The future of shopping… and delivery

By Susan M Boyce
August 04, 2020

You’ve got mail. No wait, more specifically, you’ve got parcels… multiple parcels. A box of groceries, those two pairs of summer cycling shorts that were such a steal on e-Bay, and your new e-reader at last — all just waiting for you to claim.

With almost anything now available just a click away, internet purchases are booming. “Online shopping was already becoming mainstream,” says Bob Rennie, rennie marketing. “But COVID has elevated it exponentially. I believe we will soon see a minimum of one parcel per day per drop off address.”

It’s good news for companies like Canada Post, FedEx, and Purolator, but Rennie doesn’t hesitate to pose a question that’s often swept under the carpet — in a highrise that might have 100, 200, or even more units, what happens to all those packages if no one’s home to accept them?

It’s a problem to tax the best logistical minds.

Answer: smart lockers; also known as electronic parcel delivery rooms or, if you go with the proprietary version, an Amazon room.

The technology behind electronic parcel delivery rooms is surprisingly straightforward. “When a delivery person arrives, they scan the parcel’s label and the system automatically opens a locker of the appropriate size,” explains David Wan, long-time project marketing director. “Once the package is secure in its locker, the system texts a randomly generated security code to the recipient — a code they use to open the locker when they’re able to pick up their package.”

“It’s about a building’s livability,” Rennie notes. “For younger buyers, it’s already practically an expectation. But more mature buyers are also starting to see and appreciate the convenience.”

In addition to the enhanced security for residents, these delivery rooms also offer a financial benefit. “A concierge, even a part-time one, is expensive,” Wan says. “Having someone in the lobby full-time is the equivalent of three to three and a half full-time jobs — which could easily cost a strata $100,000 or more per year. Those expenses can push strata fees up really fast.”

Forward thinking developers are already incorporating smart lockers into their designs. Vancouver's Peninsula by Aragon was one of the first, Loma by ML Emporio Properties is one of the most recent. But there’s little debate that electronic parcel delivery rooms will soon be a de rigueur standard in urban living.

Here’s to happy shopping.

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