Courier Services Meets the Sharing Economy: Zipments Expands to Canada

New York-based startup Zipments launched in Vancouver yesterday, and is a site that provides low cost, same day courier services to retailers throughout the Vancouver region. And if there’s one industry that the sharing economy can make a big splash in, while rewarding many people, it might be the shipping industry.

The startup is calling itself the first Canadian company to use the sharing economy for deliveries, “by leveraging on advances in mobile technology and a flexible workforce to provide ‘Delivery, your way,'” even outside of normal business hours and on weekends.

“We believe that efficient local delivery is critical to a vibrant local economy,” said Vancouver rep Robert Safrata. “By cultivating a sustainable community where we take care of each other and our surroundings through cooperative use of resources, we are working towards building a more cohesive and productive city.”

A team of “Lifestyle Couriers” fulfill deliveries, which are independent courier companies, part time couriers and qualified individuals who have the time to make some extra money. Couriers are connected with paid delivery opportunities and in the time frame that they choose.

Safrata runs another traditional courier business called Novex, a same-day courier and expedited freight service that is actually carbon-neutral. According to Zipments, Safrata wanted to take advantage of an increasingly hot sharing economy space as it pertained to Novex, so he negotiated the rights to an exclusive agreement to bring Zipments to Canada.

Zipments’ official motto is that it “leverages technology, the sharing economy and businesses partnerships to make local deliveries more efficient, convenient, cost competitive and personable for retailers, shoppers, businesses and residents.”

Consumers can now visit Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) and Edible Canada and get same day delivery. As part of its introduction, MEC will be offering free zipments deliveries this upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday while Edible Canada will offer $5.00 zipments deliveries until December 6.

“Edible Canada is delighted to help our Holiday e-commerce customers with an easy, affordable and local same day delivery service in our community with zipments,” said Edible Canada’s Eric Pateman. “The holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about your gifts arriving on time, and zipments.ca will ensure our deliveries are seamless.”

MEC’s Gary Faryon said, “MEC is pleased to offer our Vancouver and North Shore members a convenient, low footprint and price friendly delivery solution as part of our on-line shopping experience, through zipments.ca, MEC’s new store-to-your-front-door delivery partner.”

In early 2014 the company plans to further expand, launch a mobile app and eventually, cover all all of Canada “as more people realize the positive impact of this delivery service method.”

Photo by CycleHawk

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