Savvy

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[JhiNResH @JhiNResH]

You bookmark posts. Then you bury them.

I have 100+ saved travel and food posts. I've opened maybe 10.

So I spent my nights and weekends shipping @savvysave_ , an app that turns saved posts from any app into places you can actually find nearby.

But one question kept bugging me the whole time:

why use an app when agents can already save things for you?

Take me as an example. I barely bookmark anymore. I just send posts to my agent. I only bookmark when I want to understand something first.

So I tested it. Three versions in a few months:

1. A map app with a drawer. 10 users tried it. They all said they'd keep using it. The data said otherwise. Retention tanked.
2. A navbar version, then a single home screen with a few buttons. Cleaner, same problem.
3. I almost built a trip planner inside the app, then found research showing people don't want agents planning their trips.

Saving was never the problem. Using it was. What users want after saving is a smooth trip, not another list.

The moment I really needed help wasn't at home scrolling. It was on the ground when I first landed China:

- Unable to pay
- Unable to claim coupons
- Unable to receive verification codes
- Unable to scroll X without a stable VPN

And I speak Mandarin. If you don't, I'm guessing it gets worse:

- The best local spots live on Rednote, written in Chinese. English guides barely scratch the surface.
- Talking to shops, whether you're buying something or ordering food, is a struggle.
- Getting a ride is hard.
- Trains sell out, and top sights need reservations that are often fully booked.

This is my fifth shot at fixing how we find good places. I used to think the problem was reviews: fake ratings and shops paying for praise everywhere. This time I'm starting where it actually hurts.

Next step:
I'm building a guide agent inside the Savvy app for travelers who don't speak Mandarin, to get you through the moments when China's apps lock you out.

DM me if you want early access.
What's the most painful thing you've experienced traveling in China? Or if you're heading there soon, would you use an app like this?