'You text it and we grab it': Quebec-based Grabville app gives new life to old furniture
With the province-wide Moving Day on July 1 approaching, some cities are starting to look like jungles of old furniture — but leaving bulky items on the sidewalk may not be the most sustainable way to go.
That concern led to the creation of Quebec-based mobile app Grabville, that aims to create a community of sellers and buyers and, ultimately, find a new purpose for unwanted couches, appliances, and materials.
"We decided that this platform needs to be for people who want to get rid of something, not make money out of it," Frédéric Proulx, creator of Grabville told CBC Montreal's All in a Weekend host Sonali Karnick.
Launched in March 2016, Grabville is active in La Prairie and Saint-Constant on Montreal's South Shore.
Developers are planning to expand to Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Rosemont, and Ville Saint-Laurent areas this fall.
'You text it and we grab it'
A grabee, someone who wants to sell an old item, takes a photo of the item and sends it to Grabville via a text or a Facebook message.
The photo will then be distributed to a network of potential buyers or grabbers already involved with the program.
"You're not writing emails, you're not making calls, you're just waiting for the best offer and that's it," Proulx said. "You text it and we grab it."
After the connection between the grabber and the grabee is made, Grabville creates an interactive map of buyers and sellers to make the process faster for potential exchanges in the future.
The interactive map also connects residents to city services since it can also be used to follow garbage trucks.
Sustainability first
The main objective of the app is sustainability, which is done by repurposing old furniture so it doesn't go to waste.
"If your couch is outside for three days with the rain and everything, we cannot reuse it anymore," Proulx said.
Non-profit organizations in Quebec often pick up items for newly-immigrated Syrian families. But even if an old couch is not in perfect condition, Grabville still tries to find a grabber who will be interested.
"It's all about one man's trash is another man's treasure in a way," Proulx said.
Repurposing old items also benefits the environment and does not use as much landfill, he added.
Combining safety and simplicity
While many residents may find Grabville's Uber-like style of sustainable services appealing, some user security concerns are still there.
Proulx said that the app has a data-collection system in place that keeps the information of both the sellers and the buyers secure. Grabville's work with municipalities adds an extra layer of privacy to the equation, he added.
Grabville also checks the identities of the collectors before any transaction is made.
"Before we pay the grabber, we make sure that the service is done correctly," Proulx added.
With plans to expand, the priority remains developing a secure and sustainable community of buyers and sellers.
"It's all about connectivity," Proulx said. "We just want to walk before running. We want to learn as a young start-up."
