Amazon Key will let couriers unlock your front door to deliver parcels

Amazon.com Inc has plans to dropoff packages directly into shoppers' homes.

The world's largest online retailer on Wednesday announcedAmazon Key, a lock and camera system that users control remotelyto let delivery associates slip goods into their houses.Customers can create temporary passcodes for friends and otherservices professionals to enter as well.

This is a core part of the Amazon shopping experience from thispoint forward.- Peter Larsen, Amazon

The move, in the works for more than a year, may help Amazoncapture sales from shoppers who could not make it home toreceive an order in person, and did not want the package stolenfrom their doorstep. It also signals Amazon's ambitions in thegrowing market for home security devices, where Alphabet Inc'sNest Labs competes.

"This is not an experiment for us," said Peter Larsen,Amazon vice president of delivery technology, in an interview."This is a core part of the Amazon shopping experience from thispoint forward."

Members of Amazon's Prime shopping club can pay $249.99 US andup for a cloud-controlled camera and lock that the companyoffers to install. Delivery associates are told to ring adoorbell or knock when they arrive at someone's house. If no onegreets them, they press 'unlock' in a mobile app, and Amazonchecks its systems in an instant to make sure the rightassociate and package are present.

The camera then streams video to the customer who remotelycan watch the in-home delivery take place. The associate cannotproceed with other trips until the home is again locked.

Amazon's new service goes live on Nov. 8 in 37 U.S.locations, the company said. The "Cloud Cam" is also availableby itself for purchase, it said.

Theft risk?

It is unclear if such protections will persuade customersthat the service is safe to use.

Larsen said theft was "not something that happens inpractice," based on early tests of the Amazon Key program.

He added that if a problem arises, "You can call customerservice, file a claim and Amazon will work with you to make sureit's right," reimbursing customers in some cases.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Amazon's biggest retail rival,has similar plans. It said last month it would test deliveringgrocery items "straight into your fridge" with August Home, asmart lock business that Assa Abloy AB said it willacquire.

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