Yes, the Holiday season is upon us, with Black Friday looming. Cyber Monday will encourage lots of online purchases, most for delivery directly to your home. What happens to those packages if there is no one there to open the door and immediately retrieve the packages from the front porch? Do you really trust them sitting there in plain sight to all neighbors and passers-by for hours during daylight until you arrive home?
If you’ve ever had a package that went “missing”, even though the sender assured you it was delivered, you may have experienced the hassle of trying to get reimbursed or having the item replaced. Some carriers require that you submit a lot of paperwork that documents the lost or missing package claims and the process for settlement can take some time. This can be frustrating no matter what the purpose of the delivery or time of the year, but if the items to be delivered are actually gifts for the holidays, that process could go on past the holidays, causing some anxiety and the need to buy additional gifts.
These situations are likely part of the reason for Amazon’s new service called Amazon Key. It’s available for a whopping $249.99 to current Amazon Prime members (price does not include the Prime membership fee). The system requires a camera and smart lock that is provided by Amazon. But it begs the question whether consumers will really trust a third party (Amazon or its contracted deliverers) to monitor their homes 24/7 and determine when to unlock the door to a stranger.
Get Video Surveillance Cameras
Getting your own video surveillance camera system for your home will enable you to monitor anyone who approaches your front door or anywhere cameras are placed outside. Even the major package delivery companies can hire people that could prove to be untrustworthy. A couple in a Los Angeles suburb actually had an Amazon driver deliver, then take back, the package they ordered.
Because they had a security camera mounted externally to view the activity occurring at the front of their home, the woman observed the delivery person remotely from her job location. After contacting Amazon, the driver returned to the home with the package and an apology and was subsequently terminated by Amazon. The point is, if the camera hadn’t been there, it would have been difficult to determine when and how the package went missing.
We’re really not trying to pick on Amazon here. They are a great company, as are other package delivery services. But they can only go so far in preventing theft of the packages they attempt to deliver without requiring the resident to accept and sign for it, which is very inconvenient for most consumers. But most delivery services will at least provide you with a tracking number that you can check to get a date with a window of time when the delivery is scheduled to arrive. With a surveillance camera in place, you’ll be able to view your front porch from a remote location during that time period. If you see that the package is there, you may be able to have a friend or neighbor pick it up for you. And if the package is no longer there when you get home, you’ll know from the video camera recording who actually removed it.
Get Your Video Surveillance System Installed Today
Don’t run the risk of getting your holiday purchases being stolen right from your own front porch! Contact Gateway Lock and Security Cameras today to get your video surveillance system installed for your peace of mind.
Gateway provides customized security systems that meet your needs and specifications. We offer free consultations to determine your requirements and deliver the solution that’s right for your business security.
We are conveniently located at 17667 Wild Horse Creek Road, Chesterfield, MO 63005, and serve customers in St. Charles, St. Louis County, St. Peters, O’Fallon, Wentzville and more.