BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

I've been waiting so long for something like this.

The second this shows up in Boston, I can personally guarantee half a dozen users without even bothering to survey. My building has a huge stolen package problem, due to the front door facing a main road, and the UPS driver for our area being an idiot. My last building had a driver who never left anything if you weren't home. While that's better than theft, it's still annoying to take two buses and walk ten minutes to pick up a package by hand. And then walk ten more minutes and take two more buses to carry the thing home. The whole process usually took upwards of two hours.

My only concern is getting the drivers to actually use these things correctly. I've found multiple packages addressed to me left outside the front door, despite explicit instructions not to do that both given by the shipper and posted on the door. Each of these packages were apparently signed for... just not by anyone who lives here. So yeah, getting the driver to follow instructions isn't going to be easy.

I'd use it. I have a UPS Store box for receiving deliveries, but it closes early enough that I can only check it on Saturdays, and it costs as much as recurring semi-weekly BufferBox deliveries (which is more than I would use). A post office box would be worse than that, in closing earlier and refusing private shippers. I have yet to see an Amazon locker in a 7-Eleven; it's a good idea but useless when you order from anyone else (which of course is partly why they can justify the effort). I might consider home deliveries if I had a house on a cul-de-sac with an enclosed porch, but it'd be crazy in an office or apartment building full of strangers (which is, what, 1/3 of Americans?)

I was hoping to see Drop Locker (pivot of Laundry Locker, as I understand it) get into this in San Francisco, but so far they seem to just be looking for partners without having found any.

They aren't located inside of post offices.

Wow, these boxes are tiny. A Packstation is about 3 to 6 times as big.

These are very useful. Here in Ireland that service already exists as ParcelMotel.

As someone who has used ParcelMotel, I can't help but notice the differences between the things I love about the PM site that aren't on the BufferBox site. BB use uninspiring stock images but PM have commissioned an entire set of custom artwork that's a strong brand and very cutsey and describes their service using metaphors.

PM are very explicit about the pricing. It takes up a big chunk of their homepage. After several minutes I still can't find how much bufferbox costs!

And do BB only email out the PIN? Surely sending it to everyone by SMS would be a better idea?

The product is a great idea and it's implemented so well through different companies here in Europe. It's good to see something similar starting off over there also.