March 2012
1 post
Subscription Commerce: Get almost anything...
There is a new trend making its way from people’s computers and to their doorsteps each month. It’s called subscription commerce - a term that describes businesses based online that let you subscribe to a product that gets delivered to you once (or sometimes twice) each month.
It’s pretty awesome when you think about it. There are things most of us buy every month - or want to....
November 2011
3 posts
Zipments Guide to Holiday Shopping!
Holiday shopping is awesome, but wouldn’t it be great to spend time doing other things you like instead?
Did you know you can save 15 hours this holiday season (on average) by avoiding holiday shopping? Plus, you can help others earn extra money by helping you shop.
How do I ask someone to shop for me?
Go to http://www.zipments.com/jobs/new and fill in the details. Tell the courier...
Happy holiday shopping season!
Season’s greetings to all of our wonderful Zipments customers and couriers! We wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy and blessed holiday season.
We all know how busy this time of year can be so the Zipments team has a few ideas on how Zipments can help make you more relaxed this holiday season.
Shopping can be an overwhelming activity during the holidays. Zipments couriers will...
We've updated courier profiles
At Zipments we are always looking at ways to bring more transparency to our service. We find that the more customers and couriers know about each other and the Zipments process, the easier it is to use.
To help accomplish this, we’ve added more detail to the courier profiles. Check out some of the changes:
First, you’ll notice that the formatting is a little different. The lower...
October 2011
9 posts
Meet Cole, one of our awesome Zipments couriers
Part of what I love about working for Zipments is that we get to meet people that we might never have before. Cole has been into the office a few times doing deliveries for us & he has an interesting story. Thanks for sharing this with us, Cole! —Laura
My name is Cole Jackowski. I’m a Zipments courier and I absolutely love it.
I’ve almost always earned my living on my own...
Zipments: Share your posts with your friends! →
We thought we’d repost this from a few weeks ago as a reminder for our delivery posters. Enjoy!
zipments-staff:
It was 49 degrees in Michigan at one point this weekend. This is not okay! Clearly the season is changing and we think that’s a great time to make some fun changes to Zipments.
Starting today, customers are now able to share their job postings on various social platforms to...
My 30 Day Zip - Day 30
The last day of my 30 Day Zip was a very special day for me. It marked my 15th wedding anniversary - the day I made the best decision of my life and married my best friend, Laura. Since that day, I’ve made thousands of other decisions. Some good, some bad. One bad decision I made was to let my weight get out of control. I estimate that I’ve gained about 1.5 lbs each year...
My 30 Day Zip - Day 29
I can’t believe my 30 Day Zip is almost complete. Truthfully, I had my doubts about whether or not I’d make it. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had no idea the service would perform so well when I first embarked upon this adventure. Obviously I could not have done it without the support of so many awesome Zipments couriers. They really are the best! Yesterday was...
Zipments to the rescue
Everyday we have interesting deliveries posted. Sometimes they are interesting because of what is being zipped, like the time someone had 4 Adirondack chairs purchased and delivered via Zipments that she found on Craiglist. Other times they standout because of the story behind their Zipments delivery, like one of yesterday’s postings in Michigan.
After heading back to school at Michigan...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 28
I’ve been meaning to do a blog post on a specific subject ever since I encountered it on Day 4 of my 30 Day Zip. Fortunately for me, I did not encounter it again, so I want to touch on it here before I end my 30 day adventure.
Day 4 of my 30 Day Zip was the first time I had to miss a meal because I didn’t get a bid from a Zipments courier to deliver the meal to me. Since then,...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 27
Day 27 of my 30 Day Zip was Sunday (grill day) so I ordered a few things again from Meijer - chicken, corn, coffee, Special K cereal, and two salads (with pecans, greens, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries). I was out of town for most of the day so I left a cooler on the front porch and my Zipments courier, David, left the items in the cooler until I arrived home that evening. It was no...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 26
Autumn is a great time of year, especially in Michigan. When the air turns chilly and the trees turn colors, I’m in paradise. High school football, quite strolls along the empty Lake Michigan beaches, pumpkins, harvest time, Halloween - it’s all packed into the brief season of Autumn. A lesser known autumn event, but one I look forward to every year, is the McDonald’s Monopoly...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 25
On day 25 of my 30 Day Zip, I had several meetings in the morning. I didn’t have lunch or dinner the day before (except for a pear and an apple), so I was very hungry for something to eat…but I had to run from one meeting to another and couldn’t schedule to have a food zipped to me until noon. To make matters worse, my morning schedule had me going to three different coffee...
