Amazon lockers at stations

[Killingworth]

Amazon seem to have agreed a contract to site their lockers at as many Northern stations as possible, presumably providing the TOC with payment for that position.

The first was installed at Dore & Totley a fortnight ago and it's being used. As far as I can tell all the lockers will have names, like Eddie Stobarts's trucks. This one can be identified as Amazon Locker Peak. (The local Morrison's has a box, Amazon Locker Carrots.)

Who knows, Platform 5 or similar may start publishing spotter's books to record these boxes!

 

[Highlandspring]

All Amazon lockers worldwide are identified by name.

 

[whhistle]

I think it's a good idea.

Solves the problem of delivering to a home where drivers may have to leave in a safe (but not safe) location. Ideal for picking up on the way home from work. I already do this with my food shop - click and collect.

Shame Amazon don't start promoting them a bit more with a 30-day trial of Prime delivery (perhaps delivery only) or something similar.

 

[ainsworth74]

I must admit I'm a fan of Amazon Lockers. Most things I'm happy to have sent home whether or not there's anyone in but if it's a high value item and I'm not sure if anyone will be around to get it out of the porch (which isn't locked) then I get it sent to a nearby locker.

I've also had to return things as well and being able to just take them to a locker is quite convinent as well rather than faffing with a post office.

Expanding them to stations would be a welcome improvement. Though I assume Redcar British Steel won't be getting one!

 

[bluenoxid]

Look forward to seeing more. I would be happier seeing them placed outside where possible enabling 24 hour access rather than inside waiting areas

 

[Bletchleyite]

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

I am a fan of them, though.

 

[notlob.divad]

We have these all over the place where I live by several delivery companies (although I haven't seen an amazon one yet). We have them located at supermarkets, petrol stations, train stations and major bus stops. They are fantastic and I use them for anything I buy. Not restricted to opening hours like the post office where I have to rush home from work and no risk of not being in.

Glad to see the UK is finally catching up.

 

[Bantamzen]

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

I am a fan of them, though.

To be fair stations have plenty of places to put nefarious objects, without having to spend anything on an order. In fact ordering would leave a digital trail so probably wouldn't be the most steathly method.

 

[Killingworth]

Look forward to seeing more. I would be happier seeing them placed outside where possible enabling 24 hour access rather than inside waiting areas

This one is outside in the open. Note how the splashed up grit is already on the lower locker doors.

Northern can't put these in many locations. They need a wall to anchor against, electrical supply and data link. I know the Hope Valley stations fairly well and can't think of one that could provide all three of those in the same place. Putting them under cover would be impossible on most Northern stations where a small bus shelter is all that's provided.

I'm sure some of the busier stations may be able to find a location with extra wiring. Dore was a first choice because the ticket machine had just been moved from beside the boxes location to under a new canopy. Wiring was all very close to the wall adjacent to station entrance.

 

[Killingworth]

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

I am a fan of them, though.

I suppose a Northern station might be somebodies idea of a place to put a bomb, but the culprit would be fairly easily identified from the order details and payment method .

 

[Richard Ingram]

This one is outside in the open. Note how the splashed up grit is already on the lower locker doors.

Northern can't put these in many locations. They need a wall to anchor against, electrical supply and data link. I know the Hope Valley stations fairly well and can't think of one that could provide all three of those in the same place. Putting them under cover would be impossible on most Northern stations where a small bus shelter is all that's provided.

I'm sure some of the busier stations may be able to find a location with extra wiring. Dore was a first choice because the ticket machine had just been moved from beside the boxes location to under a new canopy. Wiring was all very close to the wall adjacent to station entrance.

I would have thought they have the option of a cell phone data link, if that is not the case for all of them. And looking at the image, they need at most 13A, since it appears to be a standard uk plug plugged into a weatherproof box, so a single armored cable is all that would need to be run from the station supply. Actually, looking at the image again, the supply doesn't even appear to be armored.

