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Capitol Hill 7-Eleven testing Amazon delivery lockers

Capitol Hill is once again the target for a Seattle-headquartered multinational corporation to test its new concepts. Friendly neighborhood tech geek Matt Hickey reports that Amazon is testing an electronic delivery locker system at the E Madison 7- Eleven:

According to a source with knowledge of the project, the idea is simple: these nondescript boxes will be in 7-Eleven stores across the country and act as a sort of P.O. box for Amazon purchases. Once a customer makes a buy on Amazon’s website he can select a 7-Eleven close to work, or on the way home and have the package dropped off there.


When the package is actually delivered, the customer receives an email notification along with a bar code to his smartphone and heads to the 7-Eleven. There he’ll stand in front of the locker system, which looks like the offspring between an ATM machine and a safety deposit box. The machine will scan the bar code on his handset to receive a PIN number. He’ll punch that PIN number and retrieve the package.

CHS stopped by the convenience store at Madison and 16th Ave and found the large locker set-up on the back wall next to the Slurpee machine. It wasn’t powered up yet and employees in the store said they didn’t know when it would be operating or for how long.

The concept solves the issue some people face who cannot have personal packages delivered to work or their residence — and those of you without personal manservants. Amazon has apparently been successfully operating the lockers in Japanese convenience stores for “several years.”

Until the installation of giant pneumatic tubes throughout the city, the lockers will have to do.

If you give the new system a try, let CHS know — we wouldn’t mind joining you for the pick-up.

Hat-tip to Slog.

(Images: CHS)

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a neighbor up the street

Brazil

Made my labor day.

umvue
12 years ago

I remember when Southland Corp. was poised to take over the world. Maybe this will put them back in the game. At least the one stop drop off is slightly greener than individual home delivery.

motab
12 years ago

So what if you only have a “stupid” phone (is that the term for non-smartphones?)? Can I print out the email a home and scan that?

dd
dd
12 years ago

You should move out of the city.

HillSilly
HillSilly
12 years ago

wonder how long stuff can stay in a locker, or if it can be forwarded. if you travel a lot this could be a good service.

also wonder if you can have stuff from the destination 7-11 added to your locker with no shipping fee: “in addition to my new kindle, please also bill me for a local slim jim so i won’t have to go to the counter.”

commonsenserules
commonsenserules
12 years ago

I wonder how long until someone is jumped and robbed of their Amazon purchase as they walk out of the store?

cheesecake
cheesecake
12 years ago

yeah you’re right, walking out of a store with an item that you purchased sounds like a really radical and risky idea, it’ll never work.

commonsenserules
commonsenserules
12 years ago

Was thesnarky response from cheesecake was really neccessary? The point I wanted to make is that higher valued items might be purchased through Amazon and delivered to these boxes. A would-be thief obviously doesn’t know what’s in the box, but there’s a chance he/she could end up with a laptop or something else expensive. A grab and run could then occur. Sure, the same thing could happen outside of a Best Buy. I won’t be surprised when the first instance hits the news, that’s all.

SeattleSeven
SeattleSeven
12 years ago

-I bet people will get hit by cars in the parking lot as they walk out with their amazon purchases.
-Convenience stores are known to get held up a lot. What if you are in there getting your amazon purchases and some guy robs the place?!
-If you take your item out of the locker and spill slurpee all over it but haven’t left the store is it 7-11’s fault or amazon’s fault? Who will refund the purchase price?

The snarky response you got was well deserved.

commonsenserules
commonsenserules
12 years ago

Hmm. I was just making an observation. I wasn’t trying to make the internet top comment postings of the day. I guess it goes to show that civil comments about stories are not valued.