After losing a bet, Constantijn van Nispen had to send its friend abroad a special bottle of rum. Packing and sending this via a parcelshop turned out to be such a hassle, he decided to quit its marketing job at Heineken and start his company Sprynter.
Send and pack your (return) packages
Sprynter is the first Dutch app to enable small companies and individuals to easily send a package. Just take a photo of the item you want to send, and a couriers will pick it up at your door. Sprynter can even pack it. It’s the business solution for those who send packages occasionally, but don’t want the hassle of it. Busy entrepreneurs, small webshops or communication agencies often waste time finding a fitting box or standing in line at the post office. Sprynter takes care of everything, including searching for the lowest price to send your particular package.
Sprynter could also save time and hassle for individuals. Regular eBay or Marktplaats sellers can have their items picked up, packed and shipped with a few taps in the app. Also, online shoppers can now return their unwanted items without leaving their houses.
Business model
For €4,09 (ex VAT) a courier will come to your office, shop or home. Large or fragile items are picked up by a 100% electric minivan, and for regular packages a cargo bike is used. The couriers bring the items to the Sprynter warehouse, where they will be packed professionally, starting from € 2,44. ‘Think inside the box’, as they like to call it.
Sprynter then compares shipping fees among different carriers (PostNL, DHL, etc.) for your specific package, and selects the best option for you. For instance, the lowest price to send a standard parcel within the Netherlands is €4,75 ex VAT. Sprynter then hands over your package to the carrier, and users receive the tracking number and invoice via email.
Currently, the pick-up service is only available in Amsterdam. You can download the iPhone app in the App Store via https://goo.gl/SKZdba and Android or desktop users can call or Whatsapp 0652095156 to arrange a pick-up.
Future growht plans
In 2018 Sprynter will scale up in three ways: introducing its app for Android users, bringing a new feature to have items picked-up and instantly delivered within the same city, and thirdly launching in Den Haag, Rotterdam and Utrecht.To roll this out, Sprynter is keen to talk to investors, especially with logistic expertise.
Many startup initiatives are executed as problem solving for personal struggles or bureaucratic hurdles. Packaging is still a big thing and many companies have tried to come up with a solution for delivery. This is an original take-out for package pick-ups, where big webshops like Zalando already experiment with themselves. Let’s keep a close eye on this!