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Amazon Key will now keep packages off the porch and in your garage

Also announced, Amazon Key is available in all 50 states.

Amazon deliveryperson using amazon key to put package into the customer's garage
Image: Amazon

Amazon has announced that Key for Garage, its in-garage delivery service for Amazon Prime members, is now available for 50 cities nationwide. You’ll still need compatible hardware (and a garage) but luckily you can order everything you need on Amazon with two-day or less delivery.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member with the right combination of equipment, you’ll see “in-garage delivery” as an option at checkout. That adds to the list of Amazon Key delivery options, which already have in-home and in-car delivery options.

They’re all essentially the same system, just differing in where the delivery person leaves your packages. In each, an Amazon app verifies that the delivery is at the right location via geolocation services, then briefly opens the respective locks to complete the delivery.

In-garage delivery might be the draw that Amazon needs to get people using the Key service

When Key was originally announced, there was backlash over privacy issues and letting someone into the family home. Delivering packages into the garage both curbs “porch pirates” while allaying customer fears, as the rest of the house is inaccessible.

Amazon partnered with the Chamberlain Group to roll-out Key for Garage, a well-known manufacturer of garage doors under brands like LiftMaster, Raynor, and Craftsman. Amazon Key for Garage uses the MyQ technology that comes with Chamberlain’s WiFi-enabled garage-door openers to allow access.

If you already have the supported hardware, all you need to do is download the MyQ and Amazon Key apps and link the accounts together

If your garage door isn’t MyQ-enabled, Amazon is selling bundles with the MyQ Smart Garage Hub, and the option to include an Amazon Cloud Cam so you can see what’s going on when your packages are delivered.

With millions of households already having all the necessary equipment, the user base is there – it’s now a question of trust. Amazon has built up a good name for itself for customer service over the years, so it’s already in a strong position. Services like Key for Garage are a win-win, with fewer stolen/lost/weather-damaged packages bringing customer satisfaction while keeping costs down.

If you want to see if your home is eligible for Key for Garage, head on over to Amazon’s checker page, where you can enter your garage door details and your zip code.

What do you think? Is this something you’d use? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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