Amazon wants you to pay $250 to let strangers inside your home

Pretty much identical to Walmart’s pilot program, Amazon has announced the launch of a new service for Prime members, called Amazon Key, that will allow delivery people to drop packages inside your home while you are away.

Utilizing an electronic keypad for your front door’s deadbolt and a 1080p home security camera, the Amazon Key service will send real-time notification when a package is delivered. This includes a video stream of the package being dropped off (or a video clip to watch later). 

Labeled “FREE in-home delivery” when checking out on Amazon, you receive two notifications; one in the morning before the delivery and an alert moments before the package arrives. The delivery driver will knock / ring the doorbell first, then get the access code if no one answers. You also have the option of blocking access prior to the delivery if you don’t want to allow them inside for any reason.

Of course, opening up access to your home includes a litany of potential issues. An unscrupulous delivery person may decide to take something from your home or potentially worse criminal scenarios. According to Amazon, the delivery people are “thoroughly vetted, with comprehensive background checks and motor vehicle records reviews.”

The Cloud Cam is wired, thus if the electricity fails, all recordings of a delivery would fail. Since the door locks are powered by batteries, a delivery person could still have access to your home, but without any camera recording the delivery.

Anyone that has pets knows that dogs and cats love to go darting out into the yard, making opening the front door without the pet owner present ill-advised. You would likely have to invest in some form of fencing system around the front door to keep pets away; an additional cost.

To setup this risky service, Amazon wants Prime members to pay $250 for the privilege. That includes an Amazon Cloud Cam and a Yale Assure Smart Lock, which bought separately would cost about $390.

Of course, $250 is still significantly more expensive than buying an Alexa compatible smart lock (like the $130 Kwikset 910) and a 1080p security cam (like the $30 WyzeCam). With that combo, you get the added benefit of never letting a stranger inside your home!

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