Need a snack on the go, but find yourself racing down the street in an Uber on your way to work? It’s happened to the best of us. But as more and more ride sharing cars adopt mini vending services, you may soon find yourself shopping on your next ride.
CNN reports about the New York based startup called Cargo that works with ride-hailing drivers to sell all sorts of sundries. From snacks to beverages and even beauty products, Cargo aims to offer riders all those last minute items they may need while getting to where they’re going. Riders can order “Grab&Go” items through their phone and just add the total cost to their fare charge. Cargo CEO Jeff Cripe explains, “All of us spend so much time in ride-share vehicles that it felt like there should be a way to innovate on that experience.”
The new service can be a nice incentive for drivers as well, offering as much as an extra $190 a month if they work with Cargo. Each time a rider buys an item or even takes a free sample offered from Cargo, the driver makes a little extra money on that trip. Plus, if customers are pleased with the option to shop, drivers may be given a more favorable rating. Cripe explains the benefit to drivers saying, “They take no financial risk upfront," Cripe said. "All that inventory is provided for free.”
The Cargo service is already working independently with thousands of Lyft and Uber drivers around the country. And they recently partnered with a ride sharing service called Grab in Singapore. The company is aiming to reach 25 million customers in 20,000 vehicles by the end of this year.
What do you think of ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft offering items for purchase?
Do you think you would shop inside an Uber?
I think it's just a ploy to make more money, probably not a bad idea, as long as they keep it under control and decent prices. I would worry about freshness of the products as well. If overpriced I wouldn't buy anything. But I dont use uber or Lyft, I have my own vehicle.