Amazon Opens One-Day Pickup Location On University Of Pittsburgh Campus
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Young people in Oakland were checking out the latest Amazon entry to Pittsburgh -- a pick-up site for overnight Amazon purchases.
"I think it's awesome. It's unique. It's new, and I think students will be really excited about it," says Tori Portier, a Pitt senior.
"It's crazy. It's the wildest thing I've ever seen," notes Sadie Trout, a Pitt junior. "Things can be here -- from 10 p.m., they'll be here 9 a.m. the next morning."
That's right, for some Amazon Prime products, you can order as late as 10 p.m., and then pick them up in person at Pittsburgh's first Amazon pick-up site.
"We're super excited to have opened our first pick-up location in Pittsburgh," Amazon spokesperson Carly Golden told KDKA money editor Jon Delano. "It is on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It's a fully-staffed pick-up location."
And it's not limited to students.
Amazon at Pitt may be located in Oakland, designed to service universities like CMU and Pitt, but it's really open to anyone as long as you can find a parking spot.
So, why choose to pick-up yourself rather than have delivery to your home address?
"Well, we have a lot of benefits because it is safe and secure, especially if you're in the dormitories or in the city urban life, you don't have a porch, so it's more difficult, less secure to have it delivered to your home," says Jess Piccola, Amazon site manager.
Piccola sites security as one reason for self pick up but another is speed of delivery if you need something urgently.
"It's safe. It's fast, and it's free one-day shipping for Prime members versus the two-day normally for Prime," adds Piccola.
And it's all very high tech.
The customer is alerted via text once your package has arrived and you are sent a unique barcode -- you scan your code as instructed -- and a locker door pops open with your order.
"I used it for a quick demo, and it was really cool. The locker opened. It was magical," said Portier.