Amazon lockers at stations

infobleep · 21 Jun 2019

How do they deal with security? I thought the reason left luggage was t taken out of many stations was for security reasons.

I appricate the deliveries might be less of a seucirty threat.

Of course there is now air bag b'n'b, which helps, where it exists, in regards to left luggage.

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mark-h · 22 Jun 2019

Mojo said:
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

My local Inpost lockers are located outside Morrisons (including one with a Doddle and Amazon locker) stores- one of them had a BIOS error message on the monitor for over a month- it was obviously in high demand.

Doddle used to be very inefficient with dedicated shops/counters/staff (some of the, more recent, Doddles in Morrisons were like this). Since then they have moved to being part of an existing service such as the tobacco kiosk- much the same as Hermes or Collectplus.

Argos, including those in Sainsburys, offer eBay order collections.

jon0844 · 22 Jun 2019

I assume when risk assessed, someone thought that to open a door you need to have booked a delivery to it (or a return) and that user will be known. So while a terrorist could do it, they'd need to set up a fake account with Amazon unless they're rather dumb and want a visit within hours.

The lockers themselves have cameras and probably send images in real time so even a destroyed locker won't destroy the evidence.

route101 · 22 Jun 2019

mark-h said:
My local Inpost lockers are located outside Morrisons (including one with a Doddle and Amazon locker) stores- one of them had a BIOS error message on the monitor for over a month- it was obviously in high demand.

Doddle used to be very inefficient with dedicated shops/counters/staff (some of the, more recent, Doddles in Morrisons were like this). Since then they have moved to being part of an existing service such as the tobacco kiosk- much the same as Hermes or Collectplus.

Argos, including those in Sainsburys, offer eBay order collections.

Yeah i used to use Doddle as you could send something from any website to be collected .Not anymore.
Ive seen these Inpost lockers , seem to be for people/biz to send things from.

infobleep · 22 Jun 2019

jon0844 said:
I assume when risk assessed, someone thought that to open a door you need to have booked a delivery to it (or a return) and that user will be known. So while a terrorist could do it, they'd need to set up a fake account with Amazon unless they're rather dumb and want a visit within hours.

The lockers themselves have cameras and probably send images in real time so even a destroyed locker won't destroy the evidence.

Given that is the case, why don't stations offer more self storage lockers then?

Bletchleyite · 22 Jun 2019

infobleep said:
Given that is the case, why don't stations offer more self storage lockers then?

Because you haven't booked a delivery to it and so can't necessarily be identified?

I do wish a way could be found to have them back, they are most useful and can be found in more places (in Europe) than a manned service due to lower cost.

infobleep · 22 Jun 2019

Bletchleyite said:
Because you haven't booked a delivery to it and so can't necessarily be identified?

With Air bag b'n'b you book in advance. Perhaps they could do something like that.

JaJaWa · 22 Jun 2019

route101 said:
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 .

Although Doddle have ended the ability to collect orders from any website or delivery company at shops, HubBox and Parcelly now offer it.

Bletchleyite · 22 Jun 2019

JaJaWa said:
Although Doddle have ended the ability to collect orders from any website, HubBox and Parcelly now offer it.

And of course anyone who deliver with DPD (who are at the moment without doubt the best courier and I will routinely pay extra for them to be used).

w1bbl3 · 22 Jun 2019

infobleep said:
How do they deal with security? I thought the reason left luggage was t taken out of many stations was for security reasons.

I appricate the deliveries might be less of a seucirty threat.

Of course there is now air bag b'n'b, which helps, where it exists, in regards to left luggage.

The locker "knows" if after opening it and removing the parcel that you've put something back in it and IIRC will not relock, equally it knows if you've not removed the parcel to be collected and also will not relock until you've taken it out. I'd expect that if you put something inside, left the door unlocked and walked away the locker would notify amazon after a period of time.

The bigger risk IHMO is theft from the locker or more the point theft of the lockers.. The outdoor ones will be either against a wall which they are secured too or where freestanding on a concrete plinth which they are anchored down too.

