San Francisco startup August has launched a new Bluetooth lock and app system that will enable couriers to deliver goods into a home even when the resident is away from the house. The system is enabled by an app and allows the courier to enter the house at a set time.

The system, currently in beta, has been rolled out to 12 US companies including Sears and Shyp. August lock system users can permit couriers to enter their homes using a key fob that unlocks the door to the address at a specific time.

With e-commerce becoming a dominating force in retail, the issue of being able to deliver with maximum convenience to the customer is one where there are major advances in technology, with parcel lockers and shops opening for customers to collect and send their goods such as Doddle in the UK. The technology by August is one of the latest attempts to enable this.

The technology allowing couriers and other service companies to enter one’s home is subject to the crucial test of uptake – would most people allow a complete stranger through their front door to deliver a parcel? This is a major test of the technology itself – if people will, this could be a global success.