We’re right in the middle of the holiday season, which means you’ve either been shopping for loved ones or are nervously aware that you’re running out of time. Whatever the case may be, you still have to mail those gifts to everyone you won’t see during the holidays. But, you’re dreading the idea of packing your perfect presents and standing in long lines at the post office.
So picture this: Instead of hunting for a perfectly sized box, packing your gifts, driving to the post office, waiting in line for what seems like hours (and sometimes is) and then, finally, turning your package over to the mail carrier, image that someone came to your house or office, picked up your gifts and did all of that for you.
Sounds like a holiday miracle, right?
Shyp does exactly that. By simply visiting Shyp’s website or downloading their app, you can request a courier and they’ll pick up, pack and mail your items. They’ll even compare mail carriers to make sure you’re paying the least amount possible in shipping costs. Each shipment comes with $100 in free insurance (additional insurance can be purchased if necessary) and customer support is included for free. Plus, their custom box machine guarantees that no package will be sent in a box that’s way too big. You can also decide to pack your own box and print shipping labels before Shyp picks up your package.
Shyp was founded in 2013 in San Francisco and started serving Chicago in September 2015. On Nov. 16, 2016, they launched in more than 20 North Shore zip codes.
And Shyp doesn’t only help individuals. They’re also helping businesses ship their goods. Chicago City Manager Jacob Gafner says multiple customers have even grown their business by using Shyp because they don’t have to spend time packing shipments, which means they can sell more.
“The amount of time [Shyp] saves is amazing,” Gafner says. “You don’t have to think about [shipping]. You don’t have to plan your day around it. It’s convenient and easy.”
You could even call it “magical,” as the New York Times did.
“We want to make this bad experience [of shipping] go away,” Gafner says.