September 2011
28 posts
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 24
Day 24 of my 30 Day Zip was a bit disorganized and it ended with me having an empty stomach! I ordered another Energy Wrap from the Riverfront Cafe (honestly, I think I’m addicted to them) and a large cup of coffee. My favorite Holland-based courier, David, delivered my breakfast to my office in Grand Rapids, which is just down the road from the Riverfront Cafe. David has delivered...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 23
The Farmer’s Market is one of those places that many of us rarely visit, yet it’s a place that offers so much to those who do. What’s not to love about the Farmer’s Market? First of all, the Farmer’s Market is a great place to purchase fresh LOCAL food. You never have to worry about what kind of preservatives are packed into your food because the food is fresh and...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 22
As I enter the final stretch of my 30 Day Zip, I’m looking forward to getting back to some sense of normalcy - where I don’t have to think about every meal. But I’m also wishing I had a bit more time with the diet. There are a lot of things I haven’t tried yet. I wanted to do a week of a gluten-free diet. I wanted to get out to some of the local health food stores to...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 21
Today was another travel day which meant I would be skipping some meals. I had a meeting in Detroit scheduled for late in the day so I knew I would not be eating until late in the evening when I returned to the west side of the state. I could have scheduled a breakfast delivery but I really wasn’t hungry and was actually pretty busy with work.
I hadn’t visited downtown Detroit in...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 20
As usual, Sunday is grill day and, since I enjoyed the brats from Wurstkuche in LA so much, I decided to grill some brats today. I put together a list of groceries from Meijer. I wanted something from all the food groups so I ordered brats (meat), corn (vegetables), plums (fruits), Honey Nut Cheerios (grains), yogurt (dairy) and some soymilk (truthfully, I don’t know what category that...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 19
Day 19 started off rough. After not eating at all the day before I woke up very hungry and very fatigued - partially from the jet lag and partially from the lack of food. The night before, my wife decided to post my breakfast delivery for me while I was driving home, so I would have it ready when I woke up the next morning. The problem was that she posted the job around midnight so I was quite...
1 tag
My 30 Day Blog - Day 18
Have you ever had a day of travel where you were unsure if you’d ever make it home? That was my kind of day on Day 18 of my 30 Day Zip. I left LA around 8:00am. I figured it would be too early to schedule a zipment, especially since I was staying near the airport and didn’t think I’d get a quick response from a Zipments courier in that area of town at that time of day. I...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 17
I’m finding it difficult to hold myself to the 30 Day Zip while I’m traveling. I woke up today not feeling very hungry. I’m sure it had to do with the awesome sausage sandwich and fries the night before from Wurstkuche. I had planned to post a job to have breakfast delivered to a co-working site in Santa Monica called the Coloft. I had worked out of the Coloft during my last...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 16
On Day 16 of My 30 Day Zip, I traveled from my home in Holland, MI to Los Angeles. Typically when I travel, I love to partake in all the airport food vendors have to offer. Who doesn’t love an overpriced burger at the Chili’s in the Minneapolis airport, or the awesome breakfast platters at the Coney Island restaurant at Detroit Metro? Even the McDonalds and Starbucks that litter...
My first Zipment
Zipments launched on May 4, 2011, just about 5 months ago. I thought somewhere along the way, surely I would have to bid on a delivery that didn’t receive bids.
Strangely, in 5 months, I haven’t had to do one! As a result, I have NO deliveries listed on my courier account (embarrassing!). So yesterday, I saw an alert come through my iPhone that there was an $8 job to take bagels from...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 15
Two weeks ago I met with Emily Richett at Fox 17 studios to announce the kick-off of my 30 Day Zip. In the past two weeks, I’ve met some incredible Zipments couriers. In fact, I’ve had 13 different couriers perform 25 deliveries. The Zipments marketplace has performed incredibly well. I posted 26 jobs on Zipments and received bids on 25 of them - a success rate of over 96%!
...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 14
I love coffee shops. I particularly love the energy of coffee shops. People gather in coffee shops for a variety of reasons. Meet up with friends. Write the next great novel. Launch the next great tech company. Business meetings, play dates, book clubs, church clubs…and for many people like me - solitude.
