The future of markets.

Sending drugs through the mail can't last forever, it just can't. Eventually more packs will be caught then ones making it through. This takes us back to the original idea in the heroin store thread of some type of geocashing delivery system where vendors service their local areas. Going back to IRL dealers is just not an option and I'm pretty sure everyone will agree on that.

Let's just have an intelligent discussion about this and throw some ideas out ..


Comments


[3 Points] strauser360:

People have been sending drugs through the mail since before online markets.


[3 Points] Fillyhaze:

Eventually more packs will be caught then ones making it through.

Unless they have robots opening each piece of mail ever sent through the post this will likely never happen.


[2 Points] bhoaway123:

the post office and drug war are getting less funding, not more. no reason to assume they will start getting more packs.


[1 Points] None:

This is all a bit fatalistic and dramatic. There are billions of letters/parcels posted everyday in the US and while that is happening with proper stealth they more than blend in since it is impossible to examine every single piece of mail that passes through.

Technology is the biggest concern but even then something would have to be developed to examine every single parcel in a timely manner and then be implemented everywhere - and I don't think we're in danger of that happening anytime soon.

When humans evolve and develop xray eyes then I'll start worrying.


[1 Points] chrissorrenson:

I think you want to move forward. Whatever country you are from, assert and defend your right to communicate & send mail without monitoring or interference - and there's no reason why you can't carry on.

With the internet and cell phones being the main items of communication, I think they will continue to be utilized and expanded.


[1 Points] Aluminum_Foil_Hat:

As the postal system and LE become more effective at seizing packages so will the vendors stealth. Those vendors that slack on stealth will loose profitability, however the whole won't be stopped. I see one way to stop the internet mail-order markets, and that is to stop both the internet and the mail service. Which is just not an option the masses will accept. Markets will rise and fall, technologies will be exploited and patched.


[1 Points] Cashualy:

With decentralized markets on the horizon, I think LE's only options will be to try to crack down harder on the mail and good-old fashioned police work.

Take a look at Maidsafe for example. If these guys launch successfully...............wooooooot.


[1 Points] samwhiskey:

Than


[1 Points] motsanciens:

I, too, have had this thought that geocaching could work on some level. Clearly, you would need some plausible deniability built in. So, I think you'd want to use regular geocache locations that are posted on the big geocaching sites. The vendor would stash the product like 15 paces East, or put it up a tree, or under a rock near the legit geocache location. "I was looking for the geocache and found this container, officer."

But, you know, dream big. Why not get a drone involved. You send the buyer on some kind of nature walk with a red hat on and parachute the payload right to them. Or how about driverless cars? Mail will be completely different. A driverless van picks up any passenger headed the general direction of its ultimate destination. The van houses lock boxes that are rented by the day. Anyone can open a box if they have the digital key. So I hop a ride with the van across town and stow away a package. This van was chosen because its destination is the city where my customer lives. I send the customer the vehicle id, lock box number, and digital key, and they schedule to be notified when the van gets near. Dozens of people will have been in and out of the van during this course. The customer hops a ride, retrieves the package, done deal. Everyone sends mail in this fashion.

We have now a silly little extension of the pony express. One day we'll have the IT to re-work how physical goods move around.