Re:Ask HN: What can be done to fix package delivery?
by JulianMorrison on Friday July 31, 2015 @11:07AM
(#9982209)
Amazon won't let you deliver to lockers if the item isn't available for next day dispatch, because lockers as they're currently implemented mean that a place gets reserved for your object, and it sits vacant until something arrives.
One other issue with this is that plenty of overly paranoid sellers demand that shipping address equals billing address.
Many workplaces will allow you to receive packages there; some would rather have that instead of having you work remotely. This is somewhat common, especially in smaller companies, where there isn't a dedicated shipping clerk or mailroom staff.
Another common option is to have someone available to accept the package, have them store it, and give it to you when you are available. This type of service ranges from apartments with staffed rental offices, to mailbox stores, to roommates and housemates, to friendly neighbors.
A less-common option is to pay for a large mailbox at a Post Office or 3rd-party mailbox store, and have all packages delivered there. The Post Office won't be able to sign for packages from parcel companies, but the 3rd-party mailbox stores usually can - sometimes you have to sign a waiver so they can.
Drone delivery is a fun option to consider, but it's a regulatory nightmare currently. Items such as licensing, insurance, liability, property damage, personally identifiable information (PII) and privacy, airspace laws, and criminal activity all have to be settled before we can realistically consider an automated delivery.
Scheduling deliveries is going to be very expensive, especially during the high (vehicular) traffic times when most people are both at their homes and still awake. There are too many cars on the roads to make this viable, delivering packages during the day is just a lot easier. If more people worked alternate schedules, this problem would be lessened, but alternate schedules impact human health.