify your identity. http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/sri/ups_my_choice...

The CIA could just set up cameras facing a locker location (and possibly fit cameras in the lockers). Add some very expensive computing for facial and image [of the goods] recognition and you might be doing them a favour???

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#43

Post by rplnt » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 10:44 AM UTC

When someone says they had an idea first, it's almost always not true. I didn't know any similar technology but I was sure that statement was bullshit. Comments here proved me right. Just say "before them" instead of "first" and you won't end up looking like a douche (well, a smaller douche because it's still bad to cry about things like this).

PS: It might be that the writer came up with the word "first" as it is not cited.

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#44

Post by darklajid » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 10:49 AM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #30

oldgregg wrote: post #6

this has huge potential if they do it right. Let vendors pay with bitcoin. Let them pre-ship product that can be unlocked with a qr code. suddenly the silk road gets a lot more interesting.

If you're going to pre-ship products and customers are going to leave home to pick them up, why not just stock them in a conventional retail store?

So, I ordered a Google Nexus 7 from a seller in the UK (not available in Germany). I really, really wanted to have that thing in my hands.

Unfortunately the guy used the Royal Mail and their daughter TNT for shipping, so no 'PackStation' for me.

Due to the totally useless tracking information I couldn't be at home, the thing was delivered to a nearby (just 200m!) shop. This shop opened at 10 and - due to summer holidays and reduced staff - closed at 15 again during that week. How braindead is this concept? Even a post office is more reliable and I've come to expect the PackStation service. The packet arrives as soon as possible (no 'customer not present' loops, no 'delivered to a neighbor' crap where I need to hunt that guy down and hope that he's home/available/opens the door, no trip to a weird shop (an antique furniture shop in my case), relying on their opening hours), I'll be notified instantly (SMS as soon as they close the door of that locker) and can pick it up whenever I want (like, drunk on a Sunday morning at 4 am - given I remember my PIN).

If you consider that these boxes are available ~everywhere~ in larger cities, you usually can schedule the delivery to a place that is on your way to work, home, the gym or near your favorite restaurant.

tl/dr: The service is worlds apart from 'You can pick up your thing in a shop at this address'.

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#45

Post by pisipisipisi » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 11:46 AM UTC

pisipisipisi wrote: post #33

In Estonia we've had two-way boxes (where you can also send stuff) for a few years now. For example local eBay clone osta.ee uses it for quite convenient parcel service, as you sometimes don't really want somebody to ship to your home address.

Forgot the mandatory link: http://smartpost.ee/

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#46

Post by kalleboo » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 11:59 AM UTC

capsule_toy wrote: post #12

zhuzhuor wrote: post #10

These lockers are good, but what I think we should really improve is the quality/performance of our mailing/delivery systems. The lockers are just a patch to the existing lame systems. If a company can deliver all days in a week (including weekends) and all time in a day (including evenings and nights), and the delivery men really called before they left a note, that company would win the game.

I actually think lockers are more convenient because I don't even have to think about the day and time. I just pick up my package when it's convenient. I also imagine customized delivery times would increase costs and make logistics more difficult. The only place I know offhand that has customized delivery times is Tokyo, so I wonder how they manage. Probably more affordable in a high density area with couriers.

They do customized delivery times all over Japan, not only in Tokyo. Amazon same-day delivery is only in Tokyo though.

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#47

Post by kalleboo » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 12:01 PM UTC

zhuzhuor wrote: post #20

mmccauley wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the major problems with carriers is that they are being pushed to drive costs down from retailers who can demand it. Residential deliveries are costly because 50% fail on the first attempt (this is why UPS charges an extra $1.25 for residential deliveries). Shipping is quickly becoming a commodity. Locker delivery enables delivery density (multiple parcels at one stop), saves huge costs compared to traditional…

Good point. I think at least they can first call you before they attempt to deliver the package. If you are not there, then just keep the package for the next day's delivery. This will avoid the delivery failure and save time of both sides.

My FedEx driver used to call me 5-10 minutes before delivery. Was perfect to not miss a delivery due to being in the shower/down to the corner store for bread/etc. Or if I wasn't home he wouldn't even have to attempt the delivery.

Then they removed the drivers' cell phones as a "cost saving measure", and then the driver instead had to drive out to my place 2-3 times to make a delivery, wasting his time.

Re: BufferBox: Amazon Lockers? We Had That Idea First

#48

Post by ConstantineXVI » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 12:26 PM UTC

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #41

ConstantineXVI wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is viable for Craigslist style transactions, meeting in person lets you verify the listing is what you expected and still leaves room for haggling if necessary. Picking up from a locker would require complete trust in the vendor and leave little room for recourse if something went wrong. This could still be good for small transactions, Craigslist is just too small.

It may be possible to reduce some of the risk with escrow tied to locker opening and probably with added ID requirements and maybe recording of locker contents.

Which adds complexity. The CL model works as it's requirements are so simple, two humans that:

- Can communicate in the same language

- Can use a web browser

- Are able to make transactions of some kind (cash, check, Square, barter, CL doesn't care about the specifics)

Which makes their available market a rather large majority of the entire population of the Internet. Each extra restriction or requirement makes it less likely a given person will get involved.

Be very careful about "innovating" away simplicity.