 

[Clip]

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

Not quite the modus operandi now though is it? Plus these are in places that have a much higher and regular footfall than stations which are generally determined by the times of trains so its not really that mush of a risk at all. Unless you want to scare people

 

[mirodo]

I must admit I'm a fan of Amazon Lockers. Most things I'm happy to have sent home whether or not there's anyone in but if it's a high value item and I'm not sure if anyone will be around to get it out of the porch (which isn't locked) then I get it sent to a nearby locker.

I've also had to return things as well and being able to just take them to a locker is quite convinent as well rather than faffing with a post office.

Expanding them to stations would be a welcome improvement. Though I assume Redcar British Steel won't be getting one!

I have never managed to get the option of returning anything via a locker, despite having a multitude of different ones to select from in my local area.

 

[RLBH]

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

No more so than they are in supermarkets or shopping centres, where such lockers are usually located, and I've not noticed vast numbers of them being blown up despite being similarly appealing targets. To a large extent, that's because bomb making is relatively difficult to do and easy to catch.

 

[Killingworth]

I would have thought they have the option of a cell phone data link, if that is not the case for all of them. And looking at the image, they need at most 13A, since it appears to be a standard uk plug plugged into a weatherproof box, so a single armored cable is all that would need to be run from the station supply. Actually, looking at the image again, the supply doesn't even appear to be armored.

Better shot attached as I collected a parcel today. There are two cables to it from the control box that seems to cover the TVM, CIS and Help Point on the station. The soil stack and tubing to the right are from the restaurant in the old station building.

 

[PeterC]

Having signed up for an Amazon Prime trial a few months ago I tried to get some orders delivered to a locker, more from curiosity than need. It turned out that none were eligable for locker delivery.

At least it saves me from getting a PCN as the lockers are inside the ANPR controlled station car park.

 

[mirodo]

They need a wall to anchor against

The one in the small car park at Clapham Junction is free standing.

 

[Starmill]

I must admit I'm a fan of Amazon Lockers. Most things I'm happy to have sent home whether or not there's anyone in but if it's a high value item and I'm not sure if anyone will be around to get it out of the porch (which isn't locked) then I get it sent to a nearby locker.

I'm a huge fan of the lockers too, but I recently realised one issue - there's a maximum order value for delivering to one! It seems to be a secret what it is, the website just said 'items of a very high value'. Something that was about £1,300 was too much. I don't think that will present itself as a problem again for some time

 

[route:oxford]

I must admit I'm a fan of Amazon Lockers. Most things I'm happy to have sent home whether or not there's anyone in but if it's a high value item and I'm not sure if anyone will be around to get it out of the porch (which isn't locked) then I get it sent to a nearby locker.

I've also had to return things as well and being able to just take them to a locker is quite convinent as well rather than faffing with a post office.

Expanding them to stations would be a welcome improvement. Though I assume Redcar British Steel won't be getting one!

Big fan. I returned an item today that I'd bought with an Amazon Gift Card, as soon as I closed the locker door a message pinged on my mobile to say that Amazon had received my return and my refund had been processed to my account balance.

 

[Killingworth]

The one in the small car park at Clapham Junction is free standing.

That's interesting. The position of the one pictured was apparently decided because it could be anchored to the wall. Two positions in the car park area could possibly have been considered, but weren't against a wall and might have been hard to wire up. The car park is free, but all 129 places are full from 7.30 Monday-Thursday. There are 3 drop off positions and if more than 3 of the 7 disabled bays are taken by genuine users it's unusual. A short term pick up shouldn't be a problem. (The station is ungated and unmanned, except 6.30 - 10.00 3 days a week - but that's another story.) It's a long way from Clapham Junction, geographically and size - there's currently only one platform and a single track.

 

[route101]

Having signed up for an Amazon Prime trial a few months ago I tried to get some orders delivered to a locker, more from curiosity than need. It turned out that none were eligable for locker delivery.

