Dustin Curtis's new web app • Hacker News Board

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#21

Post by adelevie » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 3:52 PM UTC

Where's the API?

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#22

Post by adelevie » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 3:53 PM UTC

catch23 wrote: post #20

How about an api so that we can script it? ;-) Would make it a lot easier for Amnesty International. All that handwriting makes my hand numb!

talk about coincidence!

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#23

Post by chrischen » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 3:53 PM UTC

Hey cool I had this idea once.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#24

Post by mel_llaguno » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 3:57 PM UTC

The problem with your business model is that you will not really make any money with a 6% margin. How about this? Start out with $2 a letter, then give bulk discounts based on the volume of mail sent. It seems that a lot of the comments here suggest that the API would be useful in a MASS mailling campaign. Your pricing should reflect this requirement without breaking the bank. Single letter users will in effect subsidize the mass mailers.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#25

Post by ryanwaggoner » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:00 PM UTC

There's a bunch of these services out there, but here's a couple that may be interesting:

http://www.postful.com/ http://www.l-mail.com/

Both look pretty clean and offer various capabilities to send lots of letters more efficiently, including an API.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#26

Post by ericb » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:03 PM UTC

dcurtis wrote: post #7

RiderOfGiraffes wrote: post #5

I suppose if the service gets popular you'll have to find some way to make it pay, otherwise it will cost you a fortune in stamps. Any plans? Or is it "Wait and see.." ??

Well, the dollar breaks down like this: * 10c to paypal * 44c to stamp * 40c for envelope and paper I make about 6c on each letter.

What type of envelope and paper cost that much?

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#27

Post by SlyShy » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:04 PM UTC

kaffeinecoma wrote: post #13

If this gets popular, you could hire a few helpers to handle the printing/mailing. The job ad could go something like "Work from home. Get paid to stuff envelopes!" :-)

Yeah, the service could be distributed so that the letters can be printed and mailed by any number of people.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#28

Post by antidaily » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:04 PM UTC

kevinholesh wrote: post #10

Perfect! Now no one will see me when I send my "Dear Penthouse" letters... In all seriousness, this is a good idea, but you might be cutting yourself short on the profits. 6 cents a letter for probably 5 minutes worth of work? I think you should charge $1.50 a letter and make about 56 cents instead. Overseas business people might still be willing to pay that.

"I never thought this could happen to me..."

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#29

Post by aw3c2 » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:07 PM UTC

dcurtis wrote: post #7

RiderOfGiraffes wrote: post #5

I suppose if the service gets popular you'll have to find some way to make it pay, otherwise it will cost you a fortune in stamps. Any plans? Or is it "Wait and see.." ??

Well, the dollar breaks down like this: * 10c to paypal * 44c to stamp * 40c for envelope and paper I make about 6c on each letter.

40c for envelope and paper sounds very expensive, surely you could find cheaper envelopes? And paper is what, 2-3c?

(I am from Old Europe so I might be off about prices in the USA)

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#30

Post by SlyShy » Sat, Oct 31, 2009, 4:08 PM UTC

dcurtis wrote: post #18

bprater wrote: post #15

Build a API dude. This type of service can be useful to some of us who need to send snail mail to customers when they sign-up, cancel, etc. And I agree with everyone else about the prices. Eventually 6c won't cut it and then you'll have to jerk the price up. $1 sounds sexy, but you need to eat.

Well I just built this for fun, and I will definitely end up in the red overall. How many people would use a physical mailing service like this, if it had an API and lots of options for paper and envelopes?

I'd use it for just about everything. I hate sending letters, but I do really enjoy writing to people. Making the system fully automated would be cool on a number of levels.