The Russian taxi service Citymobil has launched in test mode a service for selling food during the trip.
In partnership with RideBar, Citymobil vehicles are equipped with containers of carbonated drinks and snacks for sale to taxi customers.
In order to use the minibar during the trip, the client needs to scan the QR code, or indicate the number of the box on the ridebar website and pay for the purchase online. A taxi driver will receive a notification of payment for the goods, who will hand over the order to the client.
The main suppliers of products for sale in taxis are mars brands и PepsiCo — в автомобилях продаются напитки, чипсы, шоколад, жевательная резинка и др. Цены на представленные в такси товары сопоставимы с ценами в супермаркетах: например, банка энергетического напитка Adrenaline Rush стоит 80 рублей, упаковка чипсов Lay’s — 30 рублей.
Thanks to the launch of the new service, Citymobil expects to increase customer loyalty and increase the average profitability for drivers, who will receive from 25% to 70% from the cost of goods from each purchase. To date, 100 Citymobil vehicles in the comfort class have been connected to the service. Based on the results of the pilot, the company will decide on the possible scaling of the project.
Similar services are currently available in the US, China and the UAE. In Europe, Moscow has become the first city in which taxi customers are offered online shopping on short trips.
