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Re: undefined

#91

Post by bombcar »

Freak_NL wrote: post #89
dpark wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I missed the “different countries” bit. Hell no. OP, I hope you are on good terms with Trump, because you’re going to need that pardon.

This whole idea is dead on arrival because of this. Most nations actively warn their citizens never to carry packages from someone you don't know, and never to carry packages you didn't pack (or saw opened) yourself even for people you do know. And still people agree to carry sealed packages for someone they had a few nice nights with on holiday before boarding the plane back home. That tends to end in a little room…

Even just going to the Apple Store when you're in NYC for someone and bringing back a brand new Mac can get customs officials interested.

I'd be hesitant taking anything from anyone, even a child handing a letter to be postmarked in Florida.

Re: undefined

#92

Post by logdahl »

sim04ful wrote: post #46

For advice let me use my current product. https://fontofweb.com is essentially Pinterest for web design. It does semantic search against a database of UI screenshots and recordings. The problem with products like this is that for search to be useful, you need, well... data. And when your data is crowdsourced, you need, well... a crowd. That was the chicken-and-egg situation I found myself in. So the way I solved it w…

Cool site, seems like a really useful tool!

Re: undefined

#93

Post by random3 »

pembrook wrote: post #63

Take a page out of the YC playbook. Ditch this idea and instead build a Sales Enablement B2B Saas targeted at other YC companies, fuel the pyramid scheme by selling contracts back and forth between your other VC funded B2B Saas company friends and exit before the hype around you dies down. Bootstrapping a two sided marketplace in 2026 is virtually impossible, especially one as esoteric and low value as what you’ve de…

(for everyone else) I know this sounds cynical, but it's just a "flashlight" at a lot of the reality that surrounds entire startup "ecosystems". Founders should be aware whether they want to choose the blue pill or the red pill.

The only point about bootstrapping is that there's no "natural" bootstrapping. You're either not bootstrapping because you "own" (one way or another) one of the sides, or you're faking it. Any other "strategy" is a pipe dream meant to get to the bootstrapping-not-bootstrapping graveyard.

Re: undefined

#94

Post by fasouto »

I tried to do the same in 2015 (blablacar for packages, startup name was tomandgo) and we couldn't solve that problem, it is genuinely hard.

I think in our case the main problem was incentives, we were suggesting low prices for the people sending packages but we forgot that the drivers need an incentive to drop it.

Best of luck!

Re: undefined

#95

Post by actionfromafar »

dpark wrote: post #80
freeplay wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was my first thought when I saw "travelers going between countries." You're going to have a problem getting carriers to sign up because they are assuming all of the risk. Unfortunately, "oh you don't understand - I got paid $27 by CarrierPigeon™ to bring this unmarked, brick shaped package into the country" just isn't going to fly with customs/feds.

I missed the “different countries” bit. Hell no. OP, I hope you are on good terms with Trump, because you’re going to need that pardon.

And if you can afford that, you can afford to prime the pump, too.

Re: undefined

#96

Post by soulchild37 »

> Travelers going between cities/countries carry items for people who need to send stuff.

What the hell, why would anyone perform such high risk activity

Re: undefined

#98

Post by keiferski »

This is a really bad idea for reasons already mentioned in other comments. Personally, I travel a lot and there's zero chance I would ever take someone's random package.

I think you should instead think of this as a B2B2C type business. As in, Business (You) helps Businesses (B) find people (C) that would help deliver freight packages. Even then, it's not really clear why UPS or DHL or whomever would trust a random person in their car vs. their sophisticated logistics networks. If there is some gap in their network, that gap is your sales opportunity. Maybe last minute things? Urgent packages? Etc.

Re: undefined

#99

Post by alegd »

sim04ful wrote: post #46

For advice let me use my current product. https://fontofweb.com is essentially Pinterest for web design. It does semantic search against a database of UI screenshots and recordings. The problem with products like this is that for search to be useful, you need, well... data. And when your data is crowdsourced, you need, well... a crowd. That was the chicken-and-egg situation I found myself in. So the way I solved it w…

[flagged]

Re: undefined

#100

Post by alegd »

sixdimensional wrote: post #31

A few thoughts from instant gut reaction: - you're on HN, so you have an opportunity to tell us the name of the thing - marketing - perhaps consider your marketing budget to be the area you need to invest in now, and indirectly how that budget can actually generate a little revenue and exercise the engine - e.g. do you have packages you can ship through your service to announce it to others? Use your marketing budget…

[flagged]
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