The holidays are almost upon us, and while we’re thrilled about bonding with the people we love most, we’re not exactly looking forward to lugging packages to the post office and waiting (and waiting and waiting) in line to send them.

Those interminable days may be over, thanks to a new startup called Shyp.

Here’s how it works: Download the app, take a picture of the gifts you need to mail, and enter the details (namely, where they need to go to). Within 20 minutes, a “hero,” as Shyp calls its couriers, will arrive to take the package off your hands. You can also indicate special delivery instructions, such as expedited delivery or “meet me in Starbucks to pick up the item.” There’s no weighing, packing material, or boxes required. And you can easily track your item while it’s en route to its final destination.

Once a pickup request is submitted, the closest hero is pinged. If the notified courier is traveling on bike and the item requires a car, he or she will pass the request along.

The whole service is painfully easy, and only $5 on top of postage (which you can choose through a list of rate options before confirming anything). Shyp also assures that its packaging is top-notch by offering a $1,000 guarantee. Even if the shipping company is responsible for damage, Shyp will write you a check for the price of the item and refund the shipping cost within 48 hours.

Learn more about Shyp here.

Comments

comments