I enjoy starting my day at one of many great local coffee shops. And when I...
1 tag
Share your posts with your friends!
It was 49 degrees in Michigan at one point this weekend. This is not okay! Clearly the season is changing and we think that’s a great time to make some fun changes to Zipments.
Starting today, customers are now able to share their job postings on various social platforms to help deliver even the impossible!
Think about it. Last week we had someone post a Tom’s Mom’s cookie...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 13
Wine, beer, cheese, ice cream and bread. These are some of the foods and drinks that fascinate me. Why? Because there is a lot involved in the preparation of these items and (because there is so much preparation) there tends to be a lot of variety in these items. Many people consider themselves wine and beer connoisseurs. They’ve studied their craft, learning as much as they can about...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 12
I started my Saturday where I can be found each Saturday in September - at the soccer fields. I scheduled to have my breakfast delivered to me there and I was looking forward to enjoying a nice breakfast sandwich and large cup of coffee while cheering on my kids. I ordered sausage, egg and cheese on a blueberry bagel and a large dark roast coffee from The Good Earth, a wonderful cafe in my...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 11
I just had to try the energy wrap from Riverfront Cafe again today. I really think I could eat those several times a week. I think the peanut butter, strawberries, bananas and almonds on a wheat bread wrap is something that really does give a boost of energy in the morning. It was another great start to my day.
For lunch I tried another delicious dish from Marie Catribs. I honestly...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 10
I’m one-third of the way through my 30 Day Zip. The day after my 3 day detox was awesome. I really wanted to start the day with a ham and cheese omelette, stack of pancakes, sausage links, etc. But I thought I’d be good so I ordered an energy wrap and a large coffee from the Riverfront Cafe. The energy wrap was great. It’s just a wrap with peanut butter, bananas,...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 9
I’m beginning to understand why we all enjoy the act of eating food. It extends beyond the fact that food sustains us. If you think about it, the act of eating food involves all five senses. And typically, the better the food, the more enjoyable it is to our senses. Beyond the obvious sense of taste and smell and touch, we enjoy the sight of food and even the sound of food. My mother...
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My 30 Day Zip - Day 8
Today my Day 2 detox kit from Jennifer Pohlman was delivered by a Zipments courier named Matt.
Matt works for his family’s delivery service company called “On the Go” and he is a great example of a full-time courier who utilizes Zipments to augment his own professional delivery service business. When Matt isn’t providing service to his own clients, he can pick up extra...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 7
This morning I did a quick weigh in and was pleased to see that I’ve lost a total of 6 lbs since starting my challenge 6 days ago. Not a staggering amount, but a pound a day is exciting nonetheless. I’m nearing the weight barrier that I haven’t broken in a long time. My weight can fluctuate quite a bit. On a 6’5” frame it’s not that hard to pack on pounds...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 6
There are 3 reasons why Sunday is my favorite day of the week. First of all, I really enjoy attending Sunday morning church service where I can quietly reflect on the past week and take stock of all of the blessings that have been given to me. Secondly, Sunday is the day that my family and I take long drives, bike rides or hikes. It’s a great way to reinforce our family’s...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 5
Have you ever had your groceries delivered to you? Have you ever had your groceries delivered to you at a soccer field? If a thousand people were to read this blog (that would be cool), I’ll bet not one of those thousand would say “Yes!” to the second question. Today I had my groceries delivered to me at a local soccer field. Why? Because it’s September and during...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 4
Day 4 did not start off well. I was very hungry in the morning and was having major coffee withdrawals. I hadn’t had coffee since Day 1 and I typically consume coffee throughout the day, so to go a few days without coffee was killing me. I posted a zipment for an energy wrap and large cup of coffee from Riverfront Cafe…and then I waited. And wouldn’t you know it, I...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 3
I’m beginning to notice the effects of this diet. When I woke up this morning, I felt pretty good. Probably from my organic salad from Doorganics the day before.
