In taxis, passengers can now scan a QR code to directly purchase snacks and drinks, or enjoy massage services... These new features are being piloted in taxis across multiple cities. According to a May 20 report by Beijing Youth Daily, some taxi drivers have expressed that they can earn a share of the profits, netting enough to cover a month's food expenses; while some passengers worry whether such sales activities might affect driving safety.

Discovery Convenience stores and massage chairs in taxis A passenger surnamed Huang from Shenzhen recently hailed a taxi on her way to work that had a "Kangaroo" logo on its body. It turned out to be a vehicle equipped with an in-car convenience store. After getting in, she sat in the back seat as usual and saw a transparent compartmentalized bag filled with various snacks, containing over a dozen snacks and drinks such as soda, chips, and dried pork slices. Above the bag was a QR code, prompting passengers to scan, select, and pay for snacks.

Having not yet had breakfast, Ms. Huang scanned the QR code on the bag and entered the "gogo+" interface. She selected a pack of mixed nuts, a Mother's brand beef stick, and a bottle of Nescafé coffee, paid 25 yuan via WeChat, and her breakfast was settled in the car.

"It's very convenient. Although the variety is limited, shopping and eating in the car suits the fast-paced life of big cities," Ms. Huang said. She added that due to frequent overtime, she is used to waking up late, and mornings are extremely tight; she even does her makeup on the way to work. If she can have breakfast on the go, it's a great option for her.

Besides in-car convenience stores, a passenger surnamed Xiao Hao from Chengdu discovered another new feature during a taxi ride—a massage chair. Xiao Hao recently took a taxi to the airport. After getting in, he habitually sat in the front passenger seat. As soon as he sat down, he felt the seat "move," "similar to a massage sensation, and then after a few seconds, it stopped. I noticed that the front passenger seat had been modified into a massage chair," Xiao Hao told Beijing Youth Daily reporter.

The driver then pointed to an advertisement in front of Xiao Hao that read: "Scan WeChat to enjoy travel massage." The prices were: "Wake the Body" 5 minutes for 3 yuan, "Promote Blood Flow" 12 minutes for 5 yuan, and "Relax Muscles and Bones" 20 minutes for 8 yuan. After scanning the QR code, Xiao Hao chose the "Relax Muscles and Bones" massage, paid 8 yuan online, and enjoyed the massage throughout the ride.

Xiao Hao told the reporter that the massage chair is actually a massage pad added to the front passenger seat, which can massage the neck, back, and thighs in all directions, and it felt very comfortable. Regarding whether it affects passengers' ability to fasten seat belts, Xiao Hao said: "I don't think it's a big deal. It's just an added pad; the seat belt and everything else remain unchanged."

Follow-up Taxi drivers earn 1,000-2,000 yuan net per month from selling snacks Chen Yanjun, head of the gogo+ Car Bar platform, told Beijing Youth Daily that the company launched this project to increase taxi drivers' income and improve their service quality. The difference between the purchase price and the selling price of goods goes entirely to the driver, yielding about 20%-30% profit.

In Chen's view, every operating vehicle (taxi, ride-hailing car) can be transformed into a mobile boutique. These vehicles have shelves inside to display products, and the trunk is equipped with a cargo box allowing drivers to replenish goods at any time. Some are even equipped with refrigerators to store products, meeting passengers' needs for snacks, drinks, and daily necessities during travel. They source goods from primary suppliers and then arrange automatic replenishment cabinets at taxi charging stations, making it convenient for drivers to stock up without delaying work; they complete the replenishment process during charging breaks.

Data from gogo+ shows that since the project's launch in October 2016, more and more drivers have benefited. The highest monthly sales per vehicle increased from 6,000 yuan to 15,000 yuan and then to 29,000 yuan. In October 2017, a driver first exceeded 100,000 yuan in annual sales. Currently, the driver with the most transactions has completed 4,427 orders, earning an annual income of over 100,000 yuan. According to gogo+ data, the average income of drivers trained through gogo+ is 1,000-2,000 yuan. One driver said: "The money earned is enough for a month's food, and it's pure profit. I'm very satisfied."

It is reported that gogo+ Car Bar has also achieved technology for instant settlement of principal, profit, and fare, with no withdrawal rules like ride-hailing systems; passenger payments are credited instantly.

Voices Passengers think a massage in the car is "not expensive" Beijing Youth Daily contacted the taxi driver surnamed Yang who drove Xiao Hao. Yang introduced that the massage chair had been installed for just a week, but many people scan the code to try it every day. "Today, I've already had seven people try it. Passengers find it novel and not expensive." Yang said that the QR code is bound to the vehicle. Each time a passenger scans and pays, 25% of the amount goes to the driver, 25% to the taxi company, and 50% to the service provider. "In the past week, I've earned about 10-20 yuan per day."

