A new service calls Grabr connects people abroad who need things from their home country with fellow travelers willing to bring it to them. (For a fee of a few bucks.)

It's like a reputation-based peer-to-peer courier service. Or maybe it's like Uber, but for package delivery. 

When my iPhone got stolen in Spain last year, I sent for another one, which took too long and which subjected me to paying a massive fee levied by the Spanish government. It arrived after I left Spain and had to be sent back to the US. Long story short: The international mail system can fail to get you what you want when you want it. 

Maybe Grabr can do better.