Emotional Labor Fee: Get Your Belongings Back - Postdates

A New Service Retrieves Your Ex's Possessions: Introducing Postdates

Recently, the creators of the satirical Amazon Dating platform launched Postdates. This innovative service functions similarly to Postmates, but instead of delivering restaurant meals, it focuses on recovering personal belongings from former partners.

The Postdates website closely resembles that of Postmates. Users can categorize their past relationship – whether it was a casual encounter, cohabitation, or a one-time connection – much like selecting a restaurant type. They can then choose from a list of pre-defined items to retrieve, such as concert tickets linked to a friend-zone situation, or family heirlooms following a divorce, or specify a custom item. Delivery fees begin at $25 in Los Angeles and $30 in New York City, with an additional “emotional labor fee” of $3.99 applied.

A Satirical Take on Tech and Relationships

While currently available in Los Angeles and New York as a limited-time “pop-up” business, Postdates offers a tangible experience. As Postdates “founder” Atlas Acopian describes it, the service is akin to witnessing a “Black Mirror” episode unfold in real life.

This venture echoes Elon Musk’s earlier, unsuccessful comedy startup, Thud, which aimed to create immersive digital experiences that blurred the boundaries between reality and fiction. However, Postdates has achieved the satirical success that Musk sought with Thud, and it did so without the benefit of $2 million in funding.

TechCrunch interviewed conceptual artist Atlas Acopian, producer Suzy Shinn, and product developer Brian Wagner to delve into the details of Postdates’ functionality.

The Genesis of Postdates: From ScrubHub to Emotional Labor

TechCrunch: What prompted the creation of Postdates? How did the concept originate?

Suzy Shinn: During the initial phase of quarantine, when circumstances were chaotic, Atlas and I developed ScrubHub, a parody of PornHub centered around hand washing. This initiative successfully raised $50,000 for charitable causes.

Atlas Acopian: We felt a surge of creative energy and sought a channel to express it.

SS: Subsequently, the idea for Postdates emerged, and we actively sought investors and artists to support its realization, as we anticipated associated costs. However, our proposals were met with resistance, as potential funders questioned the potential return on investment.

AA: Our response was that the value lay in the overall experience and atmosphere.

SS: Lacking external funding, we independently developed the service.

Operational Details and Service Availability

Is this service genuinely operational?

AA: Yes, we’ve established partnerships with two local courier companies: Gourmet Runner in Los Angeles and Airpals in New York. We prioritized collaborating with organizations that prioritize fair treatment of their employees.

SS: Users can submit requests, but the ex-partner must provide consent and agree to leave the items accessible. Our couriers utilize designated Postdates bags for deliveries. The service is available in both cities, with restrictions on transporting items like cats, children, alcohol, or illegal substances, or anything that won’t fit in a bag.

AA: We invested significant effort in designing the workflow to ensure the protection of addresses, obtain consent from all parties, and maintain a no-contact delivery process, requesting that items be left on door handles. Payment is only processed upon the ex-partner’s acceptance of the order.

Early Usage and Future Prospects

Given the recent launch, have people actually utilized the service?

Brian Wagner: We observed individuals sharing screenshots on Twitter in response to Atlas’s posts, confirming that they had been “Postdated” by their exes.

SS: Currently, there are approximately 30 to 40 pending requests, and a handful have been successfully delivered as of this morning.

Do you foresee this evolving into a sustainable business model?

AA: Not every endeavor needs to be commercially viable. In fact, I would be somewhat disappointed if this became a widespread practice, as I don’t believe the world requires that level of service. However, it seems we are already approaching that point. The purpose is simply to reflect the current state of affairs.

The Satirical Commentary Behind Postdates

What message are you conveying through Postdates as a form of satire?

SS: Within the tech industry, it appears that numerous startups secure substantial funding, allocate significant resources, and maintain a serious demeanor. The three of us, with the assistance of our friends, were able to create this without requiring $13 million in funding or a five-year development timeline. However, we were working late into the night, contemplating whether to hire assistance, but ultimately realizing we couldn’t afford it.

BW: With the increasing prevalence of the gig economy, we’ve witnessed both positive and negative consequences, particularly during the quarantine period. It facilitates access to essential goods and services, but also raises concerns about fair wages and healthcare access for workers. There’s a growing awareness that much of tech is simply redistributing labor, with individuals being compensated for the movement of others. In a sense, we’ve redistributed emotional labor here.

The site includes an emotional labor fee, correct?

BW: This is a playful commentary on the extent to which we are willing to monetize even the most sensitive aspects of human interaction. Will people pay someone else to handle the emotional complexities of a situation?

Building on Amazon Dating: An Experiential Approach

How does Postdates extend the concept of Amazon Dating?

AA: Having created two parody sites, we aimed to elevate the experience to a more immersive level. It’s akin to watching an episode of “Black Mirror,” but unfolding in your own life.

SS: It highlights the actual cost of avoiding contact with someone. This is a common scenario – friends seeking assistance in retrieving their belongings after a breakup, and the reluctance to personally engage in the process.

AA: However, I don’t believe we should normalize outsourcing such tasks.

So, you advise against outsourcing, yet you created Postdates.

AA: That’s precisely the point…

That’s the joke.

AA: Exactly.

A Critique of Startup Culture

What does it signify about startup culture to develop a product that you believe shouldn’t exist?

SS: Startups often exhibit an excessive level of seriousness, lacking humor and harboring the belief that their ventures will endure indefinitely. We are deliberately adopting the opposite approach. We intend to operate for a limited period, offering a unique experience before discontinuing the service. However, we are enthusiastic about continuing to explore the intersection of art, technology, and entertainment.

BW: Companies and experiences can simply be enjoyable. They don’t necessarily need to be billion-dollar ideas or contenders for “Shark Tank.” Imagine us appearing on “Shark Tank….”