Saturday
25Jul2009
Sending Packages Via E-mail
Sat, July 25, 2009 at 14:18
Or, Too Long In The Hot Sun?
RecycleBill understands that many think me crazy when I post my ideas for green business start-ups but 30 years ago people laughed at the idea that people would pay a buck fifty for a bottle of water. Besides, all my green start-up ideas are in-fact, green.
Have you ever thought you'd like to let someone you only know online send you a package but weren't really comfortable with giving this stranger your home address? For example, if RecycleBill wanted to send Beth or Cathy a sample product but Beth and Cathy are uncomfortable with giving me their home addresses because they doesn't really know if I'm who I say I am then how could either of them make it possible for me to ship our product without giving me more information than they're comfortable giving away? Yes, they could have me ship it to a trusted 3rd party but that person might not want me to know his or her address either.
But what if I could send snail mail to Cathy and Beth's e-mail address without ever knowing their physical address? What if I could send snail mail to e-mail addresses?
It wouldn't require some sort of Star Trek transporter-- all that's needed is a website, e-mail and a freight/mail forwarding address. If such a service existed I could arrange payment through the website, mail my package to Beth's e-mail address care of the physical address of the freight forwarder and wait for Beth to receive my package. When the forwarder gets my package they simply e-mail Beth or Cathy asking for her mailing address, stick a new label on the package and send the package on. And if Beth and Cathy fail to reply to the forwarder or replies saying she doesn't want the package then the forwarder simply returns the package to me.
Of course, running a mail forwarding business isn't really green unless you make it green and to make this business green it would need to be located near the center of the country in close proximity to mail centers and package company hubs. You would also want to use recycled paper labels, green web hosting and the most economical vehicles you can afford.
Also, what if the forwarder attached an envelope filled with green discount coupons from various green businesses to each package delivered?
RecycleBill understands that many think me crazy when I post my ideas for green business start-ups but 30 years ago people laughed at the idea that people would pay a buck fifty for a bottle of water. Besides, all my green start-up ideas are in-fact, green.
Have you ever thought you'd like to let someone you only know online send you a package but weren't really comfortable with giving this stranger your home address? For example, if RecycleBill wanted to send Beth or Cathy a sample product but Beth and Cathy are uncomfortable with giving me their home addresses because they doesn't really know if I'm who I say I am then how could either of them make it possible for me to ship our product without giving me more information than they're comfortable giving away? Yes, they could have me ship it to a trusted 3rd party but that person might not want me to know his or her address either.
But what if I could send snail mail to Cathy and Beth's e-mail address without ever knowing their physical address? What if I could send snail mail to e-mail addresses?
It wouldn't require some sort of Star Trek transporter-- all that's needed is a website, e-mail and a freight/mail forwarding address. If such a service existed I could arrange payment through the website, mail my package to Beth's e-mail address care of the physical address of the freight forwarder and wait for Beth to receive my package. When the forwarder gets my package they simply e-mail Beth or Cathy asking for her mailing address, stick a new label on the package and send the package on. And if Beth and Cathy fail to reply to the forwarder or replies saying she doesn't want the package then the forwarder simply returns the package to me.
Of course, running a mail forwarding business isn't really green unless you make it green and to make this business green it would need to be located near the center of the country in close proximity to mail centers and package company hubs. You would also want to use recycled paper labels, green web hosting and the most economical vehicles you can afford.
Also, what if the forwarder attached an envelope filled with green discount coupons from various green businesses to each package delivered?
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