Summer marks a season of new beginnings, and in the multifamily housing world it is the busiest move-in period of the year. According to Apartments.com, 60% of U.S. residents prefer summer as the best time to move-in, driven by better weather, school schedules, and job transitions. With leases turning over, multifamily apartment buildings across the country are bracing for an influx of new renters eagerly waiting to move into their new homes.
The eCommerce Effect on the Multifamily Apartment Building Move-In Process
The busy summer move-in period at multifamily communities leads to a dramatic spike in eCommerce activity as most new renters prefer to purchase key items online — from mattresses and TVs to kitchenware and cleaning supplies — often before they step foot inside their new apartment. And in today’s eCommerce-driven world, new residents expect their move-in essentials to arrive conveniently and securely.
However, most multifamily apartment communities are not equipped with a future-proof package delivery system that can manage the package volume—especially during the peak move-in season. For property managers and leasing staff, that translates into one thing: package chaos. Lobbies quickly become cluttered with boxes causing overworked staff and residents to become frustrated by delays and missing deliveries. This greatly impacts the resident experience as they expect a seamless package pickup process. If not addressed, new renters could begin their tenure at the apartment complex with a negative impression that sticks with them down the road when they have to decide whether or not to renew their lease.
Why Traditional Package Management Solutions Fail
Many multifamily communities attempt to manage deliveries with traditional package management solutions such as package lockers, basic storage rooms, or off-site warehouses. Package lockers for apartments resemble traditional locker systems. Couriers deliver parcels into fixed compartments for the residents to pick up. Basic package rooms serve as simple storage spaces for package delivery. And off-site solutions remove packages from the property entirely, relying on a third-party courier to deliver them to the residents within a scheduled time.
While these solutions may be able to withstand the slower months, they often fall apart under the pressure of move-in season. Here’s why:
Package Lockers for Apartments:
While once an innovative package management solution for the multifamily industry over a decade ago, apartment package lockers no longer meet the dynamic needs of modern-day multifamily residents. They fall short because they:
- Require expensive, complex installation
- Are bulky structures that take up valuable space
- Feature fixed compartments that can’t adapt to oversized or odd-shaped deliveries
- Provide limited tracking—only showing when a package was delivered
- Cannot scale for seasonal package influxes (like summer move-ins)
Basic Package Rooms:
A storage room for deliveries sounds simple, but without smart infrastructure, it quickly turns chaotic. Here’s why:
- There is no access control—anyone can walk in and take a package
- High staff involvement is required
- Disorganized package pileups lead to lengthy pickup times and frustrated residents
- There is no audit trail of deliveries or pickups
Off-Site Solutions:
Although off-site package handling solutions temporarily alleviate property staff from managing packages, they create more friction in the long run for staff and residents alike, because:
- It takes longer for residents to receive packages
- Delivery times are dependent on delivery drivers’ schedules
- There’s no 24/7 access to pick up or receive packages
Meet the Smart Package Room® System: The Future of Streamlined Move-In Package Management
The Smart Package Room® system is an automated, all-in-one package management solution designed to streamline the package delivery and retrieval process for multifamily apartment communities. It has advanced AI-powered computer vision technology visually tags and monitors all packages, ensuring that every delivery is accounted for from the moment a package enters the building until it is picked up by the resident. Couriers gain access to the room by typing in their PIN at the external kiosk. Once inside the room they use the MobileKiosk ™ hand-held device to capture package labels before placing the them in the designated area – standard, flat, oversized, cold storage, or dry cleaning. After a package has been placed, the resident receives a pickup notification with a QR code. To enter the Smart Package Room system, they scan the QR code at the outside kiosk. Once they walk in, light, laser and audio prompts direct them to the exact location of their package.
The Smart Package Room® System:
- Accommodates any package shape or size—from small envelopes to oversized furniture. This flexibility is critical during move-in season when residents’ varied orders require adaptable solutions
- Easily scales and customizes to meet your property’s volume and footprint
- Features an access-controlled room that is monitored 24/7 and provides a full digital chain of custody which dramatically reduces the risk of theft
- Allows residents to conveniently retrieve packages on their own time, 24/7
- Saves couriers’ time delivering packages inside the room in bulk
- Allows packages to be sorted by type – standard, flat, oversized, cold storage, and dry cleaning
- Reduces manual staff involvement. Property management teams reclaim hours during the busiest season
- Features an open shelf design that provides up to 3x more package capacity than traditional lockers in the same space
Why Multifamily Properties Need Smart Package Room Solutions During Move-In Season
Move-in season is not just about handing over keys—it is a moment that defines the resident experience. A cluttered lobby or missing package can sour first impressions. By investing in a Smart Package Room solution, multifamily buildings can bridge the gap between growing eCommerce delivery demands and outdated package delivery systems with a future-proof solution designed to manage it all. Whether you’re managing a small garden style property or a large high-rise building, ourmultifamily package delivery solution transforms package management into a seamless, secure, and scalable experience for all residents.
Ready to streamline your multifamily apartment building’s package management operations? Contact us today to learn how the Smart Package Room solution can help eliminate your property’s package chaos and delight residents during move-in season.