The growth in online shopping over the last 20 years has brought with it a new problem: package thieves. Even though stealing any kind of mail can come with federal charges and land you in jail for five years, up to 210 million packages were stolen last year. How can you prevent your Amazon deliveries from being swiped from your porch while you watch helplessly from work on your Ring Video doorbell? The answer is Amazon Hub.
What is Amazon Hub?
Amazon Hub is a partnership between Amazon and local businesses to provide a free and secure location to deliver your packages. Hub comes in two flavors depending on the partnership: Amazon Hub Locker and Amazon Hub Counter. Let’s break down the difference between the two services.
Amazon Hub Locker
Amazon Hub Lockers are a cross between a self-service kiosk and the wall of lockers at a gym. They’re usually branded in Amazon blue or yellow, but gray is also common. Embedded among the lockers are a touchscreen display, a barcode scanner, a number pad, and a headphone jack for people with vision impairment or low vision.
There are two ways to retrieve your package from the locker. The first is with a six-character code sent to you in an email confirming the delivery of your package. Touch the screen on the locker and enter your code, then one of the locker doors pops open, and you can grab your stuff. The other way is with a barcode included with your email. Let the locker scan your barcode, and it opens up.
Amazon Hub Apartment Locker
If you live in an apartment complex, you may be familiar with this concept. Amazon Hub Apartment Lockers work similarly to the lockers you find in gas stations and grocery stores. Get a pick-up code, use it at the locker, and get your package. The difference is that the in-store Amazon Lockers are exclusively for Amazon deliveries, whereas the Apartment Lockers can be used for any package delivered by your mail carrier and can be accessed at any hour, not just when the business is open.
Be aware that not just mail carriers have access. If you wait too long to get your package, don’t be surprised if your property manager removes it to the office to make room for more proactive residents.
Amazon Hub Counter
Amazon Hub Counter provides the same basic service as Amazon Hub Locker, just with a middleman. Instead of your packages being sequestered in a wall of digital lockers, it’s kept by Amazon’s business partner. You’ll show your email with the barcode to the employee holding your package, the representative scans it, and then hands it over. You don’t even have to pick it up yourself, you can forward your email to a friend or family member, and they can pick it up in your place, no ID needed.
Both services hold your packages for a few days, after which your package is returned to Amazon, and you’ll be reimbursed. Amazon Hub Locker holds packages for three days. Amazon Hub Counter holds packages for seven days.
There are a few restrictions for both Amazon Hub Locker and Amazon Hub Counter, which can be found online, but as long as your order is fulfilled by Amazon, and you don’t order something that’s over 12 cubic feet, weighs over 30 pounds, or is worth more than $5,000, your item should be eligible for either Amazon Hub Locker or Amazon Hub Counter.
Use Amazon Hub Lockers to return items
Amazon Hub makes returning items easier. When returning something to Amazon, you have the option to drop off eligible items at either a locker or counter location. If you choose a locker drop-off, you’re sent a code that you enter on the locker touch display. If you choose a counter drop-off, you’re sent a QR code that the store employee scans before taking your package.
One note about using Amazon Hub Locker to return items. There may not be space in the locker for your item. The code sent to you by Amazon is good at that location for 30 days, but after that, you must initiate a new return request.
How to start using Amazon Hub
If you’re in the U.S. and you want to get started with Amazon Hub, follow these steps:
- Go to this page and enter the area where you’d like to pick up your deliveries.
- When you find a location or two that works for you, click the Add to address book button.
- Alternatively, go to your address book and click Add Address.
- On the Add a new address page, instead of putting in an address, click Or find an Amazon pickup location near you.
- From here, select a nearby locker or counter location to add to your delivery addresses.
Amazon Hub Locker is available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Japan, Australia, and United Arab Emirates. Amazon Hub Counter is available in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
To find out if there’s one near you, check the Hub homepage. Once you have a locker or counter location in your address book, all you do is select that as your delivery address when you finish your order.
Never leave the house again (unless you want to)
Amazon isn’t perfect, but it makes life easier. Amazon Prime offers a lot of benefits and saves you money if you plan a day or so ahead. The membership is a bit pricey, but Amazon offers discounted memberships for students and people who receive EBT and other forms of government assistance.
