Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions

Key Terms

Welcome to HitchHiker Inc. "shopper", "Recipient", or "Orderer" means a member who requests from a Traveler to send an item (or items) via the Application or a member who ships an item via a Traveler.

"Traveler" means a member who lists their travel origin and destination via the Application for shoppers to inquire with. Timezone: All Time zones indicate the local timezone of the Traveler’s departure city or arrival city.

Description of Hitchhiker

Hitchhiker app is an app which can be downloaded from hitchhiker.io as iOS or Android versions, both published by Hitchhiker Inc. (collectively, Collectively, "HitchHiker", "we", and "us"). Each such website and mobile application is referred to in this Terms of Use as a Purpose of Hitchhiker.

Hitchhiker is a platform that facilitates and supports peer to peer shipping services involving shoppers and travelers. You must create an account first on Hitchhiker in order to use our Service. Once you create an account, you can post your shipment as a shopper or a trip as a traveler.

How to establish a Hitchhiker account

You must be at least eighteen (18) or older to be a member. When you register to become a Member, you will be asked to create an account profile that contains certain information about yourself. As you complete the registration process, you will be asked to attest:

1. That the information you provide about yourself is correct
2. That in case the information changes, you will revise the information within your account profile to keep it correct
3. That you have read the Hitchhiker Terms of Use, Hitchhiker Privacy Policy, HitchHiker FAQ’s and agree to be bound by them.

Managing your Hitchhiker Account

If your account has been hacked or you suspect strange activity on your account, please notify Hitchhiker at support@hitchhiker.io to shut it down as you are responsible for all the actions taken in the name of your account.

Fees for delivery services automatically calculated & suggested by Hitchhiker, also the shopper have the option to increase the suggested reward in a certain range set by Hitchhiker.

Taking delivery of an item

Hitchhiker strongly suggests that meetings between shopper & traveler should take place in public locations.

Risk of Loss of an Item

When a traveler carries a shipment, it's the responsibility of the shopper if the shipment is lost so long the traveler is taking good care of the shipment. In other words, if the shipment is inside the checked bag of a traveler and got lost, it's the responsibility of the Airline and not the traveler and in this case traveler will be asked to present a legal evidence of luggage lost. However if the bag is not lost or stolen and Traveler admitted loss of items, it's the responsibility of traveler to pay back the shopper's money and not Hitchhiker.

Safety violation

In case you feel that the shipment is lost due to negligence of the traveler, please contact us at support@hitchhiker.io and we will investigate this matter and get back to you. We will insure the shipment up to $1000 against theft within 14-45 days of investigation.

Prohibited items

Travelers should always inspect what is inside the package. We strongly recommend that travelers don't accept any closed package for both parties safety. Shoppers and travelers must comply with the country's regulations regarding customs and imported goods.

• Knives, police batons, and other weapons.
• Aerosols and flammable liquids.
• Batteries.
• Any item that is prohibited by law in the place of origin, the destination, or any jurisdiction through which the item will be transported.
• Any product or item related to illegal activities, such as the production of illegal drugs.
• Illegal Drugs.
• Live Animals.
• Firearms, ammunition, explosives.
• Human remains.
• Stolen property.
• Counterfeit goods or currency.
• Sex Toys and it's Related products .
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Dangerous Goods as defined by IATA.

Any item which is not supported by Hitchhiker Application and no corresponding clear category for it inside the application category menu also consider as prohibited item.

Changes of these Terms of Use

Hitchhiker may change these Terms of Use at any time. When that happens, Hitchhiker will mark the Terms of Use with the date on which they were most recently updated.

