
This App Can Get You Anything (Legal) from Anywhere - isaiahd
http://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/grabr-launches-anything-delivery-peer-network.html
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dragonwriter
It seems to me that the viability of this likely depends very heavily on
people evading visa rules and/or customs duties.

Even if a good is _legal_ in the country to which it is imported, its often
_not_ legal for someone without a particular license to bring it in except for
personal use (that will return out of the country with them) or as a gift with
restrictions on who the gift is for, etc.; it seems like this is an unlicensed
commercial import/export arrangement -- or, put more directly, a smuggling
arrangement (and, unless I'm mistaken, not the first of its kind that has been
discussed on HN -- or maybe its the same one that has been discussed
previously.)

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isaiahd
Hey,Dragonwriter! Thank you for asking! Grabr works within the legal framework
of each country to make sure all the goods are allowed to be brought in with
the traveler. We also encourage all travelers to declare and work with customs
for each country. Each country has their own criteria on what is to be
declared, dutiable and what their declaration process looks like. We do all of
this to avoid conflict with import/export arrangement. Also you bring up a
great point around gifts and other various ways people are legally allowed to
bring in goods into a country. We have done a lot of work so far to position
grabr as a platform more aligned with Airbnb's host/guest relationship versus
a courier delivering goods model like postmates. So in this context, you may
actually make some friends along the way too. Hope this helps!

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magic_beans
Doesn't this already exist:
[https://getmagicnow.com/](https://getmagicnow.com/)

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isaiahd
Hey, Magic_beans! Great question. Startups like Magic and Postmates typically
address last-mile and solve for sourcing requests locally. Magic does a little
more heavy lifting by tackling other requests similar to postmates, thumbtack,
fancy etc. Grabr is different because we're more like postmates with a
guest/host relationship like Airbnb. We solve for purchasing items
globally/abroad that are not readily available to you in your area. While this
really isn't a problem for the U.S., most of the world does not have access to
the assortment of goods we have or even the basic level human needs like baby-
formula, advil, vitamins, etc. Grabr helps facilitate purchases like this by
connecting travelers from that country/city with shoppers in the city they are
visiting. The more appealing piece to the U.S we're finding is the travel
aspect. The new ability to travel more and see the world more often the way
Europe has access to travel. Travelers in the U.S. help meet this demand by
bringing items (items they've purchased themselves) with them on their travels
and earn money to subsidize some if not all of their trip.

So think of it this way. Grabr is the first peer-to-peer service that utilizes
travel to bridge the gap in the global shopping market. Shoppers now have
access to goods that are widely unavailable or expensive in their country.
———— Travelers are able to use the extra room in their suitcase to earn money
while making amazing new connections in our international Grabr community.

Hope that helps!

