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2017 was a big year for the sharing economy but the flourish was just a flash in the pan for some bike sharing startups. According to Xinhua, around six bike sharing brands have left the Chinese market since the start of 2017, and the mishaps seems to have had repercussions for the industry overseas too.
Established in April 2017, GoBee.Bike monopolized the Hong Kong market. To start a scan-and-ride journey, users just need to pay 390 Hong Kong dollars (HKD) (50 US dollars) deposit and spend 5 HKD (60 US cents) per half-hour ride.
Hong Kong bike sharing pioneer GoBee.Bike has stopped all its operations in France due to mass destruction, vandalism and theft, according to Agence France-Presse.
The French press cited the company, saying that over 1,000 bikes had been stolen and almost 3,400 damaged around France, with around 300 police complaints filed and 6,500 repairs needed.
As one of the main Asian bike sharing operators geared toward American and European markets, GoBee.Bike was brought to France in the fourth quarter of 2017 and shortly accumulated 150,000 customers. However, even that amount of users could not help the company survive the ferocious competition in Europe.
In January this year, GoBee.Bike also stopped its service in Belgium and last week withdrew from Italy for the same reasons. The company said that around 60 percent of its fleet has been vandalized and stolen in its European market.
Besides for suspending operations, its mobile phone app reportedly has been inactive and its bikes have been removed from the streets of their online map. Users can claim their deposit and any outstanding balance back in 10working days.
GoBee’s exit leaves Paris with Singapore’s oBike, China’s ofo and thousands of orange Mobikes available.
(CGTN)
