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Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

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Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#11

Post by kosich »

kwadwon wrote: post #8
sithadmin wrote: post #5

From the FAQ: >When you reach your travel destination, the shopper will come pick up the product from the Airport and we will pay you (the traveler) as soon as the shopper receives and confirms that they have the product. This seems like it introduces a lot of risk for the traveler. What happens if the shopper receives an item, but doesn't confirm it with Shypmate? Further, as somebody that travels internationally fa…

We do ask the shopper to confirm receipt of the item but we also do follow up with the traveler. In future we may have the traveler take a photo documenting delivery of the item so that a shopper who has received an item doesn't deny that that they have in fact received it. That is a very valid question and one we are currently working on coming up with a good solution for. The fee for duties is something we'd includ…

Here is an idea on how to make sure the receiver doesn't deny receiving the item. 1. Add a barcode to the packaged item 2. The receiver has to scan the barcode using your mobile app before the traveler hands over the package. Your app will then display a passcode that the traver recognizes.

This ensures that you are certain that the receiver is who they claim to be and also that they received the item.

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#12

Post by amazon_not »

kwadwon wrote: post #9
sithadmin wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aside from what you're asking, I'm also wondering how a traveler/courier would avoid a shakedown/arrest by local authorities for participating in what appears to be a pretty overt scheme to bypass normal importing processes and restrictions.

The process of buying items in the US and carrying it back home to Ghana or Nigeria is one that is already pretty common. It is true that occasionally people are detained however. Any lost goods would most likely need to be replaced or money will be refunded to shoppers until we can work out a fair and sensible agreement with local authorities. This will be a pretty big issue for us to address.

Detained. Do your couriers really know what they are getting themselves into? There is a non-zero chance of them seeing the inside of an African prison cell.

"Do not accept parcels from strangers, make sure you pack your own bags and not to leave luggage unattended."

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#13

Post by tcokoro »

amazon_not wrote: post #10
kwadwon wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do ask the shopper to confirm receipt of the item but we also do follow up with the traveler. In future we may have the traveler take a photo documenting delivery of the item so that a shopper who has received an item doesn't deny that that they have in fact received it. That is a very valid question and one we are currently working on coming up with a good solution for. The fee for duties is something we'd includ…

In addition to many other issues, I would never agree to pay import duties and taxes out of pocket as a courier. Either you give me the cash to pay for it or I'd tell customs to keep the parcel and let the buyer sort it out. Now, even assuming I'd be as silly as to pay duties and taxes out of pocket, I sure as hell wouldn't hand over a parcel before being paid in full for my services and any and all taxes and duties.

Hi I'm Tochukwu also one of the cofounders of Shypmate. In such a circumstance we would be understanding of the courier's situation and we would do what we think is best for both the customer and courier, potentially paying the courier before the item is given to the customer.

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#14

Post by dragonwriter »

kwadwon wrote: post #6
amazon_not wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you deal with import duties and taxes? Who gets burnt if the buyer fails to collect and pay duties and taxes? How will you deal with courier blaming you for any contraband they knowingly or unknowingly import? E.g. knowingly, but inserted in the package provided by you or unknowingly if the vendor provides the contraband in the package?

If the item being delivered is over a certain value we'd have the shoppers (in Ghana or Nigeria) cover duties and taxes. We do hope to iterate and make the process more seamless but right now we package and seal the items in Shypmate packaging when we send it to the traveler. It is a very valid issue with preventing any contraband and making sure the traveler is safe. The couriers are also vetted before we allow them…

> If the item being delivered is over a certain value we'd have the shoppers (in Ghana or Nigeria) cover duties and taxes.

Isn't it usual for countries to charge import duties on any goods (regardless of value) brought for trade (including for delivery to a purchaser) rather than for personal use, but allowing some exemptions for personal use? Is the "over a certain value" here an indication that the business model has couriers misrepresent items being delivered as personal-use items if they are within the allowed personal use quotas, even if though they are trade items?

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#15

Post by kwadwon »

kosich wrote: post #11
kwadwon wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do ask the shopper to confirm receipt of the item but we also do follow up with the traveler. In future we may have the traveler take a photo documenting delivery of the item so that a shopper who has received an item doesn't deny that that they have in fact received it. That is a very valid question and one we are currently working on coming up with a good solution for. The fee for duties is something we'd includ…

Here is an idea on how to make sure the receiver doesn't deny receiving the item. 1. Add a barcode to the packaged item 2. The receiver has to scan the barcode using your mobile app before the traveler hands over the package. Your app will then display a passcode that the traver recognizes. This ensures that you are certain that the receiver is who they claim to be and also that they received the item.

