Ask HN: Postmates - Free deliveries in San Francisco | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Postmates - Free deliveries in San Francisco

37 pointsbastian14 comments

In a nutshell Postmates is like FedEx for local deliveries. We're close to the public release of our app but we would love to test a few features with up to 10 startups in San Francisco first.

Here is what we offer during the trial:

- Free deliveries, pick ups and errands (food, laundry, gifts, documents, furnitures) of any size for 14 days in San Francisco, for everyone who participates

- A discount code for all your employees for 5 free deliveries after the initial trial

Thanks!

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Neat idea. One thought: allow users to "register" for routes they often take. i.e. I drive the same legs (home to downtown and back, home to a northern suburb for an Ultimate game ont the weekends) every week. If someone could make $10-20 doing a drive they already do, it seems like it'd be a big win.

We're thinking about that. For now we're enabling already existing couriers to be more efficient. We have over 30 of them on duty in San Francisco during business hours. However, we're looking to launch a crowdsourced feature as well.

So is this essentially a crowdsourced courier service? Neat idea.

Yes and thanks. ;)

Emailed. I lost contact with you some time ago, but we were always wondering when the service would become publicly available. Glad to hear it's coming soon!

How do you differ from another startup, Taskrabbit[1]?

[1] http://www.taskrabbit.com/

Daniel, great question. Postmates uses professionals couriers, much more like Uber does with limo drivers. Our primary focus are also merchants and business that need to offer and exceptional deliver service to their clients. Our aim is to provide a delivery infrastructure within a city. Merchants can then use this infrastructure much like an Amazon EC2 instance.

You plan to have an SLA? That would be a game changer. In-city delivery API, guaranteed.

Add Lockitron[1] to the mix with secure boxes for pick up and delivery and you got a winner.

[1]: https://lockitron.com/

Can I reach you via email?

Sure. I'm helder, the domain is on my profile description here on HN.

Please define "professional courier". Do you mean local courier companies? I was wondering about insurance coverage (for items shipped and also for people doing the deliveries).

There are several good companies that tap the power of people and internet to get the work done. Here is a comparison list. 1) WeGoLook.com - WeGoLook.com has over 7,000 nationwide lookers (background check verified) who will go anywhere in USA/Canada for an onsite inspection. They provide visual confirmation and a personalized report, completed by a real person, to verify a product, person, property or thing. 2) Zaarly: Zaarly is a proximity based, real-time buyer powered market. Buyers make an offer for an immediate need and sellers cash in on an infinite marketplace for items and services they never knew were for sale. 3) Agent Anything: People can post any service they need accomplished as well as the price they are willing to pay, and college students can perform these services to get paid.

very cool idea! when are you coming to NY?

link: http://www.postmates.com/

We're working on it! :)

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