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Never knew such a thing existed until this week. I have a locked front gate & FedEx & co. throw my parcels over the fence without any problem. Never had anything damaged from doing this.

But, I am considering one purchase that might get damaged if I do this. So I came across Amazon’s option to have a package sent to a hub & I watched a YouTube video that explained in good detail how to do this.

It couldn’t be any easier & I will try it if I make this purchase. What surprises me the most is that my nearest hub is inside a very scruffy laundromat just a block away. A place I would never imagine being a hub for packages. But so convenient for me. I checked it out inside the laundromat just to make sure it exists.

Anyone ever used a hub?
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Anyone ever used a hub?

I don't order much from Amazon, but Walmart tried using lockers to automate store pickups a while back, but it failed miserably, (at least in my area), and they eventually removed them.

One time we tried picking up a package, but it took almost an hour for a pickup that should have been less than five minutes. They had a computer system where you put in your confirmation number when you get there, and the locker with your item is supposed to open automatically, but the locker with our pickup was stuck. The store manager tried everything he could to try to open it, but it wouldn't open. He was able to open every other locker he tried, but not ours.

Eventually he decided to reboot the system. That suddenly opened all of the lockers at the same time, EXCEPT OUR LOCKER. Unfortunately, one of the lockers struck another customer in the face because nobody expected the locker doors to just suddenly fly open. Fortunately the man was okay, but they still couldn't get our locker open. The manager offered to refund our money, but that didn't help us. We lost an hour of our time, and we still had to go buy the items elsewhere.

After complaining to Walmart corporate, they gave us a $25 gift card, but they also removed the pickup lockers within a month of that experience, so my guess is that we weren't the only customers who had a problem with the lockers.

That's my only experience with one of these type of package hubs. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but it wasn't Amazon either.
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Here in Finland, I feel like most of the smallish packages are delivered to similar lockers. Many stores and kiosks have them nowadays (and many of those that don't still work as hubs, but you just need to get your package from the counter). I've never had any issues with them (well, especially during Christmas time they tend to get full, and occasionally your package goes to a different hub from the one you wanted).
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I don't order much from Amazon, but Walmart tried using lockers to automate store pickups a while back, but it failed miserably, (at least in my area), and they eventually removed them.

One time we tried picking up a package, but it took almost an hour for a pickup that should have been less than five minutes. They had a computer system where you put in your confirmation number when you get there, and the locker with your item is supposed to open automatically, but the locker with our pickup was stuck. The store manager tried everything he could to try to open it, but it wouldn't open. He was able to open every other locker he tried, but not ours.

Eventually he decided to reboot the system. That suddenly opened all of the lockers at the same time, EXCEPT OUR LOCKER. Unfortunately, one of the lockers struck another customer in the face because nobody expected the locker doors to just suddenly fly open. Fortunately the man was okay, but they still couldn't get our locker open. The manager offered to refund our money, but that didn't help us. We lost an hour of our time, and we still had to go buy the items elsewhere.

After complaining to Walmart corporate, they gave us a $25 gift card, but they also removed the pickup lockers within a month of that experience, so my guess is that we weren't the only customers who had a problem with the lockers.

That's my only experience with one of these type of package hubs. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but it wasn't Amazon either.
It’s almost funny how everything went haywire, but not funny if it happens to you.



Turns out Amazon has 2 different hub lockers: one with a scanner & keypad & one without, which is what I will be using. This threw me off completely, but the owner of the laundromat ran me through the procedure by phone this morning so that’s a comfort. He assures me it’s very easy.

I need to make sure Bluetooth is ON when I go to the laundromat & the owner will give me the wifi passcode when I’m ready to pick up. (I need the wifi password since I don’t have a cellular connection with my iPad.) Apparently I wave my iPad in front of the locker & Bluetooth will pick up the connection. The owner tells me this is the newest type of hub locker & the scanner ones are being phased out.

So I ordered Looby Loo’s “bubbler” (as @cricket calls it) & if she doesn’t like it I won’t return it since I’ll surely have another cat down the line who does like it. She will have the choice of 3 ways to enjoy the water. If she doesn’t drink from the bubbler, at least I’ve tried. It’s not expensive so it’s not the end of the British Empire if she rejects it.




Anytime something goes haywire, I seem to be the unlucky recipient.
Mine went **** up. I got the network ID + his password from the owner. Bluetooth was on & I have an Amazon shopping app. This was all that was required. Except it wasn’t & my box remains tightly sealed inside the locker.

So sick of the entire thing now. Only good thing is it’s returned automatically to Amazon after 3 days in the locker if it’s not picked up. A refund then goes to my account.

Looby-Loo probably wouldn’t have used the fountain anyway. If she doesn’t drink water, that’s on her. It’s always there fresh for her.

So annoyed by all the time I wasted for a zero gain.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Mine went **** up. I got the network ID + his password from the owner. Bluetooth was on & I have an Amazon shopping app. This was all that was required. Except it wasn’t & my box remains tightly sealed inside the locker.

So sick of the entire thing now. Only good thing is it’s returned automatically to Amazon after 3 days in the locker if it’s not picked up. A refund then goes to my account.

Looby-Loo probably wouldn’t have used the fountain anyway. If she doesn’t drink water, that’s on her. It’s always there fresh for her.

So annoyed by all the time I wasted for a zero gain.

Sorry to hear that. I was hoping that your experience would have been better than mine.

You should contact Amazon and tell them what happened. Let them know that you're annoyed, and that your time is worth something. They might give you a gift card in addition to your refund.



Sorry to hear that. I was hoping that your experience would have been better than mine.

You should contact Amazon and tell them what happened. Let them know that you're annoyed, and that your time is worth something. They might give you a gift card in addition to your refund.
They would say that it clearly states a smartphone (not an iPad) must be used. Even though an iPad does everything a smartphone does.

Your idea is a good one though.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
They would say that it clearly states a smartphone (not an iPad) must be used. Even though an iPad does everything a smartphone does.

Your idea is a good one though.

Does it say that you can't use an iPad? Maybe there's something different about the way the two devices process data that might make a difference? Or maybe a difference in the operating system?



Does it say that you can't use an iPad? Maybe there's something different about the way the two devices process data that might make a difference? Or maybe a difference in the operating system?
Honestly, I’ve gone through this in my mind a 100 times. I wish this place had the other kind of hub locker where you either scan a code or you input the code on a keypad. Would have been much easier.

Anyway, the box has gone back to Amazon & I have a refund.

Funny thing, the places with a hub locker don’t make a dime from Amazon. I assumed they got some sort of commission per package left, but they get nothing except foot traffic in their place to use the locker.