Amazon and Walmart Eyeing Further Garage and in Home Drop off.

 I thought this approach had been limited, hearing little about it recently.   But apparently Amazon and Wal-Mart are thinking to expand it.   

Will Americans open their garages and homes to Amazon and Walmart?  by George Anderson in Retailwire

Amazon.com and Walmart are both planning to expand delivery services that give them access to the homes of customers.

Expansion of the services was likely sidetracked in the last year over safety concerns related to the spread of COVID-19. With millions of Americans getting vaccinated and some of the stress around the threat relieved, the two companies are looking to get closer to their customers than ever before.

Amazon announced that it is expanding its Key by Amazon In-Garage Grocery Delivery service to more than 5,000 cities and towns across the country. The service, which was originally announced in 2019, will now be made available to millions of eligible Prime members who order groceries from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods.  ... ' 

Wal-Mart Asks for Home Access for Delivery

Another case, like the one with Amazon of allowing delivery personnel a means to enter the smart home for delivery.  Amazon Key.  No idea of how that is working, but have not heard it mentioned recently.   We examined the use of refrigerated boxes places outside the home, with separate locking mechanism.  This is not an idea brought up frequently as an asset of the smart home.  So still think its a very niche need today.  But perhaps as family structures continue to change?  Now Wal-Mart makes a try in the same space.

Will customers give Walmart the keys to their homes?   by George Anderson in retailwire with further expert opinion.

Walmart has announced that it is launching its InHome Delivery program in the Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Vero Beach markets. The service gives Walmart delivery people access to customers’ garages or homes where they will put refrigerated and frozen products away in refrigerators.

Customers participating in the program are required to purchase a smart door or garage lock kit for $49.95. Membership to the program is being billed at an introductory price of $19.95 a month for an unlimited number of deliveries. The new service is seen by many as Walmart’s answer to Amazon.com’s Key Service.

Delivery associates will use smart entry technology to enter the homes of customers. Their actions are tracked through wearable cameras. While Walmart typically uses third-party couriers to deliver groceries, only employees who have been with the company for a minimum of a year are eligible to participate in training to work in the InHome program.  ... "