the casual courier an alternative way to send packages worldwide
TRANSCRIPT
The Casual CourierAn alternative way to send packages worldwide
Mission:
• The Casual Courier (“TCC”) allows users to send packages:
at the speed of overnight for the price of post with the reliability of hand-delivery
Overview:
• Limited options for sending packages:
► Overnight Couriers (FedEx, UPS, DHL):
Prohibitively expensive
► Post Office (USPS):
Very unreliable service
► Personal Courier (Hand-Delivery):
Limited to extremely valuable items
Market:
• About 12 billion packages are sent worldwide each year. (Source: Universal Postal Union)
• UPS, FedEx, and DHL deliver 63% of the world’s packages, generating annual revenue over $126 billion. (Source: Forbes)
• 56% of online consumers abandon their shopping carts due to “expensive shipping charges.” (Source: Ernst & Young)
• 629.7 million domestic passengers traveled on 9.9 million flights during 2004. (Source: US Bureau of Transportation)
Product:
• The casualcourier.com website matches people with packages to send, with travelers who are willing to be couriers.
Process:
1. Users first identify a TCC service:
Package delivery send a package via casual courier
AirSitter assistance find in-flight caregiver
Container sharing share space in large shipment container
Mail-order forwarding send mail-order via casual courier
Process:(continued)
2. REGISTER: Database identifies matching criteria.
3. INVITE: Sender invites courier to
deliver package.
4. PURCHASE: Sender purchases courier’s contact information.
5. CONTACT: Sender contacts courier to arrange drop-off and payment details.
6. DELIVERY: The package is successfully delivered to the recipient.
Example:
• Sam relocated to Paris from Boston.
• Unfortunately, he forgot to bring a box of books.
• Sam asked his father, Simon, to send the box.
Example:(continued)
• Simon spent a few hours shopping around for the best delivery price:
UPS $257
FedEx $450
DHL $389
• Simon even considered sending the box via USPS…
Example:(continued)
Luckily, Simon saw an ad for casualcourier.com
Simon said, “Now I can send my package at the speed of overnight, for the cost of post, and with the reliability of hand-delivery!”
So, Simon registered the box on TCC’s website and found a casual courier traveling to Paris.
Simon purchasedthe courier’s contact information and arranged delivery.
TARGET MARKET:
• TCC attracts economy-class airline passengers with an existing itinerary.
o COURIERS use TCC to:o Reduce travel expenseso Add utility to otherwise uneventful trip
o SENDERS use TCC to:o Drastically reduce the cost of deliveryo Send fragile or sensitive items
CONCERNS:
• TCC has a created policies to ensure a safe user experience:
CONCERN: SOLUTION:
“Is it illegal to carry a package for someone else on a commercial airplane?”
TSA and commercial airlines permit passengers to carry packages for others on flights, so long as the packages do not contain a forbidden item.
“How can I be sure that the package I am carrying does not contain an illegal/dangerous item?”
TCC suggests that “casual couriers” thoroughly examine the package before accepting it from the sender.
“What do I say to a security officer if asked whether I am carrying anything for someone else?”
TCC encourages full disclosure to airline personnel and suggests completing the “Courier Service Agreement” to clarify package ownership.
“How do I know that the person from whom I am accepting a package from is legitimate?”
TCC suggests reviewing the user’s online rating scores and exchanging a photocopy of a picture ID before accepting a package from the sender.
CONCERNS:(continued)
• On-line dating services are one of the “most popular paid services on the internet...[the] industry revenue will reach $516 million in 2005.(source: New York Times, June 30, 2005)
During the early development of online-dating services and eBay, skeptics criticized the unmanageable security risk facing these innovative companies…
• eBay expects total revenues for fiscal year 2005 to be more than $4 billion. (source: CNN Money, April 20, 2005)
• TCC is simply “formalizing” a phenomena that is already occurring worldwide.
BUSINESS MODEL:
• Revenue Sources:– Matchmaker fee– Escrow commission – Advertisement fees– Insurance commission
COMPANY INFORMATION:
• The Casual Courier was founded in 2002.
• The company is incorporated in Delaware, USA and in Israel.
• Trademark applications were filed in 2004 and pending publication.
• Non-provisional patent application for unique claims of “internet-based system and method” was filed in 2004, and pending.
• The casualcourier.com website was launched in December, 2005.
• Within a few weeks of launch, the website received more than 360,000 hits per day and began generating revenue.
