In recent years, we have seen Amazon expand into video streaming, grocery delivery, and even meal kits. Now, the online retail giant wants to take charge of the way people living in apartment blocks receive their mail with a new project called the Hub.
The Hub is a set of lockers that are designed to be placed in a communal area of an apartment block by the property owner, according to The Verge. Residents can then use a personalized pickup code to open the corresponding door and access their delivery.
The system is meant to make it easier for residents to access their packages at any time of day and ensure that there is always a place for their items to go in buildings where the mail carrier cannot access every residence. Amazon has stated that the Hub accepts deliveries from all major delivery companies.
The Hub is something of an expansion of the self-service delivery options that Amazon already offers as part of its online storefront. The company’s Amazon Locker service allows customers to request that their order is delivered to a public location like a 7-Eleven store. Of course, the Hub differs in that it is not limited to deliveries of goods from Amazon.
There are several different options available for property owners who want to give their residents the benefits of the Hub. The starter model is six-feet wide and offers up 42 separate compartments, alongside an expansion module that adds an extra 23 lockers. Four different color variants are available, all of which are neutral tones intended to blend into their surroundings seamlessly.
For the time being, Amazon is not making information regarding the Hub’s pricing available to the public. Instead, it is asking interested parties to sign up for more information. Given that the system has to be kept online, it is reasonable to expect that some kind of monthly fee accompanies the initial setup costs.
The Hub demonstrates yet another way that Amazon is attempting to push beyond its status as the biggest name in online commerce. After all, CEO Jeff Bezos didn’t become the richest person on earth by staying in his lane.
