Airmule

@roryfelton @rrhoover Not just drugs but also any illegal item. How do you guys solve this issue?

@rrhoover @renatorotsztejn Our model inherently prevents this kind of activity. We're not a platform that allows just anybody to ship through our service. Our shipping providers are those with a high-frequency need for daily/weekly/monthly international express shipping, nearly all of which happen to be in the e-commerce space. The items we receive are typically purchased online by our shipping partners' end users in the US or China.

@rrhoover @renatorotsztejn @jschwitzke Frankly, you need a better answer on this. My background is in counterterrorism and this sets off a bunch of alarm bells. The primary question, what controls are in place to track the 'chain of evidence'/audit trail for the boxes and what was inside them? Can you tell me with 100% certainty who has touched a box and why along the way? How do you verify the box received is the same as the box originally given? Example: Drugs are easy to hide between two layers of cardboard and printing boxes, as you know, is trivial, especially in China. Given your focus on 'high frequency shippers' your exposure to manipulation is vastly increased.

@shloky Appreciate your response. And please excuse the brevity, but bulleted feedback here: - we partner with TSA certified shipping companies - yes, we can tell you every individual who has touched a container along the way - we manually screen each received item as an added measure - we document each item as it's received and delivered (photographs) - each container is sealed with security tape before traveler check in - we intentionally operate only via checked luggage (checked luggage go through enhanced security measures before being loaded onto a plane) - all travelers receive digital manifests (photos and descriptions) - our travelers are allowed to inspect their containers

Hi David! Valid concern, however our model prohibits that activity. We're not a platform that allows just anybody to ship through our service. Our shipping providers are those with a high-frequency need for daily/weekly/monthly international express shipping, nearly all of which happen to be in the e-commerce space. The items we receive are typically purchased online by our shipping partners' end users in the US or China.

you nailed it

@caitlin_northup Anything I can help answer?

@daviswbaer Thanks for the share!

@rueter The name is definitely polarizing, we can admit. But in the defense of our founding team (many of whom were born in China), the term "mule" in China has a drastically different connotation than it does here in the United States. To be labeled a "mule" in China refers mainly to one's sturdiness, work ethic and durability.

Hi Juho! The main differentiation between Airmule and Grabr is simple: the shipper vs. the shopper. We compete with each other in the same sense that a Toyota Prius competes with a Dodge Ram. Sure, a Ram and a Prius are vehicles that a person can purchase and drive, but they have two different target audiences that don't really overlap. Grabr's revenue model relies on the "shopper", i.e. the individual who's shopping for an item on Grabr either because it's too expensive to ship through traditional methods or it's too difficult to find in their local area (think culturally unique items). Users "shop" on Grabr by placing requests for items, then Grabr travelers may then accept these requests and earn a delivery fee for transporting them. We focus on the "shipper." We partner with shipping companies who have high frequency needs for international express shipping. These partners choose to ship with Airmule vs. FedEx, DHL or UPS because of our significantly cheaper cost and quicker delivery times. We then package these shipments from our partners into containers that travelers may courier along their flights and earn money for doing so.