Amazon's Shipping Genius

[Ankesh]

I was just reading this.

Amazon is testing a new shipping idea. Instead of shipping the goods to your home - where you may or may not be present when the postman delivers - they will ship the products to your nearest 7-11. 7-11 will install special delivery lockers in their stores.

Once amazon has done the delivery, they will send you a code.

You go to the 7-11 with your code. The code opens the locker and you can retrieve your products.

Not sure how well this idea will work. (There maybe a legal concern too - where amazon does not want to own property in many states because of sales tax issues - and these lockers may be considered amazon property.)

But the idea itself is ingenious. Because Amazon is thinking of how to convert one of its biggest expenses - shipping the products - into a revenue stream. 7-11 will pay them a fee for doing the delivery there because it means more traffic to their stores!

Can you think of any such stories where an expense has been converted into a revenue stream?

Another story I can think of:
Hershey's factories converted into tourist destinations.
Any more?