This year, shoppers smashed previous records for Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending, with over $7.9 billion spent online. As a result, multifamily properties have been bracing for the millions of package deliveries following in their wake. The dust has settled from Black Friday, and we've pulled a snapshot of package delivery statistics from thousands of Luxer One systems across the United States. These stats shed light on the aftermath of “the largest online shopping day in US history”, and paint a picture of the unique package management challenges apartment communities face every December. 

Effective package management is never one-size-fits-all, which is why we've introduced the 4-Door Locker: a Luxer One add-on unit designed to provide additional flexibility to your package management solution. Read below to learn about the 4-Door unit's dimensions, functionality, and its very unique ability to double as a dry cleaning locker. 

What happens when a mailroom gets "smart"? That's the question that the team at Tribeca Apartments in St. Louis asked themselves in designing a completely reimagined mailroom. The smart technology apartment community comes complete with a Luxer One package locker system, plus TV screens showing local events & weather, and even a marketplace with snacks and drinks for purchase. Read further for more on this community's creative spin on modern-day amenities. 

There’s something uniquely frustrating about having a package stolen right off your doorstep, and it’s an alarmingly common problem. With year-over-year package delivery on the rise (an estimated 20% increase every year), packages are becoming an even more enticing target for “porch pirates”.

CNBC explores how shoppers and residents are seeking ways to protect their packages from these porch pirates, and many are turning to package lockers. Check out their take on the issue below. 

As a multifamily property manager, one of the most important ways to optimize your package lockers is to make sure that all of your residents are properly set up to use the service. When you have 100% resident adoption, you get the maximum benefit out of your lockers.

Residents are typically excited to use the lockers, and when they're well-implemented, residents love package lockers. However, an apartment complex can inadvertently make it more difficult for residents to embrace the new system. The key to high adoption rates is to avoid putting up these barriers to resident adoption.

What are these barriers, and how can you side-step them?

One of the key benefits of an automated package management system is that your residents are going to be happier living in your apartment complex than before. Happy residents make for a successful multifamily property; boost resident satisfaction, and you improve retention rates, garner positive online reviews, and make managing your property a more enjoyable experience overall.

So what do residents actually think of a package locker system?

Check out this firsthand account (complete with a cameo from her pup!) from a resident at The Lofts of Merchants Row, which installed a new Luxer Lockers system in 2017.

Package lockers are a big investment. If you're considering getting a locker system, it's important to ask these six questions during your due diligence. You'll set your property up to make the most out of your lockers, and also avoid several potential headaches down the road. Know what to prepare for now, and you'll prime your property for years of simple, easy-to-use automated package acceptance.

If you're looking for hard data on the package problem, check out this infographic.