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Comment by codetrotter | Hacker News Reader

I think it’s about high time that Amazon disrupts the “leave it on the porch” method. Too many packages are stolen by thieves.

And I mean, they’ve already started to some extend to deal with it. There are many cities I’ve been to that has Amazon delivery boxes where you can pick up your stuff.

I think that when drones get powerful enough, and regulation allows it, Amazon will adopt drone delivery everywhere. You get a notification on your phone telling you that your package is at the local distribution center. When you get back home, or some other day later where you are not busy, you tell the app to deliver now and within short time a drone drops the package off at your home any time that is convenient to you 24x7/365, even if it’s like 3am on a Sunday.

And for the rest of the journey up to that point, rigorous tracking and auditing to make sure packages don’t go “missing” on the way.

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"leave it on the porch" isn't even a thing in the UK, unless you specifically nominate it as your acceptable secure place.

Amazon knock on the door, if you're not in then they'll come back tomorrow, and if you're not in, then they'll try the next day. If you're not in three days in a row they'll hold the package for three days, to give you time to arrange one final delivery attempt to your home, Amazon locker or pick-up point (neighbourhood shop). Eventually they'll just take the package back and refund you automatically.

Amazon leaves stuff on my porch most days in the UK.

Recent Amazon UK delivery experiences:

- Expected delivery on Wednesday, instead "delivered" Tuesday when I'm out by just leaving it in front of the front door, 1m from the street.

- Sitting downstairs eating dinner, my phone pings, Amazon package apparently delivered. But nobody rang the bell or knocked the door. It's just been left outside the front door again.

- Another "delivered" notification but no knock and nothing left outside the house. Check app, status is "handed to resident". Assume it's been nicked, but check with the neighbour just in case - thankfully they got it!

- My parents ordered some glassware, delivery driver dropped the package (marked Fragile) from waist height onto their doorstep, again without even attempting to knock/ring the bell. Footage captured on security cam. Obviously glassware didn't survive.

Doesn't matter in this case.

An Xbox was ordered that's classed as a "high value" item so requires a OTP being given to the driver to release the package.

The package was hand delivered to the customer when the customer provided the OTP, but it turns out the contents of the package were swapped out with junk.

They have no idea how to disrupt last mile delivery without corruption and theft. They’ve tried. My apartment building’s doorbox has Amazon Key, such that drivers have the ability to let themselves in and drop off packages in a secure area. I’ve confirmed with one of the better Amazon delivery drivers that it works like a charm.

The vast majority of them don’t (think/care to) use it. At this point I’m actually glad, lest they let themselves into the secure area and steal other packages.

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