I didn’t feel hungry so I just had some water and a banana for breakfast. One of the self-imposed rules of my 30 Day Zip is to not stockpile food and only eat what I receive from Zipments couriers each day. But I...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 2
I’m only two days into my 30 Day Zip and I’m already learning a lot about myself. I’m amazed how distracted I am as I’m constantly thinking about food. Not so much that I’m always hungry (that was Day 1). Rather, I’m constantly thinking, “Where’s my next meal going to come from? When am I going to eat again?” And most importantly,...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 1
Today was the first day of school for my four kids. The morning was filled with excitement and a bit of anxiety for them…and for me. I woke up early and headed to the FOX 17 studios to meet Emily Richett and discuss my 30 Day Zip. As I stood there in the studio waiting to join Emily on camera, it hit me that I was about to discuss the fact that I’m overweight and out of shape on...
1 tag
My 30 Day Zip - Day 0
Hello! My name is Garrick Pohl and I am the CEO of Zipments.
If you found this blog through the Zipments website, then you may already know what Zipments is. For those of you unfamiliar with Zipments, we are an online marketplace for people and businesses to get almost anything delivered fast. Zipments matches people who need things delivered with local Zipments “couriers,”...
Just Zip It on Labor Day
Labor Day weekend is a hectic time of year. Between back to school, rotating all the white out of your closet (do people still do that?) and squeezing in one more weekend of summer fun, there is a lot to do. Here’s a few things we think you might want:
Charcoal - You know this situation well. It’s the holiday weekend and you bought everything you need to grill out - except the...
August 2011
2 posts
Veggie Trips
How would you like to get farm fresh produce delivered to your door? Now you can! Zipments is partnering with Doorganics, a West Michigan company that delivers local, sustainably grown produce to your door weekly!
Zipments couriers will be performing Doorganics deliveries Monday through Wednesday each week in their own neighborhoods. Couriers can expect 10-15 deliveries on each day and are able...
Push Notifications & The City of Angels
Couriers, job posters, fans: we have a couple of cool things to tell you today -
First, a new release of our iPhone app is now available in the app store! In this new release, couriers will be able to opt-in to push notifications to receive updates of jobs in their area. This means, you can unfollow the ZipJobs Twitter feed in your city, and just receive updates within the application. Click here...
July 2011
4 posts
Zipments has gone mobile!
Alright everyone, it is finally here.
(Drum roll)
The Zipments App for your iPhone is now available for FREE in the iTunes Store!
The app is packed with tools and features to make finding and bidding on delivery jobs easier than ever. Now couriers can use their iPhone to bid on jobs, track existing jobs, receive routing information, and post questions directly to customers.
Also,...
Zipments Delivery is now in New York City &...
So, it’s official: Zipments is now live in New York City and Chicago! Thanks to Tech Crunch for making the announcement for us yesterday. So New Yorkers & Chicagoans- here’s how you can get involved: - Register as a courier to make extra money in your spare time (it’s totally free and something you can do whenever you have some down time. - Need something delivered? Post a job! It’s...
Stay out of the rain!
It is completely sunny and warm, and then the storm clouds start rolling in. It looks like another twist in the Michigan weather as it gets ready to downpour. Then, bam! Here comes the rain… Stuck in the office without an umbrella, you are hating the idea of heading out to pickup some files from your accountant. Maybe you need to get lunch for the office or hey - it is free slurpee day at...
My Zipments Food Delivery
So, as the Sales & Marketing Director for Zipments - I use it a lot. In fact, in almost every situation I think to myself, “how can Zipments help me right now.” As a result, I have a lot of cool stories about things I’ve had zipped to me or to someone else.
Last night, I was at Momentum event until about 8pm and was hungry. Specifically, I wanted a salad and some french...
June 2011
7 posts
1 tag
Job Attachments
So, you want your dry cleaning zipped to you, but you know the dry cleaner will want to see your ticket. Now you can attach documents like that dry cleaning ticket right to your zipment. Once a job is posted, simply click on the job in your dashboard and then click the “Add a Document” button.
After choosing an image, PDF, text file, or Office-style document to upload, enter a...
Law firms just zip it
“After setting up the bid, we received a reply almost immediately. Within 3 hours our courier was here and he picked up our equipment and was off to deliver it. It was an easy process and look forward to using the service more! Definitely will be spreading the word!”
Brad Verberg, Administrative Assistant McGarry Bair PC
Zipments is "superexcellent"
“REVUE tried out Zipments today for a pick-up from one of our vendors, and I was blown away by how simple and cost-efficient it was. We posted the job, had a courier bid within minutes and the package was at our door in about 90 minutes — much sooner than we had requested (or expected). Total cost: $15 and less than five minutes of my time. Superexcellent! Will certainly...