General storage lockers are a more complex problem security wise as there is no real means to control or restrict what is put inside.
BagBNB resolve this by being staffed service and thus limited in hours to those of the "angel" (host).

Bletchleyite · 22 Jun 2019

I'd have thought theft *of* the lockers quite unlikely - you'd need some fairly hefty kit to shift them.

The double decker cycle racks at Bletchley do not appear to be bolted down - one of them was moved to a slightly cack-handed angle during recent engineering works, which wouldn't have happened if it was. But you'd need a crane to get it out and onto a lorry, while being watched the whole time by the CCTV, so it just isn't going to happen.

ooo · 23 Jun 2019

Mojo said:
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.

I had an interrail ticket delivered by DHL to one of these once. The DHL website gave it as an option when I rebooked the delivery. It was very useful as I didn't have to wait round to sign it as well.

jon0844 · 23 Jun 2019

infobleep said:
Given that is the case, why don't stations offer more self storage lockers then?

Because you don't have any of the security I mentioned above.

infobleep · 23 Jun 2019

w1bbl3 said:
The locker "knows" if after opening it and removing the parcel that you've put something back in it and IIRC will not relock, equally it knows if you've not removed the parcel to be collected and also will not relock until you've taken it out. I'd expect that if you put something inside, left the door unlocked and walked away the locker would notify amazon after a period of time.

The bigger risk IHMO is theft from the locker or more the point theft of the lockers.. The outdoor ones will be either against a wall which they are secured too or where freestanding on a concrete plinth which they are anchored down too.

General storage lockers are a more complex problem security wise as there is no real means to control or restrict what is put inside.
BagBNB resolve this by being staffed service and thus limited in hours to those of the "angel" (host).

It is staffed but when I last used it, they didn't check the contents of my bag.

infobleep · 23 Jun 2019

jon0844 said:
Because you don't have any of the security I mentioned above.

When I was in Salzburg in 2018 I used their self storage lockers at the station. Very useful I found.

Of course Austria might be a safer place or simply not as advanced in protecting people for terrorism as we are.

Mojo · 23 Jun 2019

jon0844 said:
I assume when risk assessed, someone thought that to open a door you need to have booked a delivery to it (or a return) and that user will be known. So while a terrorist could do it, they'd need to set up a fake account with Amazon unless they're rather dumb and want a visit within hours.

Isn’t that the reason that aside from these minor Northern stations, the lockers are in locations further away from the general customer areas, such as car parks and approach roads? I’m sure anyone intent on causing damage would find a car an easier way of doing so than an amazon locker.

route101 · 23 Jun 2019

Bletchleyite said:
And of course anyone who deliver with DPD (who are at the moment without doubt the best courier and I will routinely pay extra for them to be used).

Only way ive got DPD to go to a pickup location is by doing so via their app .

Bletchleyite · 23 Jun 2019

route101 said:
Only way ive got DPD to go to a pickup location is by doing so via their app .

When you get the text and email giving you the day and time of delivery you can redirect it then.

RLBH · 23 Jun 2019

infobleep said:
Of course Austria might be a safer place or simply not as advanced in protecting people for terrorism as we are.

There seem to be a lot of them about throughout Europe, and no spate of explosions in luggage lockers. Also litter bins in railway stations, another thing that disappeared in the name of security but which are gradually making a comeback.

It's noticeable that most of the terrorist attacks lately have been using vehicles as weapons, rather than bombings. Part of the reason is that it's become relatively easy to identify people preparing to carry out a bombing and stop them well before they get to the point of placing a device somewhere.

Bletchleyite · 23 Jun 2019

RLBH said:
There seem to be a lot of them about throughout Europe, and no spate of explosions in luggage lockers.

That's largely because hiding bombs and running away was mainly an IRA thing. More recent terrorism, that unlike the IRA affects all of Europe, has been suicide bombings and similar - what would be the point in putting that in a locker?