It is reported that the massage chair is still in the promotion stage. Currently, only 20 pilot vehicles in Chengdu, belonging to the taxi company Yang works for, have been equipped with massage chairs, and drivers do not need to pay for the installation. However, from the company's official website, Beijing Youth Daily learned that the actual cost to modify one vehicle is about 30,000 yuan. Data from a Shanghai car rental company's test of 1,000 vehicles in September 2017 showed that drivers earned a monthly profit of 225 yuan each, while the vehicle company earned a profit of 45,000 yuan.

Controversy Some passengers worry that drivers promoting products may affect safety However, after the appearance of in-car convenience stores, some passengers have expressed concerns: "The smaller the volume of a moving vehicle, the greater the potential safety hazard. Will drivers be distracted by promoting products, affecting traffic safety?" In response, Chen Yanjun told Beijing Youth Daily: "I think we should let facts speak. We've been doing this for over two years, and there hasn't been a single safety accident caused by sales or driver-passenger communication."

Some passengers also questioned the value of a third-party platform, saying, "Why do we need a third-party platform to sell things in taxis? Couldn't drivers just buy goods directly and sell them?" In response, Chen introduced: "We have also launched the 'gogo+ Business School' project, which provides drivers with etiquette training, service training, sales training, and skills training to improve their service quality and help them increase income."

In addition to selling products, gogo+ Car Bar also has functions like "Online Mall" and "Driver Reservation." The online mall functions like e-commerce; after customers order fruits, fresh produce, daily necessities, and skincare products, drivers can also earn a share. The driver reservation function allows passengers to directly select a designated driver for their service.

Beijing Youth Daily saw that in the "Personal Center" of gogo+ Car Bar, selecting the "Reserve Driver" function allows users to enter departure time, origin, and destination, and then choose a driver who has served them before. "The most valuable resource for taxis is actually passengers, but we have rarely done retention work. The emergence of gogo+ Car Bar just fills this gap for each taxi."

Outlook No unified regulatory policy for in-car convenience stores yet Currently, besides gogo+ Car Bar, there are other in-car convenience store projects such as Moji Bian and Wangwang Bianli. Among them, Moji Bian has received investment from GSR Ventures and other investors.

However, vehicle expansion is the biggest challenge for all companies, especially as some taxi companies have suspended operations of vehicles equipped with in-car convenience stores due to policy considerations.

In response, staff from passenger transport taxi management offices in Shanghai, Wuhan, and other cities said that there are currently no clear regulations, and how to manage them is still under study. Some taxi companies in Shenzhen stated that such business activities are not allowed, and violations will be penalized. Meanwhile, several taxi companies in Wuhan expressed that, as long as safe driving and passenger rights are not affected, they encourage relevant departments to install such unattended vending racks in taxis to meet passenger needs and increase taxi drivers' income.

Financial Observation Taxi drivers' side businesses should not lose sight of the main goal Travel, as a high-frequency scenario, has always attracted entrepreneurs and investors. Taking taxis as an example, besides in-car convenience stores and massage chairs, there are also profitable projects like in-car TV ads and in-car Wi-Fi. Some taxi drivers say that their income sources are single, and due to the impact of new things like ride-hailing and shared bicycles, their income has declined to some extent. Adding some convenience facilities in the car not only benefits passengers but also increases their own income, and has almost no impact on driving—killing two birds with one stone.

Zhu Xiaohu, managing director of GSR Ventures, which invested in the in-car convenience store project, said when discussing the project that for new retail, he is optimistic about two directions: one is high-tech empowering traditional retail; the other is using an extremely light model to quickly reach at least hundreds of thousands of retail outlets; otherwise, it's hard to say what impact it will have on the industry landscape. Clearly, he believes that the in-car convenience store project can influence the traditional retail industry landscape.

However, the characteristics of operating vehicles, the small space, and the special attributes of food products make all parties cautious. Currently, no taxi management authority has taken an encouraging stance; many have explicitly expressed "opposition," and at best, others have a "default" attitude.

Some passengers believe that operating vehicles have higher safety requirements, but these installations occupy the already limited interior space and may change the vehicle's layout, affecting the safety of drivers and passengers. For example, installing shelves may take up part of the rear seats, or installing a massage pad on the front passenger seat may affect seat belts, airbags, and other facilities, posing certain safety hazards.

Some passengers bluntly state that the main purpose of these new installations is sales, and drivers inevitably get distracted—some may promote products, others may need to watch over the goods—laying hidden dangers for operational safety. Instead of trying various side businesses, it's better to focus on the main business of safety and not lose sight of the bigger picture.

Source: Beijing Youth Daily -END-