Last month, German ecommerce platform Zalando began a pilot scheme using private homes in Denmark as delivery points. The 50 homeowners involved offer pick-up and drop-off services from 4pm to 8pm, in return for a small remuneration each month. A collaboration with Swedish postal company Postnord, it is hoped that the three-month trial will provide opportunities for seniors, self-employed, and unemployed individuals who are often home during the day.

These delivery hubs aren’t just the more personal (and likely better-decorated) alternative to Amazon lockers ;) Unpacking this innovation is like trend bingo: the gig economy! Peer-to-peer! Eco-logistics! There’s so much we could talk about, but here’s two thoughts to run with: 

New hires. Zalando is joining a number of other brands tapping workers from oft-untapped pools. McDonald’s, for example, hired seniors through its AARP partnership. Or consider Dawn, the café in Japan that gives workers with limited mobility the opportunity to serve customers, via remote-controlled robots! Unemployment remains a key global concern and this is before the robots take the majority of our jobs 😅 As a result, novel working solutions – especially those that help the typically overlooked – will be a powerful way to demonstrate your innovative thinking and your brand values. 

Village squares. The loneliness epidemic is real. Social isolation is as harmful to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Zalando’s initiative can help prevent people who spend a lot of time in their homes from becoming overly isolated. Okay, these might not be the most profound of interactions but they will trigger people actually talking to others in their community. At a time when many traditional day-to-day interactions are being digitized or automated, can you create new opportunities for people to connect?