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>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 p

>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).

amazon_not 11y ago
While not trying to give offense, this service can easily be seen as taking advantage of the desperate, uninformed and/or gullible. For your sake I hope you are very explicitly informing your couriers about the risks associated with carrying parcels for you and that you are seeking and getting informed consent. Any other case and you are a lawsuit waiting to happen.
- denna91 11y ago
  Hey amazon_not, of course there are a number of kinks to be worked out re the security and legality of the shypmate service, and hopefully they can do so in a timely fashion. However, as a resident Nigerian I can attest to the dire need for such a service. On various occasions I have had to wait months on end until someone I am acquainted to, however loosely, is coming back from the states for me to buy items that I otherwise have no access to. From what I can tell, shypmate is looking to open up the american retail market to African consumers in a service that for many, is an answered prayer. Do they need to look more into the safety and legality of the platform? Of Course!! And I am sure they know this. But I am very happy they have gotten this service started. I'm sure they'll figure things out as they go.
  - amazon_not 11y ago
    In this instance, a timely fashion means you sort out the security and legal issues before you start shipping. I don't care how much anybody wants or needs this service. If you mess this up you will completely fubar a person's life. You do NOT start a service like this by winging it. You start it by talking to lawyers, lots of lawyers, and government officials. You dot your i's and cross your t's and then when you have a complete handle on the issues you start executing. You'd have done better joining a law firm and not a startup accelerator.
- kwadwon 11y ago
  No offense taking. You bring up very valid points and concerns and they are all things that we've considered and are working on. We have answers to some, and there are still a lot of questions we don't have clear cut answers to but the fastest way to have something safe and secure for people to use is for us to expose all the cracks and quickly fix it. We appreciate all your questions amazon_not. Please keep it coming.
  - amazon_not 11y ago
    Now, I haven't even been trying to poke holes in your operation, but even with this cursory overview of your business, it's obvious to a mere layperson that your whole setup has enough holes to drive a truck full of C4 through. I urge you to stop and halt all operations, before somebody gets into trouble, has legal issues or get sued. Only when you are reasonably sure from a legal and regulatory perspective that there are to lingering or contentious issues should you proceed. Sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. This is not one of them.
    - rpgmaker 11y ago
      I don't know why you are being voted down. If you sound harsh it's because the whole project sounds pretty crazy. Did YC really back this? Insane.
    - Tiffanys_rags 11y ago
      Listen, all this company is doing is to trying to solve an important issue that has plagued Ghanaians and Nigerians for a long time. Their services have provided and continue to provide many people with the items that they need without having them secum to extremely high shipping rates and unfavorable delivery times. In my book, the only wrong that they have done is not spread through Africa faster. Since you are seemingly unaware of how startups work, I will educate you. This company is a startup. Most startup companies do not have all the details figured it yet. The point of a startup and the point of being in YC is to learn and improve products and services so that the company is able to run more seemlessly as demand increases. Large Companies such as uber and lyft for example were faced with many questions surrounding the safety of passengers. Even more so than companies like shypmate. Yet these companies are largely successful and have spread all over the globe. What you need to realize is that we live in a different era where many companies operate on trust between individuals and the company. If any establishment is dissected as you have done to this company, it will not be difficult to point out several 'holes' in operations or ways the services provided can cause harm.The point is that every company operates with an aspect of risk involved. What you need to understand for now is that 1) shypmate is a startup. It will continue to make shipping more seemless and safe for both its travelers and buyers. 2)From my experience and understanding, they are fully aware of the contents of the items being shipped and make sure to the best of their ability that the items are safe for travelers. 3) Travelers are informed of products that they will be carrying and even chose whether to accept or decline a package fully aware that they will be carrying these at their own risk. Urging them to cease all operations because something might potentially go wrong is both ignorant and shows lack of experience and even common sense from an entrepreneurship standpoint. If all founders were to take your advise, half the worlds companies would shut down and cease to exist. Instead of looking at the negative impact this could have, I think it is a better use of everyones time to concentrate on how to make this type of shipping easier and safer for everyone involved.
kwadwon 11y ago
Yes, for the most part the travelers are people who go back and forth between Nigeria and US, and Ghana and US often and already practice this behavior, but now have an option to make extra money from it and potentially make it safer than the behavior they practice now.
- amazon_not 11y ago
  For you the problem is that once you insert yourself into the process, you will have liabilities.

