FAQ

What is Backpack?

Backpack provides a fast, reliable, hassle-free online overseas shopping experience. Travelers from all over the world carry foreign products for shoppers who request them.

We are based in California, USA and operate in over 100 countries.

What are the benefits of using Backpack?

  • Reliability - Our P2P model ensures trust and safety on a tri-layer system for both shoppers and travelers. Once you request a product on Backpack, you can be completely rely on us to guide you through the process and get you your products. In any case of failure to deliver the product (less than 0.1%), we’ll refund you the full amount.

  • Hassle-free communication and streamlined process. You can communicate with us any time regarding your deal or any questions you have and we’ll be there to provide our best answers. For a specific request, within 2-5 days of making payment, you’ll also be able to communicate directly with the traveler who’d carry your products.

  • Low price and fast delivery; thanks to ever-increasing 1.2 billion travelers around the world. Right now we are averaging at 14 days to deliver a product and working hard to bring it down to 7.

I’ve requested an item. What now?

  1. If you have requested an item using the SmartSearch or 'Place Manual Request' option, we will contact you via email and Facebook notification within 24 hours. We will provide the final details of your request such as total cost, estimated delivery time, available travelers and the payment instruction.

  2. To get your product within the estimated delivery date mentioned in the notification/email you should make payment within 24-48 hours of receiving it. After you make payment, we ask our available travelers to carry your item. Typically it takes 2-5 days for them to accept the request and as soon as they accept, you’ll able to communicate with them.

  3. Backpack keeps the payment until the traveler delivers the product. Typically it takes 2-3 weeks for the travelers to deliver the product. After the delivery, Backpack will forward the payment to the traveler. This way the shoppers are safe since if the traveler fails to deliver the products, we can find other travelers who can get the job done and there’s no chance of the shoppers losing money. On the other hand, it's safe for the travelers too since if they do deliver the right product in time, they are guaranteed to get paid.

I am a traveler. If I accept a request, what will happen next?

  1. If you accept a request, the first thing you should do is purchase the products given in the deal exactly as the shoppers requested. You don’t have to worry about not getting paid, since any request you receive has already been paid for.

  2. Before you reach your destination, you can talk to the shopper via our messenger. We’ll also guide you through the process of delivery.

  3. After you reach your travel destination, the shoppers will come pick up the product and we will pay you as soon as they receive the products.

How are charges calculated on Backpack?

On average backpack fee is around 17% of the product price - this includes traveler’s fee, transactional charges, and backpack guarantee fee. It never goes above 21%. If you are purchasing items that are more than $500, this decreases with the increase of the price of the item.

The traveler’s fee i.e. the amount that shoppers pay extra to get the products delivered, depends on:

  1. the dimension of the products
  2. the weight of the products
  3. the price of the products
  4. the distance between product's and shopper's location
  5. travelers willingness to carry

You may have to pay VAT and local shipping fee depending on the product. But there will never be any extra charge beyond what we will specify in the confirmation email. The final cost given in that notification/email is the final cost that would incur for you.

How can I contact Backpack if I have a question or complaint?

What payment options are available on Backpack?

Currently, we accept payments by PayPal, Bank Deposit, and bKash. We don’t do cash on delivery since it goes against our model of safety and reliability.

Is there any return policy for my purchased products?

We want the product you get to be original and undamaged as much as you do. We always take an extra step to make sure that you are happy and you can count on us. There isn’t any formal return system yet but for any obvious problem we’ll accommodate your request to the best of our abilities.

Can I cancel any request that I placed on Backpack?

Once you have confirmed a request by advancing the entire amount, you cannot cancel the request. Before making the payment, the deal is not confirmed and you can cancel the deal.

What is the estimated delivery time?

Typically it takes 2-3 weeks.

Can I request from any website through Backpack?

Yes, as long as the product meets the safety rules. If you can’t find an item via the search results, do a manual request.

What is SmartSearch?

Many times people don’t know from where they want to buy products. Our solution: Amazon API – just go to the Search page and type away in the search bar.

If you cannot find your item here, just find the link of it from any other website and manually request the item.

What does it mean when you say Backpack will hold the payment for the traveler till the delivery is complete?

It means Backpack will hold the payment for the traveler till the delivery is complete. Basically, Backpack acts as an escrow and keeps the money in its corporate account.

Where do the shopper and traveler meet?

It is generally decided through the chat that they have on Backpack’s site. Typically you meet at a convenient location such as a cafe or a restaurant.