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Online shopping is more convenient for customers in multiple ways, but delivery of items can still be a pain for those who work in the daytime or otherwise can’t predict where they’ll be at the time of delivery. In the past, we’ve seen schemes such as Belgium’s Cardrops, which gives access to consumers’ car trunks wherever they happen to be. Now Luna aims to provide the evening delivery service that many major retailers don’t.

The concept behind the startup is simple: online shoppers browse any site as normal, but choose to deliver to the Luna headquarters in San Francisco. They then log onto their Luna account online or through the accompanying iPhone app to arrange an hour in the evening when they’d like to receive their delivery. The package is then shipped by Luna at a time when the customer will definitely be at home. Luna operates between 7pm and midnight every day except Saturday and is currently limited to the San Francisco area — although the company hopes to add new locations soon. Each delivery trip costs USD 6.99, although that price covers any number of packages.

Since major online retailers rely on the operating hours of national postal services or parcel delivery firms, Luna is carving a niche for itself while also catering for a real consumer need. Not only do shoppers avoid dreaded trips to the sorting depot, but Luna helps delivery become more efficient, saving wasted trips for those firms. Are there other ways to make sure that consumers get their internet orders delivered at the right time and place?

Spotted by Murray Orange, written by Springwise