WunWun, a free on-demand anything service, launches in San Francisco (opens in new tab)

(techcrunch.com)

31 pointsintelekshual11y ago13 comments

13 comments

theklub11y ago

Its Kozmo! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kozmo.com

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Dreams

axlprose11y ago

It's on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY8WoDKUKP8

Good documentary, definitely recommend giving it a watch.

matznerd11y ago

It's definitely not Kozmo.com, although trying to solve the similar problem of same day delivery. They are aware of Kozmo's shortcomings and have designed their system without the main pitfall of Kozmo: holding inventory. I am friends with the founders and in their office they have a Kozmo.com Delivery bag as a reminder... The main difference is that they use brick-and-mortar stores' existing inventory and connect it with their network of "helpers" and add in their customer service.

samstave11y ago

Why can't they then just offer their network of "helpers" as a service to any brick-and-mortar store for in-town delivery.

Rather than waiting for a consumer to say they want something from store X -- go to store-x and have them whitelabel the personal delivery service right in their website.

So I go to store X, buy product Y and wunwun is the glue that gets it to me.

I don't even need to know who wunwun is... but then when I get my thing from Store X delivered to me, a little card says "Want your own personal delivery service? Call WUNWUN and we will get you what you need, whenever and wherever you need it, all starting at just $10!"

dkfmn11y ago

My favorite dead startup! Hopefully by charging for delivery, not taking inventory risk, and setting reasonable minimums they'll survive.

jack-r-abbit11y ago

Title of HN post: WunWun, a free on-demand anything service, launches in San Francisco

FTA: For a courier service (delivering something or performing a task without a purchase), WunWun charges $10. If you ask for a special request like waiting in line for cronuts or at Madison Square Shake Shack for a shake, WunWun will add an extra $15 for every hour of waiting (after the first twenty minutes of waiting) in line.

Maybe I'm confused but that doesn't sound free to me. What am I missing?

nlh11y ago

I think the idea is if you buy something, they don't charge for delivery since their plan is to sell your data (i.e. if you order an Oral-B toothbrush, they won't charge but they may give you an ad/offer to buy a SoniCare for X$). The $10/$15 charge looks like a fee if there is no retail purchase (tasks, waiting in line, etc.), hence no opportunity to advertise.

jboy5511y ago

I hope this isn't true, because there is no way that info is worth $10. Perhaps, if they got you on a telemarketing call, and read you 5-10 minutes of upsells, that could approach being worth $10 to a marketer. My guess is its 'free' until their VC money starts running short.

This reminds me of an exchange long ago over the 'Safeway Club Card' I had with a coworker. He said they could afford the deals because they sold my info. I told him I didn't give them my real info, so they got nothing. But the reality is closer to that Manufacturers have to pay to have their items on the Club Card, the info collected is pretty much used to determine 'unique users'.

jarin11y ago

I wonder if the name is a reference to the Game of Thrones character (a giant that is itself a reference to Phil Simms).

wutbrodo11y ago

Per the article, it stands for "What you want, when you need".

twic11y ago

That could have been wyn-wyn.

cubitesystems11y ago

So it is a Sanfran-scale?

jianelli11y ago

Congrats wunwun!

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