Description

Exercise 4 – Permission to Unlock? Amazon In-Home/In-Car Delivery Service

With online shopping growing rapidly, delivering packages securely to their final destinations and reducing parcel theft are growing concerns. Amazon has recognized this need and is bridging the gap for its 85 million Prime members. Rather than delivering a parcel to your front doorstep, the online retail giant now offers secure in-home and in-car delivery services. It recently launched Amazon Key, which uses a smart lock and cloud-based security cameras to allow Amazon delivery staff to drop off packages inside customers’ homes when they aren’t there. The set-up kit for Amazon Key costs $250. Amazon is also testing a free in-car package delivery service that works with cars equipped with GM’s On-Star or Volvo’s On-Call technology. To make in-car deliveries, Amazon employees must have access to a car’s GPS location and license plate number. Such Amazon services seem to offer many benefits. However, some consumers will decline this service. They will worry that Amazon’s cloud-based camera for in-home deliveries might be hacked and that no such video monitoring is available for in-car deliveries. Amazon insists that customers remain in control at all times, with multiple notifications and the option to block access at any time.

1. Would you use the Amazon Key services? Why or why not? When would you be most likely to use this service? (AACSB: Written and Oral Communication; Reflective Thinking)

What ethical issues must Amazon address before consumers will consider adopting this service? (AACSB: Written and Oral Communication; Reflective Thinking; Ethical Understanding and Reasoning)