Umbrellas And Washing Machines: The New Sharing Trend

27/05/2017

Image: IC

​chinaurbanisationnews

China's lack of regulated environment has led to the emergence of urban innovations one after another. Apart from public bikes, residents in China now have other shared equipment ready to hand: public umbrellas and washing machines.

12 umbrella rental brands (image: Sohu.com)

Umbrella Sharing
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The umbrella-sharing system is intended for citizens who forget to bring umbrellas in an unexpectedly rainy or scorching day. Currently, public umbrellas are either fixed on certain stands near to metro stations, shopping malls, campus, office buildings and theaters, or hanging on the street guardrails with smart locks attached.  

According to YNET.com, over 100,000 umbrellas have been released into the urban realm across China. Construction of umbrella stands is under way. A dozen of enterprises have joined the umbrella-sharing competition, including Molisan and Esan, as reported by ce.cn, 

​However, there are no existing regulations on the deployment of such umbrellas. According to a Chengguan director in Lujiazhui, Pudong new district, Shanghai, he hasn't received any application from umbrella rental businesses to put umbrellas on the streets, or instructions from the senior authority to confiscate those products. Currently, the authority is negotiating with relevant enterprises. 

Image: Chinaz.com

​Molisan, China's first umbrella rental start-up based in Shanghai, uses cabinets to store umbrellas between rains. It has launched trials in metro systems of Guangzhou, China’s third largest city, and Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, with each umbrella charging a 20 yuan (US$2.90) deposit payable via WeChat, according to the Information Times. The rental period is 15 days, which renters can renew for three additional days after which they will be charged a late penalty of 0.5 yuan per day.

E San's umbrellas are seen hanging from street guardrails. (image: People.cn)

​E San, one of the latest favorites of venture financiers, provide umbrellas with location technology that are usually hanging from roadside fences. The umbrellas feature a small solar panel underneath a QR scan code, which can be used to charge the positioning chip. Each umbrella has a coded lock that, whenever it starts to rain, can be opened with a swipe of a QR code by passersby with smartphones. Customers pay a 19 yuan deposit and 0.5 yuan per half-hour of use. Charging begins after the umbrella has been opened for 30 seconds, and suspended when the umbrella is shut. A minimum account balance of RMB 9 is required after registration.

Zhao Shuping, founder of Yisan Technology, said that since May 17, E San has deployed 20,000 umbrellas in Shenzhen, and plans to gradually expand to other first-tier cities to deploy umbrellas at a density of one for every 10 city residents. Zhao said that by the end of 2017, the company plans to have more than 30 mln shared umbrellas in first- and second-tier Chinese cities, and that it expects to reach 50 mln umbrellas by this time in 2018.

Image: mt.sohu.com

​Zhao said that its average umbrella costs RMB 90 to produce. He also pointed out that each umbrella is able to generate advertising revenues for the company. Each umbrella has approximately 10 places on which advertisements may be placed. The umbrellas feature UV protection, and second-generation umbrellas will also include MP4 playback capabilities. San umbrellas are also designed to act like canes, easy for citizens especially the senior to support themselves.

So far, the E San app has nearly 80,000 registered users in Shenzhen. Zhao estimates that the company will recover its umbrella deployment costs after approximately 30 rainy days, and that each umbrella will have a lifespan of about one year. 

Read the original article at en.people.cn, Caixin and South China Morning Post
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A set of washing machines in Shanghai's streets with a trial price of 40 Yuan for 18kg dirty clothes, and 20 Yuan for 8 kg. Also citizens can dry their clothes there for 18 kg clothes with only 10 Yuan during the trial operation period. Image: Xinhuanet.com

Washing Machine Sharing

Similarly, shared washing machines are also starting to serve the public in China's major cities.

This phenomenon is a foray into China's electric home appliances industry in consideration of increasing laundry demands from migrants. students, people frequently on business.

Guides on how to use a sharing Haier machine. (image: mediaman.com.cn)

​For instance, Haier has been cooperating with over 600 Chinese universities and 100 hotels to provide shared laundry services.

​The Haier Laundry app has 2 main functions: the laundry appointment service and the laundry pick-up service.The former regulates self-service laundry procedures by setting up appointments, informing about operation times and facilitating payments. By means of the laundry pick-up service the user can order a laundry pick-up service coming to the user’s home to deliver the laundry to the launderette. The APP will inform the user, when the laundry is finished. Both functions free the user from bothersome waiting hours and make the self-service laundry more convenient.

Read the original article at China.org.cn, Mediaman and Bank.stockstar.com
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Singapore's public bike parking zone, an example to follow (image: Singapore Land Transport Authority)

Improved Bike-sharing Management

Back to public bikes, the Ministry of Transport has recently began to solicit public opinion on draft rules requiring local governments to better manage bike-sharing and arrange orderly parking.

The draft states that parking zones should be established around major transportation hubs, shopping areas and office blocks and the parking of shared bikes should be supervised and orderly. The draft also requires construction of cycle ways and suggests the bike-sharing sector should use real-name registration. In addition, children under the age of 12 are forbidden from riding shared bikes and shared electric bikes are banned.

Read the original article at Xinhua

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