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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 pro

by kwadwon 11y ago

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 to carry packages for us. There is a certain amount of trust on both ends that is required for this to be a seamless process.

dragonwriter 11y ago
> 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?
- amazon_not 11y ago
  Are you providing your couriers with any documentation stating that they are acting as your transport agents in shipping parcels into the country in an attempt to shield them from any liability? Do you provide all the necessary documentation for importing and clearing customs and/or do you train your couriers on how to perform these duties? Do you provide couriers with legal representation in-country and will you cover all costs for their defense?
  - tcokoro 11y ago
    We currently do not but these are things that we are looking into as we get feedback from current deliveries and quickly iterate. We are open and transparent and let the travelers know what things Shypmate covers and what we don't.
    - amazon_not 11y ago
      Please stop before somebody gets hurt.
      - sdoering 11y ago
        Why save people from themselves, if the do this naively? If anyone does use this service (as a courier) and if they do so without asking these obvious questions and then get burned - why protect them? People are (imho) obliged to think for themselves. If they fail to do so why have sympathy?
    - fillskills 11y ago
      Glad that you are being honest and upfront. Hope this succeeds and brings more liquidity to the shipping market.
  - chuk_u 11y ago
    It is so obvious that you've never been to Nigeria before that I had to question whether I should even respond to this stringing of words together that you might call sentences. "providing your couriers with any documentation"... are you serious ? Nigeria (the government) has been robbing its citizens for years and allowing poor electricity and poor roads. Should the citizens now worry about whether the Nigerian government should get its cut in the form of tariffs ? No! And again, whoever you are, you are just so stupid to assume that the Nigerian (practiced law) is anything close to what it is in the U.S. that you should just go and find a hole in the ground to dip your head into and pray that God gives you some sense. Nigeria is the type of country where you can pay a "police officer" to go and arrest someone (poorer than yourself) simply because you didn't like the person. "Do you provide couriers with legal representation"...tell me why any Nigerian customs agent would waste the time to put a fellow Nigerian in prison because he was bringing baby shoes or bottles for someone else ?
amazon_not 11y ago
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.
- kwadwon 11y ago
  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.
  - amazon_not 11y ago
    What about items that you can only buy online? Even if you do meet some of the vendors, how is that going to help? All it takes is one black hat in the delivery chain and you are toast.

by kwadwon 11y ago

dragonwriter 11y ago

> 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?

amazon_not 11y ago
Are you providing your couriers with any documentation stating that they are acting as your transport agents in shipping parcels into the country in an attempt to shield them from any liability? Do you provide all the necessary documentation for importing and clearing customs and/or do you train your couriers on how to perform these duties? Do you provide couriers with legal representation in-country and will you cover all costs for their defense?
- tcokoro 11y ago
  We currently do not but these are things that we are looking into as we get feedback from current deliveries and quickly iterate. We are open and transparent and let the travelers know what things Shypmate covers and what we don't.
  - amazon_not 11y ago
    Please stop before somebody gets hurt.
    - sdoering 11y ago
      Why save people from themselves, if the do this naively? If anyone does use this service (as a courier) and if they do so without asking these obvious questions and then get burned - why protect them? People are (imho) obliged to think for themselves. If they fail to do so why have sympathy?
  - fillskills 11y ago
    Glad that you are being honest and upfront. Hope this succeeds and brings more liquidity to the shipping market.
- chuk_u 11y ago
  It is so obvious that you've never been to Nigeria before that I had to question whether I should even respond to this stringing of words together that you might call sentences. "providing your couriers with any documentation"... are you serious ? Nigeria (the government) has been robbing its citizens for years and allowing poor electricity and poor roads. Should the citizens now worry about whether the Nigerian government should get its cut in the form of tariffs ? No! And again, whoever you are, you are just so stupid to assume that the Nigerian (practiced law) is anything close to what it is in the U.S. that you should just go and find a hole in the ground to dip your head into and pray that God gives you some sense. Nigeria is the type of country where you can pay a "police officer" to go and arrest someone (poorer than yourself) simply because you didn't like the person. "Do you provide couriers with legal representation"...tell me why any Nigerian customs agent would waste the time to put a fellow Nigerian in prison because he was bringing baby shoes or bottles for someone else ?

amazon_not 11y ago

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.

kwadwon 11y ago
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.
- amazon_not 11y ago
  What about items that you can only buy online? Even if you do meet some of the vendors, how is that going to help? All it takes is one black hat in the delivery chain and you are toast.