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Most successful startups are founded to solve some universal problem. And Safestoop, a package delivery service that launched in Boston this November, is no exception.
"Turns out, the UPS man left the package on the front steps and someone stole it."
Gone are the days of ordering a package online and hoping it'll be delivered when you're home to receive it. Now, you've got a new address – and someone is always at home to let the UPS guy in.
"My 'a-ha' moment came in October of 2014 on my 27th birthday," founder Sean Meagher told me. "My girlfriend had order me a birthday present online and was having it shipped to our apartment in Dorchester. She got home from work, expecting the package to be waiting for her on the doorstep but it wasn’t there. Turns out, the UPS man left the package on the front steps and someone stole it."
Here's how it works:
- Upon joining, you'll receive a unique shipping address to your own Safestoop locker.
- When shopping online, use this address rather than your own.
- The package will be delivered to Safestoop, who will sign for it, hold it and text you that it's there.
- Then, you schedule a one-hour time slot when you'll be home and they'll deliver it.
Safestoop is compatible with all mail carriers and offers two pricing options. The first charges you $4 per delivery, no matter how many packages are in the order. The other is $19 per month for unlimited deliveries, tailored toward the frequent online shopper.
Ship to your safestoop locker – We'll text you when a package arrives to arrange delivery on your schedule. #Boston pic.twitter.com/RSc3DLw4O4
— safestoop (@safestoop) November 10, 2015
Meagher, 28, graduated from UNH and spent five years as a consultant at Accenture, a job he eventually grew to loathe.
"I had nothing lined up when I quit, no idea what I was going to do next, no idea how I was going to make money. I just knew I didn’t want to waste another day of my life miserable behind a desk working at a job I hated," he said.
Then came the epiphany, that birthday and the stolen present.
"UPS, Fedex and all other carriers make their deliveries Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.," he said, "the time when the majority of people living in the city are working and not home to collect their packages."
Safestoop, on the other hand, operates on weekdays from 6 to 10 p.m. and on the weekend from 9 a.m. to noon.
The company is self-funded and just launched November 2. It currently delivers to 16 neighborhoods in Greater Boston, from Charlestown to Dorchester, Back Bay to South Boston. In the future, it hopes to expand to other neighborhoods and, eventually, other cities.
"Our next steps for expansion would be to continue to grow in Boston by adding Allston/Brighton followed by Cambridge and Somerville," said Meagher. Focusing on Boston is a priority for now, but NYC is in the growth plan down the road.
The problem Safestoop out to solve is one we've all experienced. Not only are missed deliveries a common occurrence, but arriving home to a box that's been left out in the rain or looks like it was put through a wood-chipper en route to your apartment is something we've all seen or heard tales of, too.
Meagher's solution is straightforward: "Convenience knowing your package will be hand-delivered during a one-hour delivery window on your schedule. Peace of mind knowing you will not miss your delivery and your package will not be left outside where it can be stolen or ruined."
Sounds simple enough, right?
Featured image via Shutterstock.