amazon_not 11y ago

While not trying to give offense, this service can easily be seen as taking advantage of the desperate, uninformed and/or gullible. For your sake I hope you are very explicitly informing your couriers about the risks associated with carrying parcels for you and that you are seeking and getting informed consent. Any other case and you are a lawsuit waiting to happen.

denna91 11y ago
Hey amazon_not, of course there are a number of kinks to be worked out re the security and legality of the shypmate service, and hopefully they can do so in a timely fashion. However, as a resident Nigerian I can attest to the dire need for such a service. On various occasions I have had to wait months on end until someone I am acquainted to, however loosely, is coming back from the states for me to buy items that I otherwise have no access to. From what I can tell, shypmate is looking to open up the american retail market to African consumers in a service that for many, is an answered prayer. Do they need to look more into the safety and legality of the platform? Of Course!! And I am sure they know this. But I am very happy they have gotten this service started. I'm sure they'll figure things out as they go.
- amazon_not 11y ago
  In this instance, a timely fashion means you sort out the security and legal issues before you start shipping. I don't care how much anybody wants or needs this service. If you mess this up you will completely fubar a person's life. You do NOT start a service like this by winging it. You start it by talking to lawyers, lots of lawyers, and government officials. You dot your i's and cross your t's and then when you have a complete handle on the issues you start executing. You'd have done better joining a law firm and not a startup accelerator.
kwadwon 11y ago
No offense taking. You bring up very valid points and concerns and they are all things that we've considered and are working on. We have answers to some, and there are still a lot of questions we don't have clear cut answers to but the fastest way to have something safe and secure for people to use is for us to expose all the cracks and quickly fix it. We appreciate all your questions amazon_not. Please keep it coming.
- amazon_not 11y ago
  Now, I haven't even been trying to poke holes in your operation, but even with this cursory overview of your business, it's obvious to a mere layperson that your whole setup has enough holes to drive a truck full of C4 through. I urge you to stop and halt all operations, before somebody gets into trouble, has legal issues or get sued. Only when you are reasonably sure from a legal and regulatory perspective that there are to lingering or contentious issues should you proceed. Sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. This is not one of them.
  - rpgmaker 11y ago
    I don't know why you are being voted down. If you sound harsh it's because the whole project sounds pretty crazy. Did YC really back this? Insane.
  - Tiffanys_rags 11y ago
    Listen, all this company is doing is to trying to solve an important issue that has plagued Ghanaians and Nigerians for a long time. Their services have provided and continue to provide many people with the items that they need without having them secum to extremely high shipping rates and unfavorable delivery times. In my book, the only wrong that they have done is not spread through Africa faster. Since you are seemingly unaware of how startups work, I will educate you. This company is a startup. Most startup companies do not have all the details figured it yet. The point of a startup and the point of being in YC is to learn and improve products and services so that the company is able to run more seemlessly as demand increases. Large Companies such as uber and lyft for example were faced with many questions surrounding the safety of passengers. Even more so than companies like shypmate. Yet these companies are largely successful and have spread all over the globe. What you need to realize is that we live in a different era where many companies operate on trust between individuals and the company. If any establishment is dissected as you have done to this company, it will not be difficult to point out several 'holes' in operations or ways the services provided can cause harm.The point is that every company operates with an aspect of risk involved. What you need to understand for now is that 1) shypmate is a startup. It will continue to make shipping more seemless and safe for both its travelers and buyers. 2)From my experience and understanding, they are fully aware of the contents of the items being shipped and make sure to the best of their ability that the items are safe for travelers. 3) Travelers are informed of products that they will be carrying and even chose whether to accept or decline a package fully aware that they will be carrying these at their own risk. Urging them to cease all operations because something might potentially go wrong is both ignorant and shows lack of experience and even common sense from an entrepreneurship standpoint. If all founders were to take your advise, half the worlds companies would shut down and cease to exist. Instead of looking at the negative impact this could have, I think it is a better use of everyones time to concentrate on how to make this type of shipping easier and safer for everyone involved.

kwadwon 11y ago

Yes, for the most part the travelers are people who go back and forth between Nigeria and US, and Ghana and US often and already practice this behavior, but now have an option to make extra money from it and potentially make it safer than the behavior they practice now.

amazon_not 11y ago
For you the problem is that once you insert yourself into the process, you will have liabilities.