Central post office in downtown Accra – always interesting to understand fixed points of reference in an otherwise fluid world, and the factors that go into framing peoples perception of what those fixed points can be used for: sufficiently secure; sufficiently convenient to both parties in the exchange; cost effective; a known entity supporting standardised sizes.

Ergo, it’s not actually a mail box, but rather a way of sufficiently securely/conveniently time shifting the exchange of tangible objects between two or more parties. The trends to watch in this space include: infrastructure that supports remote access – Japan leads in this respect in part driven by people working long hours and living in single occupancy apartments; the mainstream adoption of tools/mobile phones that enable remote access and notification; and new services that take advantage of the prevalent infrastructure.

Related: how location-shifting meals will make super-chefs the power-brokers of the future.