Will Cargo Supplement Convenience Stores?
Probably not, but the mobile convenience store is just one example of new ways to target drivers and passengers.
Jun 13, 2018 | 1 min read
DALLAS – Convenience is a huge part of what drives people to stop by convenience stores. By partnering with ride-hailing companies such as Lyft and Uber, Cargo aims to bring the convenience store directly to riders, Wired reports.
Cargo places energy drinks, over-the-counter medications, candy bars, chips, phone chargers and other snacks in the ride-hail driver’s vehicle for passengers to purchase via a smartphone app. Drivers receive a commission for each sale. Cargo, which wants to be in 20,000 vehicles by the end of 2018, operates in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, New York and Washington, D.C.
This week, Cargo debuted Grab&Go in Sinagpore, partnering with Grab, a ride-hail service. Cargo markets itself as a way for drivers to bring home an additional $200 a month by selling snacks and giving out free beauty product samples. Cargo recently inked an agreement with The Coca-Cola Company to stock Coke products.
Cargo is just one innovation aiming to monetize drive time. Telenav would target drivers and passengers with in-vehicle advertisements, for example. “People are becoming passengers. What are they going to do with that time?” said James Bellefeuille, founder and COO of Vugo, a company that provides in-car entertainment options.
