At the moment most people either need to stay at home to accept a delivery from Amazon, or get it sent to a nearby collection locker to pick up later. But in the near future a few other convenient options could be available, according to CNBC.

Leaks suggest that the e-commerce giant is looking into systems which would allow delivery workers to drop off packages inside your home or in the boot of your car. Clearly there are some concerns about privacy and security which are raised by this suggestion and these should be taken into account before a wider rollout is considered.

The idea is that homeowners will have a smart doorbell installed so that parcels can be placed inside behind a locked door, rather than left exposed in any other location. It seems Amazon is not the only retailer considering this approach, as US firm Walmart is thought to be pursuing a similar scheme of its own.

Of course smart locks themselves are not a new concept, but combining them with shopping online for more convenient deliveries has yet to be conducted in a domestic environment. Pet owners may be less enamoured with this project than most, but there will presumably be a number of wrinkles that need to be ironed out as development continues.

Another thing to remember is that while Amazon may be creating the devices and systems to make this an option, it will be third party delivery firms that actually interact with them. Making sure that smart doorbells and access to customers’ car boots are not exploited may be tricky.

The ability to order items online for weekend delivery can overcome some potential issues, although sticking with click and collect might be a better option.