Alexa, is it a good idea to let strangers into my house?
Amazon thinks so. The company says it has a safe way for you to allow delivery drivers inside your home, even when you’re not there.
The service is called Amazon Key and launches November 8 for Prime members.
You buy a kit that includes an Amazon security camera, the Cloud Cam, and a compatible smart lock. The kit starts at $249.99.
You order something for delivery and click the “in-home” shipping option. When the delivery driver arrives, Amazon verifies the address and delivery time and allows him or her into your home. You can watch from your phone as the camera records the whole thing.
Amazon says the delivery driver will not be given an access code or key.
The service isn’t just for deliveries. Amazon says you can also use it to let family and friends into your house when you’re not home. And it will work for certain services like home cleaners, pet sitters and dog walkers.
Amazon Key will be available in 37 U.S. cities to start, and Amazon says it will add more.
It’s not the first major retailer to experiment with remote delivery access.
Last month, Walmart announced that it was testing a service that allows a delivery driver from the startup Deliv into your home, mostly for groceries. It will even give the delivery person access to your refrigerator.
In the Walmart service, the driver gets a one-time passcode for a smart lock, and you can watch the delivery on security cameras.