I’m not sure what to make of a startup that has its own manifesto. But in San Francisco, which online shopping service SixDoors calls home, even shared-living arrangements play out on a deeper plane of existence. Anyway, SixDoors’ multi-part proclamation announces to the shoppers of the world that they “believe in urban communities”, “believe that buying local can create change”, and finally, “believe that buying local should be incredibly easy”.
What we have here, as we say in New York, is a mobile app that supports an online hyperlocal marketplace of food, crafts, wine, gadgets, and other artisanal tchotchkes. They do have an ace in the hole, though, with same day delivery of an order–usually within 2 hours, they say. Will their delivery people be using BART, trolleys, e-bikes and other green transportation technologies? The site is quiet on that point
Yes, I’ve seen similar types of services blaze across the sky– I miss you Taap.it — only to fall victim to shopper ennui and the more practical problems of buyers not finding the stuff they want. SixDoors’ take on online shopping is to go deep, not broad–they also refer to themselves as the anti-Amazon.
Their IOS app appears to be focused on a select group of vendors from the San Francisco area. So for example, without leaving your loft, you can buy a silver antler bottle opener from A&G Merch (Market Street), an antique typewriter from Viracocha (Valencia Street), or cave-aged Gruyere from La Fromagerie (3rd Street).
For a certain demographic, SixDoors’ hand delivery (cost: $6) of goods within a few hours of a click will make cosmic sense. For a subset of that demographic, their concierge consulting service will also resonate.
If the service works out in San Francisco, according to their PR firm, they plan to launch in New York and perhaps other cities as well. I just hope that they don’t repeat Amazon’s well documented problems as they drive their delivery staff to meet impossible deadlines.