Guide to Amazon Key
Guide to Amazon Key
As the world evolves, technology becomes a more significant part of everyday life. One of the biggest technological trends today is online shopping. Purchasing an item that may not be in your local store and having it delivered appeals to consumers.
Amazon is one of the most popular online retailers. In 2024, Amazon’s brand worth was around $185 billion, and there were more than 200 million Prime members globally. Since there are millions of Prime subscribers, Amazon frequently updates the benefits so the membership remains enticing.
A relatively new benefit for Prime members is Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery. This service allows couriers to deliver packages to your garage.
What Is Amazon Key and How Does It Work?
Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery aims to provide a secure transit between sellers and buyers. Although granting strangers access to your garage may raise privacy concerns, its main benefit is protecting your property. Simply put, Amazon hopes to help you reduce your risk of package theft or other property damage by asking you to give their delivery team authorization to enter your garage.
In 2024, 58 million Americans were victims of package theft. Despite a penalty that includes fines and up to five years in prison, package theft remains a significant problem for consumers. Considering this, online retailers are eager to find more secure methods of ensuring an item reaches its intended target. By granting entrance to your garage, you ensure your packages are delivered to a secure location.
While delivery security is the primary push for Key, Amazon also touts the service’s everyday utility. Because users receive a notification when their garage door is opened, Amazon Key serves as an extra level of security. It can let parents know when their children come home and alert homeowners of unwanted guests. Additionally, it can even provide peace of mind on busy mornings, quickly putting to rest the worry of whether you’ve forgotten to close the garage door.
How Does Amazon Key Delivery Work?
The Amazon Key service is straightforward, requiring only a few simple steps:
- First, you need to link your myQ garage to the Key in Amazon’s shopping app.
- The next step is choosing “In-Garage Delivery” instead of “Doorstep Delivery” when checking out.
- You’ll receive notifications updating you on your package’s shipping and delivery. Once the driver arrives with it, they scan its barcode, and a company representative verifies the time and other confirmation details and grants them one-time access to your garage.
- The driver delivers the package and notifies the representative through their app of completion.
- After completing delivery, the same representative remotely closes your garage door. You then receive a notification confirming the completion of the process.
Is Amazon In-Garage Delivery Safe?
Customer safety is the highest priority, which is why Amazon does background checks on all potential delivery drivers for In-Garage Delivery service. It also verifies every step of the package’s delivery — once the driver scans it, Amazon verifies its location, the driver and the package itself.
After the verification steps are complete, the driver receives one-time access to your garage. Amazon also instructs their drivers to venture no further than 5 feet into your garage to deliver the package. In order to complete their delivery and move on to the next, they must tap a button in their app, which confirms the delivery and closes your garage. Because it’s a once-off access key, they can’t re-open your garage after it closes unless they have another package to deliver to you.
Amazon also trains its drivers to leave your garage as they found it. This applies not only to your belongings but the garage door itself. For example, if your garage door is open when they arrive, they will leave it open after completing their delivery and vice versa.
However, if your garage door doesn’t close when it’s supposed to, the driver will remain on the property until it closes. Customer support may contact you to keep you updated and communicate with you to close it.
If you still feel uneasy with these security measures, there are some other options you can take advantage of. You can purchase the optional camera, which allows you to monitor deliveries in real time. You can also turn off Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery the day before delivery, restricting access to your garage and returning to doorstep delivery.
Amazon also considers its drivers’ safety. It advises homeowners to keep their pets in their homes, which protects drivers from encountering an overly excited or aggressive pet. Amazon instructs their drivers to drop off the package at the front door if they do come across any pets. This precaution also ensures the package and the pets remain safe and secure.
What Are the Installation Requirements for Amazon Key?
While the service is simple, a few requirements exist for setting up Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery. If you already have some of the starting pieces — such as an Amazon Prime account or Amazon Key-compatible garage door openers — the installation process will be easier. Moreover, professionals may be able to assist you through the selection process, ensuring you get the appropriate materials for your needs.
Here is a basic rundown of the tools you’ll need to operate Amazon Key:
- Prime membership: First, to be eligible for delivery services, you need an Amazon Prime membership. Prime membership is Amazon’s customer service bundle, which includes free two-day shipping on most items, access to video and music streaming and perks for Alexa smart speakers.
- myQ–compatible garage door opener or hub: If you don’t currently have a garage door opener with Wi-Fi capabilities, you’ll need to upgrade it. Be sure your equipment is myQ-compatible to avoid having any issues using the Amazon app. If you have a gated property, you also need to install the Amazon Key Liftmaster to allow drivers to open the gate.
- Amazon Key App: As always, there’s an app for that. The free Amazon Key app is your remote access point. It’s available for both Android and iOS, though only in U.S. app stores. You can also access In-Garage Delivery through the Amazon Shopping app.
- Ring app: You can use the Ring app to add a compatible camera, such as the Ring Indoor Cam and the Ring Stick Up Cam, to watch your deliveries in real time. However, you don’t need a camera for In-Garage Delivery services.
- Professional Installation: Continental Door can upgrade your garage door opener to ensure myQ compatibility and set up Amazon Key.
Amazon Key FAQ
While there are clear positives to using Amazon Key, new technology always brings its share of concerns. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery:
1. Is Amazon Key Only for Prime Members?
Amazon Key is only available to those with an Amazon Fresh, Amazon Prime, Amazon Household and Prime Student subscription or a free trial of these subscriptions. You also need to be in an eligible location for In-Garage Delivery.
2. Can I Store Camera Footage?
The compatible Ring cameras allow you to record your videos if you have a Ring Protect Plan. Without the Ring Protect Plan, you can access Live View to monitor the delivery.
3. What if My Garage Won’t Close?
Drivers must leave your garage as they found it. So, if your garage was closed, they must close it before they can go. Similarly, if you leave your garage door open, the delivery driver will not close it before leaving. If you leave your door closed, but the driver can’t close it after delivering your package, customer support will contact you and have a technician come and close your door.
Get Professional Installation for Amazon Key From Continental Door
Packages disappear off customers’ doorsteps daily. To prevent this, many people utilize Amazon Key. With the right setup and equipment, you can enjoy increased security and comfort when you’re expecting your next delivery.
Continental Door can install and maintain your myQ System for Amazon Key. For over 15 years, we have provided high-quality services, including 24/7 emergency repair and products to our customers in the greater Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas. Contact us today for a free quote to set up your Amazon Key.