Thanks for the suggestion. This is definitely something we have in the pipeline. One of the constraints we are dealing with is that often people will turn of their phones when they travel internationally. We do get a local (international) number to contact the travelers but a good number of those phones don't have scanning capability. An alternative is to have the shopper enter a code via sms. The traveler then gets a confirmation that validates the shopper is who they say they are and it also confirms to us that the shopper picked up the package (the traveler would not know this code).

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#16

Post by amazon_not »

kwadwon wrote: post #6
amazon_not wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you deal with import duties and taxes? Who gets burnt if the buyer fails to collect and pay duties and taxes? How will you deal with courier blaming you for any contraband they knowingly or unknowingly import? E.g. knowingly, but inserted in the package provided by you or unknowingly if the vendor provides the contraband in the package?

If the item being delivered is over a certain value we'd have the shoppers (in Ghana or Nigeria) cover duties and taxes. We do hope to iterate and make the process more seamless but right now we package and seal the items in Shypmate packaging when we send it to the traveler. It is a very valid issue with preventing any contraband and making sure the traveler is safe. The couriers are also vetted before we allow them…

This does nothing to protect against threat vectors coming from black hat vendors. Unless you open, disassemble, X-Ray and inspect all packages your couriers will be at risk of carrying contraband.

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#17

Post by sithadmin »

amazon_not wrote: post #12
kwadwon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The process of buying items in the US and carrying it back home to Ghana or Nigeria is one that is already pretty common. It is true that occasionally people are detained however. Any lost goods would most likely need to be replaced or money will be refunded to shoppers until we can work out a fair and sensible agreement with local authorities. This will be a pretty big issue for us to address.

Detained. Do your couriers really know what they are getting themselves into? There is a non-zero chance of them seeing the inside of an African prison cell. "Do not accept parcels from strangers, make sure you pack your own bags and not to leave luggage unattended."

>Detained. Do your couriers really know what they are getting themselves into?

I do, but that's mostly because I travel a fair amount, and have some indirect professional exposure to international trade compliance/regulations.

That's also precisely why I would probably never participate in a scheme like this, especially when travelling to countries with flaky civil or human rights records (in this case, Nigeria in particular).

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#18

Post by tcokoro »

amazon_not wrote: post #12
kwadwon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The process of buying items in the US and carrying it back home to Ghana or Nigeria is one that is already pretty common. It is true that occasionally people are detained however. Any lost goods would most likely need to be replaced or money will be refunded to shoppers until we can work out a fair and sensible agreement with local authorities. This will be a pretty big issue for us to address.

Detained. Do your couriers really know what they are getting themselves into? There is a non-zero chance of them seeing the inside of an African prison cell. "Do not accept parcels from strangers, make sure you pack your own bags and not to leave luggage unattended."

Travelers pack their bags themselves and fully inspect the items that they are placing in their luggage.

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#19

Post by kwadwon »

amazon_not wrote: post #16
kwadwon wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the item being delivered is over a certain value we'd have the shoppers (in Ghana or Nigeria) cover duties and taxes. We do hope to iterate and make the process more seamless but right now we package and seal the items in Shypmate packaging when we send it to the traveler. It is a very valid issue with preventing any contraband and making sure the traveler is safe. The couriers are also vetted before we allow them…

This does nothing to protect against threat vectors coming from black hat vendors. Unless you open, disassemble, X-Ray and inspect all packages your couriers will be at risk of carrying contraband.

This is very true. Because we do purchase the items ourselves we do see the vendors who are shipping the items and so we can screen for this and mitigate the risk. We are definitely going to invest in a machine to X-Ray packages to further ensure the safety of travelers. Thanks for pointing this out.

Re: Shypmate (YC W16) Pays Travelers To Bring Products To Ghana And Nigeria

#20

Post by amazon_not »

tcokoro wrote: post #13
amazon_not wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to many other issues, I would never agree to pay import duties and taxes out of pocket as a courier. Either you give me the cash to pay for it or I'd tell customs to keep the parcel and let the buyer sort it out. Now, even assuming I'd be as silly as to pay duties and taxes out of pocket, I sure as hell wouldn't hand over a parcel before being paid in full for my services and any and all taxes and duties.

Hi I'm Tochukwu also one of the cofounders of Shypmate. In such a circumstance we would be understanding of the courier's situation and we would do what we think is best for both the customer and courier, potentially paying the courier before the item is given to the customer.

What circumstances? By default this is the case for every delivery. As a courier I would never accept a parcel unless it came with a cash advance to cover all import duties and taxes.
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