At least it saves me from getting a PCN as the lockers are inside the ANPR controlled station car park.

Yeah ,had a few items that couldnt be delivered to a locker .

Would be great if they allowed non amazon deliveries to the lockers

 

[route101]

I'm a huge fan of the lockers too, but I recently realised one issue - there's a maximum order value for delivering to one! It seems to be a secret what it is, the website just said 'items of a very high value'. Something that was about £1,300 was too much. I don't think that will present itself as a problem again for some time

Some things you cant get delivered to the lockers too .

 

[Meerkat]

Surprised they can be outside as the doors aren’t sealed - a good bit of howling sideways rain could blow in.
Still drier than most of the places the van drivers leave stuff though!

 

[Mojo]

I used to use Doddle fairly often for Amazon's or other company orders however it seems to have shut down recently, and looking at the website only seems to be available now in Morrisons Supermarkets, so I suppose things like this are the future in many ways. There are similar lockers by companies like Inpost, which you often see at places like Petrol stations, however I've never seen anyone use these and I don't think I've seen a website that lets you select them.

There seems to be no shortage of places like Hermes or Collectplus locations; these are normally available as free options on Amazon like their lockers too and tend to be small independent shops like newsagents so usually have quite decent opening hours. If it helps out small businesses who are being squeezed by bigger retailers as well then I'm all for it!

Don't they pose a bit of a security risk on stations, i.e. order item, collect it, insert something nefarious, wait for the bang?

I am a fan of them, though.

Amazon lockers have been at selected LU stations since June 2014 but they seem to be in the station car parks or at the top of station approach roads, presumably for that reason.

Glad to see the UK is finally catching up.

Amazon lockers have been in the UK since 2011, so it isn't about "catching up," just because Northern Trains seem to have installed them!

 

[Skie]

Merseyrail has had them at Liverpool Central, Moorfields & Old Hall Street, Liverpool South Parkway, Liverpool Lime Street Low Level and Southport stations for a long time now. Really convenient!

 

[PeterC]

Some things you cant get delivered to the lockers too .

AS I commented earlier. It seems to be only items sold and delivered by Amazon from their own warehouses. Some product types are the preserve of third party sellers.

Where they are inside LUL car parks its fine if you are parking anyway but with the use of ANPR for charging it could be expensive to pick up in passing if not using the tube at the time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

AS I commented earlier. It seems to be only items sold and delivered by Amazon from their own warehouses. Some product types are the preserve of third party sellers.

It requires fulfillment to be by Amazon, i.e. for it to come from their warehouse. Some types of product are also excluded, e.g. ones that are too large (sometimes an order is too large and splitting it solves that), some perishable items and anything with an age restriction. Probably others too.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

AS I commented earlier. It seems to be only items sold and delivered by Amazon from their own warehouses. Some product types are the preserve of third party sellers.

Where they are inside LUL car parks its fine if you are parking anyway but with the use of ANPR for charging it could be expensive to pick up in passing if not using the tube at the time.

Though you cannot be charged anything if you have been there for 10 minutes or less.

 

[johntea]

These are good although it did use to be confusing in the sense I once ordered something off Amazon, organized it to be sent to a Morrisons but the lockers wouldn't accept my code no matter what, only to find out I had clicked the Doddle service which was actually just handing the code to a cashier at the fag desk!

 

[route101]

These are good although it did use to be confusing in the sense I once ordered something off Amazon, organized it to be sent to a Morrisons but the lockers wouldn't accept my code no matter what, only to find out I had clicked the Doddle service which was actually just handing the code to a cashier at the fag desk!

I used to use Doddle , but they changed their system and can only get stuff sent to doddle locations only if the website/retailer is listed with them .They had a doddle shop in Glasgow but moved to a Morrisonsand eventually it was Morrisons staff who dealt with doddle . Once a parcel got delivered to the store but was taken to customer services instead of doddle , was a bit of hassle to get it !