The Amazon Locker in Philadelphia: Nice, Not Necessary

With the introduction of the Amazon Locker in the Philadelphia area finally, I decided to give it a go. I ordered something that’s small and relatively inexpensive so if it does get lost, I won’t be out more than I put in. It will be shipped to a 7-11 nearby, which the lockers are appropriately stationed beside the sodas and the Slurpees. The 7-11 is stationed near a SEPTA train station, a couple of SEPTA bus stops and both University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University are close. With business magazines touting the lockers’ appropriateness for college students, this place seems ideal.

From a business standpoint, I still fail to understand why Staples or Radio Shack decided to undertake Amazon’s Locker program in the first place. Neither retailer would particularly benefit and would lose real estate space. It’s like the cooperation between UPS, DHL and FedEx and the US Post Office in their Surepost, Global Mail and Smartpost programs. Why involve two companies when USPS is the lesser of all four — and redundant for redundancy’s sake?

The delivery went off without a hitch. The Amazon Locker is nice. I picked it up, and it was delivered safe and sound. Old technology in a new form. On the bright side, Lasership actually worked with the Amazon Locker. For students, it will work out well. Perhaps if Amazon wrapped it with their Amazon Students program, it will be a nice addition. Again, the Locker may be redundant for redundancy’s sake.

What do you think? Have you used the Amazon Locker? Is it truly as a necessity on Amazon’s part or a redundant convenience?