In true entrepreneurial spirit, Boston-based Kyle Waring is trying to make the best of a difficult situation. Boston has experienced one of the worst winters this year, receiving a record-breaking 8.3 feet of snow. Instead of complaining about it like most people, Kyle is actually attempting to make a profit by selling the excess snow.
The Massachusetts native created a start-up called ‘Ship Snow’, through which he’s delivering chunks of snow to people living in warmer areas of the US where snow rarely falls. “This snow is wicked,” the official website reads. “This is historic snow. Boston Snow. This is your chance to not only own a piece of history, but also help save Boston from #Snowmageddon 2015! Every order counts!” The packaging options include a 16.9 oz snow bottle for $19.99, a 6 lbs. box of packed snow for $89, and a 10-pound package for $119. The website promises to deliver snow to any destination in the U.S. in 20 hours flat. But there’s an exception: “We will not ship snow to any states in the northeast! We’re in the business of expunging snow!”
Although Kyle and his team are working on ways to ensure that each shipment arrives frozen, the website also carries a disclaimer – the snow will most likely arrive as water. But Kyle says he will include a ‘before’ picture with every order, so people would know they’ve actually paid for snow. And after a few packages arrived with melted snow, Kyle has tried to change the packaging: “I put the snow in a plastic bag, and put that in tinfoil,” he said. “Then I put that package in an insulated container that’s an inch-and-a-half thick, and ship it overnight. It’s sealed tight in Omaha steaks packaging.” With the new packaging, he says that even if the snow melts a little bit, it will still be good enough to make 10 to 15 solid snowballs.
If you think paying good money for snow that might arrive as water is a raw deal, well, it turns out not many people feel that way. As of Monday, 112 packages have been shipped out. “It seems to be corporations paying for the $90 product as a funny gesture, where the $20 one is regular consumers,” he told Boston.com.
And this only the beginning. “At this rate, it’s going to be July until the snow melts,” said Kyle, who has a full-time job at GSN Games in Boston. He’s also thinking about extending the idea to other seasonal items, like shipping some fall foliage. I’m surprised no one ever thought of that before!
Photos: Kyle Waring
