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BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

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Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#32

Post by stephengillie »

K2h wrote: post #6

I think this is kind of a portable PO box, or PO box you can franchise. It seems there are things moving to kiosk despensers like redbox, blockbuster, even those change counting machines in the supermarket!

This is like a redbox for delivery. They could easily grow integration with package delivery companies, or they could compete by buying their own trucks and hiring drivers. This service will be very interesting to watch.

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#34

Post by msandford »

tingletech wrote: post #15
mirsadm wrote: post #3

I'm not sure I get this one. Why would you not want something delivered to your house? Isn't that what the post office does if you aren't there to accept the package?

USPS won't take UPS or FedEx. UPS and FedEx don't have a way into my building. I don't have a car to get out to the airport where the UPS center is. University mail room policy is no personal packages at work. So I basically can't shop online.

Not true!

If you can list the street address of the Post Office along with the P.O. Box number the USPS will accept it.

The reason FedEx, UPS, DHL, TNT, etc "don't deliver" to P.O. Boxes is that they don't maintain the same database of "which post office has which P.O. Box for which zip code" that the USPS does. If they don't maintain this mapping, how is the delivery driver supposed to know where to go?

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#36

Post by agotterer »

rodly wrote: post #27

What if the package doesn't fit in any of the available compartments? Does the customer get notified they're package is about to arrive in X (hours, minutes, etc)? This could lead to an angry customer who decided to plan their day around retrieving said package at the estimated arrival time and they find out it's not there? For select distributors, the customer gets to use BB for 'free'. How is this possible? Doesn't…

Also: How does the parcel service get into the locker? Are the lockers inside a retail store front or more like a vending machine that could be (outside) anywhere?

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#37

Post by JSadowski »

rlander wrote: post #31

It should be clear on the homepage which cities are currently being served. I signed up, hoping to see a list of locations, but the only option is to edit/cancel my account? Definitely not ready for launch...

On the very form where they collect your email:

"Receive your online orders at our new parcel kiosks in the Toronto area"

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#38

Post by tobias3 »

DHL has those in Germany. In fact over 2400. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation I'm an avid and happy user. Of course something like BufferBox would have been better, but I understand that investment does make a lot more sense as a parcel delivery service, as you bind customers to you. I hope they break up that monopoly at some point.

The question is why nobody did something like this before BufferBox in the US? Normally we are the less innovative ones :)

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#39

Post by rmc »

samstave wrote: post #28
stcredzero wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, if your corporate records are stored in a kiosk box, doesn't that mean that you can set up your company's address there? Could one use this sort of thing to convert any café into a co-working outfit?

Also, can I drop a package in one bufferbox and have it delivered to another? You want to borrow my snowboarding helmet, goggles and gloves. I drop them in my box, select a destination, and buffer box teleports them to your box. Reverse the process when your done with it. Also, I let it be COD - meaning that you, the borrower, pay for the round trip buffer transfer cost.

You mean like a post box?

Re: BufferBox (YC S12) Solves The Problem Of Missing Packages

#40

Post by JSadowski »

This may take off, but they need some sort of unlimited plan as well. The reason Amazon Prime does so well is because some people can't get over the mental hurdle of paying for shipping. At $3 per package, on top of whatever existing shipping rate there is, BufferBox could be seen as cost-prohibitive to many frequent online shoppers.
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