The Role of Hitchhiker in Any Transaction

• Hitchhiker is acting as a gateway to connect shoppers who want to ship their shipments faster & cheaper with travelers who have empty spaces in their luggage and are willing to deliver these shipments for the shoppers.
• Hitchhiker has no responsibility for any party's performance of its obligations in that transaction.
• Hitchhiker is not an owner nor operator of transportation services, nor is Hitchhiker or its employees ever in possession of items.
• Hitchhiker does not provide any logistics capabilities or services.
• Hitchhiker is not a shipping company.
• Hitchhiker is not a logistics company.
• Hitchhiker staff or employees, or affiliates do not ship the items.
• Hitchhiker connects Travelers and shoppers.

shoppers terms

Matchmaking steps

1. shopper post his/her shipment and supply all and correct information about it (origin, destination, weight, picture, price, category)
2. If you can't find the corresponding category of the item, unfortunately this means that HitchHiker doesn't support such item and you can't use our service to get that item.
3. shopper either requests a certain traveler to deliver his shipment or wait for the App notifications
4. shopper gets accepted by a traveler or accept a travelers request
5. Once a shopper gets accepted he will be asked to pay travelers reward + hitchhiker fee and hitchhiker holds the money until delivery of the shipment to the destination
6. in order to be able to access chat
7. Chat box is opened and both parties discuss 2 main things
• Pickup location
• Place of delivery in the destination ( we suggest that the receiver meets the traveler in either the Airport or travelers hotel/hostel/home
8. Shopper orders the item online and must ask for signature delivery while ordering his items to prove delivery to the traveler
9. QR code is generated and can be shared with the traveler once you agree to receive your item and is considered an evidence of delivery and approval of items are in good condition.
10. Traveler updates the status of the shipment till delivery
11. Traveler scans the QR code from the receiver mobile.

Shoppers are obligated to pay any custom duties paid in the airport by the traveler (requires a proper signed document from the authorities as a proof of payment)

the shopper pays the Hitchhiker commission which is mentioned once adding a shipment with correct information. in addition to Payment gateway fees “transaction fees” which up to 2.9% + 0.30 Cents.

Hitchhiker limited liability

Hitchhikers only roles in the transaction between shopper and traveler are

• To connect shopper with traveler, to enable shopper and traveler to voluntarily enter into the transaction on terms of their own choosing
• To provide limited dispute resolution services.

Hitchhiker shall not be responsible for any customs or import problems that may arise from the transaction, or for any loss, injury, or damage that either shopper or traveler may experience in connection with or arising out of the transaction. Travelers should be aware that confirming a deal in app means they are fully responsible for receiving the package either at home or in a mailbox and if the package is lost, Hitchhiker shall not be responsible and traveler should reimburse the item's price.

Travelers terms

Matchmaking steps

1. Traveler posts his trip and supply all the information about it ( origin, destination, free weight, dates )
2. Traveler either requests a certain shopper to deliver his shipment or wait for the App notifications.
3. Travelers get accepted by a shopper or accept a shoppers request.
4. Once a traveler accepts a shipment, shopper will be able to pay for traveler reward and hitchhiker holds the money until delivery of the traveler’s last shipment to the destination.
5. Chat box is opened and both parties discuss 2 main things:

• Pickup location(traveler address)
• Place of delivery in the destination (we suggest that the receiver meets the traveler in either the Airport or travelers hotel/hostel/home)

1. shopper pays online (in app) the prize and hitchhiker holds the money until delivery of the shipment to the destination
2. QR code is generated and shared to the receiver.
3. Traveler updates the status of the shipment till delivery.
4. Traveler scans the QR code from the shopper’s mobile.
5. Money will be transferred to travelers bank account in 7-10 business days
6. Travelers should update their bank account information to be able to receive their payments.
7. Hitchhiker will send the prize to the traveler minus the fees of transfer which will be $3 + 5% of the total reward amount.

Hitchhiker limited liability

Hitchhikers only roles in the transaction between shopper and traveler are

• To connect shopper with traveler, to enable shopper and traveler to voluntarily enter into the transaction on terms of their own choosing
• To provide limited dispute resolution services.

Hitchhiker shall not be responsible for any customs or import problems that may arise from the transaction, or for any loss, injury, or damage that either shopper or traveler may experience in connection with or arising out of the transaction.

Customs’ Duties/Taxes and Regulations

Customs’ Duties are legally the taxes applied on shipments, items or any kind of stuff accompanied by travelers/passengers or imported from abroad to the country where the receiver is located. These duties/taxes are declared and/or applied based on policies and regulations issued by the country where the items/stuff land on. It varies by one country to another, and mostly could be obtained and read by customs governmental official websites through the internet. Consistently, the duty-free exemption is applied also on some accompanied items/stuff/products by travelers/passengers. 

