The “sharing economy” has been a buzzword in China this past year, and with countless business opportunities following it. Bikes, cars, and portable power banks are all now “shareable” and have drawn investors to pour money into related startups.
Here are five things that startups in China are looking into and are hoping to make money from.
Umbrellas
If you live in a city with lots of rainy days, this is something that might come in handy for you. Molisan, an umbrella rental startup, has just began trial operations in Guangzhou where it placed umbrellas for rental in public spaces such as subway stations and shopping malls.
Users are able to rent umbrellas at an affordable rate with a deposit of RMB 20 (USD 2.90), and can return it at designated stations. Users have to pay a deposit of RMB 20, but for those who have Sesame Credit scores of over 600 can receive a deposit waiver.
Basketball
Yes, you can share basketballs in China too.
Zhulegeqiu, a basketball rental startup, provides sports lovers another way to gear up. The startup places rental machines in basketball courts, and has reportedly received tens of millions in RMB for its pre-Series A financing round.
Pet sitting
Now, your pets can stay at “Airbnb for pets” while you are away. Dogs can stay at real homes provided by other dog loving sitters. DogVacay, Xiaogaozaijia and Petbnb are all pet sitting platforms connecting dog owners. Some even provide dog walking services.
Clothes
Fancy clothes and accessories can be a great financial burden for those young professionals who need to look smart at work. Clothes rental startups are emerging in China as young women look for more outfit options.
YCLOSET, MSPARIS and NAIVE are startups that provide clothes rental services targeting young females. YCLOSET for instance, charges users a monthly fee and allow them to rent as many outfits as they wish to.
Parking
It can be hard to find a parking space in China’s major cities, so a few startups came up with this idea to provide shared parking space services.
Wushetingche, an app developed by Hangzhou Yunguanjia, received millions in RMB for its angel financing round this month. It connects drivers to share parking spaces primarily in Hangzhou.
(Top photo from 58pic.com)