Nearly Half of Consumers With a Smart Access Device Want In-Home Delivery, Says Parks

Nearly half of consumers who own or intend to buy a smart access device -- a smart door lock, a smart garage door opener or video doorbell -- value the ability to remotely allow Amazon package deliveries, reported Parks Associates Monday. More than a third (37 percent) of intended buyers or owners of would pay up to $1.98 per package for delivery inside their home or garage, Parks said. An increase in package theft from e-commerce has created “a new use case for the smart home,” said analyst Chris O’Dell. The prospect of package theft is an opportunity for smart home device manufacturers and service providers to boost consumer confidence by guaranteeing safe package delivery with in-home and in-garage delivery services, O’Dell said, citing Amazon’s April partnership announcement with Chamberlain (see 1904230033) for its myQ smart garage door openers. Among consumers who own or plan to buy a smart access device, 43 percent consider the ability for FedEx or UPS to perform in-garage delivery valuable, the analyst said. Traditional garage door openers have a typical life cycle of 10 or more years; smart access could provide an incentive to upgrade sooner, he said.