In the USA the postal system generally delivers mail (and
picks up mail) at every physical address --but this is
sometimes simplified, such as in apartment buildings
where a wall of mailboxes makes it easy to deliver mail
to
the whole building. Such a place might also have a
single
particular
large mailbox (see link) which many people in
the building can use for sending out stuff.
However, these days the postal service is not the only
entity delivering stuff to people --but only official mail is
legally allowed to be placed in mailboxes. Therefore
many
packages are left exposed and vulnerable to theft.
With the rising use of on-line sales and shipped
deliveries,
it is becoming common for packages to be both
vulnerable
and stolen, after getting delivered. Logically, we need a
way to prevent that.
Recently (relative to when this Idea was written), one of
the
major
home-delivery companies proposed obtaining house keys
so
that packages could be placed directly inside residences.
Most folks are not comfortable with that, so we need an
alternative.
Logically, a relatively simple lockbox located outside the
residence could suffice. Let the shipper have a key to
that, but not the key to the house.
A more sophisticated box could allow packages to be
placed inside it without needing a key. See the link
again!
--because that style of lockbox allows anyone to put stuff
inside it, but removing that stuff requires a key.
However, we
need a different design, since that particular design is
considered to be for exclusive use of the postal system.
I'll
leave the type of alternate design as an exercise for the
readers.