DHL has those in Germany. In fact over 2400. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation
I'm an avid and happy user. Of course something like BufferBox would have been better, but I understand that investment does make a lot more sense as a parcel delivery service, as you bind customers to you. I hope they break up that monopoly at some point.
The question is why nobody did something like this before BufferBox in the US? Normally we are the less innovative ones :)
> The question is why nobody did something like this before BufferBox in the US?
Because there is a post office in almost every US town with postal mailboxes available? You can use that to have all USPS packages and mail delivered.
There are also UPS Stores, Fedex Kinkos, 7-Elevens, etc. which offer the same service, plus allow from delivery from private carriers.
On top of that, for 99% of Americans, having your package dropped off at your door is just fine. Nobody is going to take it. And if you're that paranoid, just have it delivered to your neighbor or to your office.
I really don't understand what void this product is trying to fill.
>On top of that, for 99% of Americans, having your package dropped off at your door is just fine.
You really can't pull numbers out of a hat like that. How many people live in an apartment with no front doorman, or requires a buzz code to get in? Probably more than 1% of Americans.
Or what if you ordered a shiny new laptop from Amazon? Would you leave it at your front door, even if you live in a safe area? I personally wouldn't.
Plus, These guys started in Canada, it's unfair to judge from purely American point of view.
I'd use it. I have a UPS Store box for receiving deliveries, but it closes early enough that I can only check it on Saturdays, and it costs as much as recurring semi-weekly BufferBox deliveries (which is more than I would use). A post office box would be worse than that, in closing earlier and refusing private shippers. I have yet to see an Amazon locker in a 7-Eleven; it's a good idea but useless when you order from anyone else (which of course is partly why they can justify the effort). I might consider home deliveries if I had a house on a cul-de-sac with an enclosed porch, but it'd be crazy in an office or apartment building full of strangers (which is, what, 1/3 of Americans?)
I was hoping to see Drop Locker (pivot of Laundry Locker, as I understand it) get into this in San Francisco, but so far they seem to just be looking for partners without having found any.
The question is why nobody did something like this before BufferBox in the US? Normally we are the less innovative ones :)