For those of you who didn’t exactly know what the word ‘Crowdshipping’ meant (like I did), it’s the “delivery of goods based on the selection of a courier closest to the delivery route”. Enter the Jojo Delivery App which connects you to people who are already on the way to the destination where you want your package delivered!
Now, hold on… we don’t mean THAT JOJO but rather the newest courier app that will help you when you want stuff delivered to/from you. The big difference here is that your package is delivered by “transporters” aka normal everyday people who, since they’re heading to the delivery location anyway, might as well take your package, deliver it for you, AND make some cash on the side. Okay, I know that may have been a lot to take in so lemme break it down for you.
The way the Jojo app works is that any person can become a Transporter. You just have to submit the proper clearances, complete the registration process, and you’re good to go! As a Transporter, you can make deliveries for people who have packages that are going to places that are along your way anyway. In doing so, you become entitled to an 80-20 split of the proceeds which is a sweet deal for a little “by the way” delivery. Now, if you’re a Sender (and as long as your package is a legal item or document within the dimensions of 10x10x10 inches and the destination is within Metro Manila), everything is just par for the course. Just like in any other courier app, you book a delivery by putting in the destination of your package and where you can meet the transporter and you’re done. You can even set scheduled deliveries! Price is also reasonable at PHP 99 for first 3 km + PHP 8 per additional km. Oh, and did we mention they have NO SURGE PRICES?
So why is this exciting? I really liked what the core insight Jojo was based on. It was about monetizing the Metro Manila traffic WITHOUT adding to it. That, for me, is the best part. I mean, let’s look back at Uber and Grab. Don’t get me wrong, the apps are great however, along with the conveniences the apps gave, it can be argued that they also contributed to the Metro Manila traffic as there were a number of people who bought cars SPECIFICALLY as Uber/Grab vehicles. With this kind of system, we can have another courier service that people can earn from WITHOUT adding stress to our traffic situation. Executed well, this definitely can be something great!
Of course, the biggest question in everyone’s mind for a service such as this is SECURITY for both the Transporter and the Sender. In the Jojo media event, this was definitely brought up. Good to know though that Jojo was confident that they have taken as much steps as they could to provide security for both sides. Here were some of the safety points that were discussed:
- Package insurance of up to PHP 5,000
- They have a customer service number to attend to any concerns
- They have a quick response team of Transporters around to assist in urgent situations
- Transporters have the right to refuse any package that may look dubious
- GPS tracking of Transporters so senders can monitor their movements
- Pictures taken upon receiving and sending the package to effectively monitor package condition
The Jojo Delivery App launches on March 8, 2019 and will be available 24/7. You can download the app on Google Play and App Store. You can also check out http://www.myjojo.com for more details. Oh, and if you are one of the first 1,000 users and make a transaction within 30 days, you’ll get 300 delivery credits for free!