Odin - Express

The mobile application ODIN is a peer-to-peer marketplace that connects people who need to send small- and medium-sized parcels abroad with travelers heading to the same destination who have spare luggage space and want to earn money by utilizing that extra capacity. A sender can post a request describing the item, quote a price, or invite travelers to bid. When a match is made, the sender’s payment is debited and held in ODIN’s bank account; only after the parcel is successfully delivered is the money released to the traveler’s in-app wallet, which can then be cashed out. From every completed transaction the company keeps 20% of the order value as its service fee. Anyone who wishes to use the app registers with Google, Facebook, Apple, or an email address. Before a sender can place an order or contact a traveler, that sender must pass IDENTOMAT identity verification, supplying all required identification details. Once the verification is approved, the user gains full access to ODIN’s functionalities. When the sender creates an order, the sender states the weight, dimensions, and category of the item, chooses whether the delivery is door-to-airport or door-to-door, provides the pickup address and the recipient’s contact information, and selects either a standard listing in which case the sender determines the price or an auction in which case travelers submit bids. After a traveler is chosen, the two parties can communicate through the in-app chat to agree on a pickup time and exchange any additional details. The sender can track the parcel at any moment via live location sharing and flight-radar data. Once the parcel reaches its destination, the traveler receives payment in the ODIN wallet. After completing IDENTOMAT verification, a traveler fills out the “Take Order” form, entering the origin country, city, and airport, the destination country and airport, the airline, the departure and arrival times, the booking confirmation code for the purchased ticket, and the weight of the available luggage allowance. The application then automatically displays orders whose senders need parcels delivered to the same destination during the relevant time window. Only after the traveler delivers the parcel at the destination does the payment appear in the in-app wallet, ready for cash-out. Parcel safety is reinforced through an “open inspection” procedure at the hand-over point. When the traveler arrives to collect the parcel, the sender is obliged to show the item in an unwrapped state so that the traveler can verify that it matches the photos and description uploaded in the app and that its transport is lawful in the relevant jurisdictions. If repackaging is necessary, the sender does so under the traveler’s supervision. The traveler must not accept the parcel until this inspection is complete; both users receive warning messages in the app reminding them of this duty and of their responsibility to comply with airport-security rules. If the traveler is satisfied, the sender provides a single-use verification code that the traveler enters in the app, after which the traveler may take the parcel and proceed. If the item shown does not match what appears in the app, or if the sender refuses to pack and seal it, the traveler has the right to cancel the order without any charge.