HitchHiker is firmly committing to customs’ regulations and laws applied by counties worldwide stemming from its transparency in abiding by laws (domestically and internationally) wherefore, we are strongly recommending users to abide it respectfully to avoid misleading and failing in customs’ confiscations, penalties and sanctions by competent authorities.  

Prohibited and Restricted Items

HitchHiker is assertively recommending users for not purchasing, delivering or bringing out illegal and/or prohibited items/belongings violating countries’ customs’ laws. Also, both parties (shopper & travelers) must know and be acquainted with those kinds of items/products and its relevant regulations, consequences, and sanctions. Users can find and seek-to-know these regulations and prohibitions through customs governmental official websites and contacts (phone numbers, emails, etc.).

Shopper and Traveler Commitments toward Customs

HitchHiker is not fundamentally and/or decidedly the reason for customs' duties, penalties, and/or sanctions might be applied. The shopper and traveler should handle the customs’ duties/taxes with each other. Moreover, both parties can refer to HitchHiker in case of conflict or misinformation about duties paid. HitchHiker is not involved as a common gate in paying customs’ duties/taxes to or on behalf of parties.

If the shipment is processed through customs’ duties and regulations, we have to know the reason behind, so we can settle the issue equally between both parties. The following commitments should be applied by shoppers and travelers to avoid such incidents:

Shopper Commitments

• They should add the shipment’s details accurately and correctly into the application.
• They must comply with matchmaking rules
• They must not bring, deliver and/or receive prohibited items.
• They has to know about customs’ laws, regulations and rules before purchasing.
• They has not to bring many quantities from the same item’s category that may lead to commercial duties and regulations assessed by customs. HitchHiker is an application for personal use products/items not commercial ones.
• They should be obvious and transparent with the travelers about shipment’s details. Deception in those kinds of details is completely non-acceptable.

Otherwise, if the shopper is the reason behind customs’ duties/taxes assessed (must be abided and considered), he/she should pay the duties immediately. The shopper should ask the traveler about the customs’ duties/taxes receipts to be assured of customs’ duties paid, and he/she may refer to HitchHiker in case of requesting support in these issues.

Traveler Commitments

• They should ask the shopper about shipment’s details in case of vague and/or unclear details (particularly item description, weights, quantities, category and values).
• They must comply with matchmaking rules
• They should be wise about his/her personal stuff into the bag for avoiding mishandling of shoppers’ items and resulting in customs’ duties/taxes (ones which are not legally supposed to be applied on their shipments according to customs’ regulations and laws).
• They MUST not bring, deliver and/or receive prohibited items.
• They has to know about customs’ laws, regulations and rules before accepting any deal or purchasing.
• They has not to bring many quantities from the same item’s category that might lead to commercial duties and regulations assessed by customs. HitchHiker is an application for personal use products/items not commercial ones.

Unlike of these commitments and in case of the traveler is the common and main reason of customs’ duties/taxes assessed on shoppers’ items (ones which are not legally supposed to be applied on their shipments according to customs’ regulations and laws), the traveler will be the only person in charge of paying duties/taxes and not reimbursing the shoppers to pay him/her back. HitchHiker has the full-right to deduct the traveler rewards and pay it back to shoppers who set the common deals with him/her if the shoppers have been decisively and unjustly obliged by the traveler to pay duties/taxes.

HitchHiker Mediation/Support to Shopper and Traveler about Customs’ Incidents

HitchHiker is not fundamentally and/or decidedly the reason of customs’ duties, penalties, and/or sanctions might be applied. We can mediate and deliver a solid-support (if requested) to settle the situation for both parties based on certain and relevant details.

HitchHiker offers help and support to interfere between shopper and traveler in case of mishandling duties paid, providing information, zooming the distance between parties relying on reasons behind. HitchHiker supports usually in settling customs’ incidents requests within two to four business days. In other cases (complicated ones), it may take within twenty to thirty-five business days to be outputted.