Mini ''''convenience store'''' debuts in Hangzhou taxi

From January 10, 2018, passengers in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, can shop in some of the city's taxis, Qianjiang Evening News reported.

A Beijing-based retail company has teamed up with Hangzhou Taxi Group to put grocery shelves inside taxis.

A screenshot shows the 'Mobile Go' shelf inside a car. [Screenshot: xiaojubianli.com]

The portable 'Mobile Go' shelves allow passengers to scan a barcode and pay for goods, including food, drinks, and emergency supplies, while taking a taxi.

Taxi drivers earn a percentage of the sales.

According to the Mobile Go website, replenishment is available at the company's over 100 partner stores across the city, and 100 yuan (around 15.50 USD) will be offered to taxi drivers for damaged goods every month.

So far, over 100 taxis have equipped with a 'portable supermarket,' and the number is expected to reach 2,000 by the middle of February, said Hangzhou Taxi Group.

An official with the group spoke highly of the program, saying it will provide both convenience for passengers and income for taxi drivers.

'On average, two out of every ten passengers will purchase something, and I estimate earning more than 200 yuan a day, with a profit of over 40 yuan,' taxi driver Lin Xiaoqin told Hangzhou Daily.

The program has received positive feedback from drivers and passengers, although some are worried about whether the service is legal.

Hangzhou transport authorities responded that no official orders prohibit such a business from operating, and the local market watchdog has begun work on regulating the emerging market.