Awatar

After posting a few recruitment posts on Reddit job boards, I got quite a few applications, and got to onboard the first committed freelancer soon after that. We spoke over the video call, went over the logistical details of the deal and set up a full profile.

Version one has functional user profiles, schedules, timetables, bookings, payments, basic things. The system allows two types of bookings: with avatars (free-range proxy shoppers), and shops.

With the latter offering, the idea is that as long as “non-essential” retailers are banned from opening their doors in the UK, they might be interested in offering their customers a “white-gloves” virtual shopping service, charging a few quid for the time, as a way to replicate physical shopping experience over a video chat and support the shop through difficult times.

Time to do some sales.

After failing to generate any pre-sales by cold emailing people abroad, I went to another local record store, where I haven't been yet. Ended up talking to the owner for several hours about his needs and how to make it work, he stated that he will use this product all the time if I build it, which is a big step forward.

I spent a week to cut a (silly) video explaining how my product will work, as if it already exists.

I also heard about ProductHunt's Ship feature from YCombinator's Kat Mañalac and set up a basic landing page with an email prompt to have something to show to people I talk to and collect pre-launch leads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSfOONTjKmw
https://www.producthunt.com/upcoming/awatar

I popped in to a local record store to talk to the owner about consumer logistics and by using an interviewing technic that I learned from Startup School I made him open up about a larger problem they have with sourcing second-hand stock from other countries.

On my way back home I came up with a solution so eccentric, it was a no-brainer that I had to pivot. At that moment my consumer logistics project turned into what's now called "Awatar".

Frustrated by the lack of a cheap option to ship used books and music records from overseas I started to work on a consumer-oriented logistics solution — a package forwarding company optimized for shipping physical media at the lowest possible price.