Amazon’s latest advancement in the pursuit of getting packages to consumers most efficiently is underway in the Phoenix metropolitan area, as Amazon Locker, a fully-automated package storage locker, is installed at a large number of Class-A apartment communities managed by multifamily manager Mark-Taylor.
Mark-Taylor installed the Amazon Lockers in 37 of its communities. In recent years, management offices have become de facto receiving centers, as multifamily communities struggled with getting packages to consumers with the proliferation of online shopping.
In densely populated cities, some operators have completely banned package delivery and others have tried solutions such as on-site storage, 24-hour delivery concierges and other methods that charge fees to residents. The Amazon Locker enables Mark-Taylor residents a pain-free way to receive and return packages on their own schedule, without the extra cost of having management as the middle man.
“As online shopping continues to grow, getting packages to our residents securely and efficiently is a focus that is growing by the day,” said Mark-Taylor Executive Vice President Chris Brozina. ”We’re honored that Amazon has chosen us as their first large-scale partner in this technology but it’s even more meaningful to know that this system won’t put more costs back on our residents; it’s about making their lives more convenient, period.”
The mounting question of how to get packages to consumers of all residential situations has been a major focus of large retailers for years. Amazon first rolled out its answer in cities like New York, Chicago and Seattle, where the machine could effectively do the work of a concierge or doorman, by collecting packages, storing them securely, and allowing the consumer to retrieve them at their convenience 24 hours a day using a secure scan code provided directly by Amazon. The model has been a raving success and has addressed a problem that previously had no answer.
With the concept growing in popularity, Amazon knew the time was right to make a jump into the world of apartments. The Phoenix market was the perfect choice for the first large portfolio installation of the Amazon Locker due to its strong consumer demand and the presence of one of the nation’s largest Amazon fulfillment centers in the West Valley, which distributes more than 15 million packages per day.
Amazon knew it needed to exclusively align itself with one apartment operator; a trusted partner with enough size to reach the entire Phoenix market but with a specialized focus on Class-A properties and a resident base with considerable discretionary income. Long-known for its focus in managing top-tier apartment communities, Scottsdale-based Mark-Taylor was the natural choice for the retail giant. The company’s portfolio is home for nearly 30,000 residents throughout Arizona, from Goodyear to Gilbert, and south to Oro Valley. Mark-Taylor’s residential profile hails from a diverse employment base, with the desire to live a flexible, on-demand lifestyle.
The ever-changing world of getting packages to consumers in the fastest, most convenient way possible will undoubtedly evolve significantly over the next decade, but it’s clear that residents of Mark-Taylor communities have just been provided a convenience not yet available in most of the country.
