Amazon is expanding its service that lets delivery people drop off groceries inside your garage.
The company announced Tuesday that the service is now available for all Prime members where grocery delivery is available, or more than 5,000 cities across the U.S. Until now, some Prime members could get Amazon Fresh orders and Whole Foods deliveries dropped off in their garage, but only if they lived in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle.
The offering is a part of Amazon Key, the company’s array of services that enable delivery drivers to leave packages in garages, homes, cars and businesses.
Consumers have to purchase additional hardware in order to get packages or groceries dropped off inside their residence or garage. In-home delivery requires a smart lock and a camera, while in-garage delivery requires a smart garage door opener.
Amazon has pitched these services to Prime members as a way to keep their groceries or packages safe from weather, damage and theft. The services have also raised concerns around the prospect of giving a stranger access (albeit, limited entry) to your home or garage.
Other retailers have experimented with the model, like Walmart, which in January began testing grocery deliveries to a smart cooler on or near shoppers’ doorsteps.
Amazon is expanding in-garage grocery delivery as the coronavirus pandemic has pushed more consumers to try out ordering food and groceries online. The company’s online grocery sales tripled year over year in the second quarter of 2020 and continued to accelerate in the second half of last year.
