Buy anything from anywhere with Airfrov

Have you ever been in this situation before: You’ve purchased something awesome while you were on vacation, but that item is unavailable in Singapore and you find that life is not the same unless you get your hands on that item again? For me, it’s Tempo pocket tissue from Hong Kong, Yuan skincare products from Taiwan, and cashmere sweaters from Nepal. So, I was really glad to know that a homegrown company has come up with an app called Airfrov, which matches travellers and shopping requests. Meaning that, if you want to buy Tempo tissue paper but don’t see yourself going to Hong Kong anytime soon, you can post a request on Airfrov and ask someone who is going there to buy it for you.

Likewise, say you are travelling and don’t mind helping people buy something back in exchange for a small commission, you could also post your trip on Airfrov.

We love the proposal as Airfrov is committed to ensuring that the purchase is entirely secure. The requester makes payment to Airfrov – not the traveller – and Airfrov will hold the payment until you get the item from the traveller. Airfrov will only release the payment to the traveller upon your acknowledgement.

For the traveller keen to earn some extra cash, travellers can share where they will be travelling to and their return date. You definitely can pick up several requests at one time. If the item is particularly heavy, difficult-to-find or bulky, you can discuss the final price before confirming the deal.

Airfrov also charges 7 per cent to cover PayPal and administrative fees. It’s all fair, as using PayPal ensures buyer protection. And then you need to pay the customer service officer manning the chatline and phoneline for Airfrov, right?

So for the requester, the eventual price formula is like this: (Actual price of item + tips) x 1.07 = what you pay

On one of his latest business trips to Jakarta, Alvin discovered that housewives were buying vials and vials of this FreshCare minyak angin (Malay for feng you) by the basketload. These are scented feng you put inside 10ml frosted roll-on bottles (just like roll-on deodorant bottles but miniature-sized) so you can look fashionable even when using the oils. And these cost less than S$2 per bottle!! He’ll be the perfect traveller to use Airfrov as he visits Indonesia quite frequently for business.

To mark the launch of Airfrov, Alvinology readers are definitely in luck! The guys from the company are running a sharing is caring giveaway for Chinese New Year. The winner, with your referred friend, will each win 1 box of Tokyo Banana (worth S$34 each) for CNY.

Airfrov Sharing is Caring giveaway

1) Winner will be chosen and contacted via Facebook and e-mail
2) More points = higher probability
3) Contest ends on 16 Feb. Self collection of the prizes at 36 Purvis Street #02-15, latest on Friday 17thFeb! Lastly, readers of Alvinology can also use the code “airalvin10” to get $10 off when they first complete a transaction. What are you waiting for? Download the app now and start requesting items for CNY or share your holiday trips to earn extra hongbao money for the new year!