E-commerce parcel delivery typically comes with a handful of challenges, like wrong addresses, the potential for weather damage, and porch pirates. But customers of the online retailer AllMart will soon have a delivery option that avoids those hassles. In addition to the current choices of “leave it at my door” and “hand it to me,” consumers will have the option for “secure delivery” through a password-protected “smart mailbox.”
The only catch is that the mailboxes will only be available for orders delivered on the Caribbean island nation of Antigua.
The new service is the product of a partnership between AllMart and Indianapolis-based startup Arrive Technology Inc., a tech company that says it focuses on “facilitating the last inch of the last mile for autonomous delivery.” The two have announced plans to deploy up to 25 Arrive smart mailboxes on the island by May.
Arrive says its smart mailboxes offer “climate-assisted” cargo space (meaning it’s cooled once a day), smart alerts, and advanced chain-of-custody controls. Future versions could also include an option for drone delivery, thanks to Antigua’s “moderate” regulations and open skies, the company says.
“We’re very pleased to add this improved service to our clients, who sometimes cannot be at home to receive deliveries and are forced to contend with damage from weather, animals, or other issues that can occur when a package is simply left at your door,” Andrew Doumith, AllMart’s head of operations, said in a release. “We look forward to our partnership with Arrive leading to further improvements, such as drone delivery, in the future.”