Do you get lockers in Spain, which has had comparable non-suicide terrorism from ETA?

w1bbl3 · 23 Jun 2019

Bletchleyite said:
I'd have thought theft *of* the lockers quite unlikely - you'd need some fairly hefty kit to shift them.

When Amazon first introduced lockers in the US there was a small issue with criminal gangs tipping them over to access the back which is apparently less secure to access the contents within, or in some cases taking the lockers away. Whilst an overall unit is quite long, each one is actually made up of double locker sub units which are no bigger than a typical wardrobe. Pick up truck and a rope basically is what had been used to shift them.

Bletchleyite said:
Do you get lockers in Spain, which has had comparable non-suicide terrorism from ETA?

The larger Spanish stations will have left luggage either in the form of attended lockers where your bag is passed through a scanner first or traditional left luggage but not unattended lockers. The Spanish bus network does still have unattended lockers.

route101 · 23 Jun 2019

Bletchleyite said:
When you get the text and email giving you the day and time of delivery you can redirect it then.

Yeah ive used the app . Was hoping you could select the option of pick up from the outset ,always think the driver will not know and will make a delivery at home.

Bletchleyite · 23 Jun 2019

route101 said:
Yeah ive used the app . Was hoping you could select the option of pick up from the outset ,always think the driver will not know and will make a delivery at home.

If they do it's not your problem, they've just wasted their own time. A few businesses do let you go straight to pickup - I think Sports Direct is one.

Meerkat · 23 Jun 2019

Breaking into/stealing Amazon lockers isn’t really worth the risk, as you have no idea what is in them, or even if they are totally empty or not.

johntea · 25 Sep 2019

Rather randomly I noticed this evening that an Amazon locker has appeared right outside Castleford station, which seems a strange location considering it will be exposed to the elements somewhat and there has also been one located in the Morrisons about a 5 minute walk away for several years!

Are Amazon trying to roll these out en masse now? Not that I'm complaining a lot easier to pick up your package as part of your daily commute routine rather than the dreaded 'tried to deliver while you were out' card!

Bletchleyite · 26 Sep 2019

johntea said:
Rather randomly I noticed this evening that an Amazon locker has appeared right outside Castleford station, which seems a strange location considering it will be exposed to the elements somewhat

They are designed to be outside, both of the ones I use regularly are not under any kind of cover.

Are Amazon trying to roll these out en masse now? Not that I'm complaining a lot easier to pick up your package as part of your daily commute routine rather than the dreaded 'tried to deliver while you were out' card!

They have been "rolling them out en masse" for years!

Killingworth · 26 Sep 2019

Dore & Totley was Northern's first of about 50 and I can confirm that it is being used quite a lot. The chap who fills it says he's put in almost 20 parcels on some days - and returns are collected too.

I haven't details of other areas but the following have been, or are are due to be, installed at the following stations on the east side;

• Adwick

• Apperley Bridge

• Barnsley

• Batley

• Bentham

• Beverley

• Billingham

• Bingley

• Castleford

• Chester-le-Street

• Dore & Totley

• Glasshoughton

• Harrogate

• Hexham

• Ilkley

• Meadowhall

• Menston

• Mexborough

• Moorthorpe

• New Pudsey

• Shipley

• South Elmsall

• Wakefield Kirkgate

• Whitby

• Worksop

ainsworth74 · 26 Sep 2019

Wish they'd get one put in at Middlesbrough or Saltburn stations. That'd be handy for me!

Killingworth · 26 Sep 2019

ainsworth74 said:
Wish they'd get one put in at Middlesbrough or Saltburn stations. That'd be handy for me!

I haven't a copy of the list for the north-east but looking at those on the list for the rest of the east that I've loaded above, and things said when we got ours, I'd have expected Middlesbrough and Saltburn would be in the programme. I may even have seen them on another list.

They need a site that will be secure, convenient for users, and with both an electrical and data link. In our case they were moving the ticket machine at the same time so it all happened together. Other locations will be more difficult.

Amazon lockers at stations

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