Sex dolls are taboo, but what the Chinese get on demand can still make your eyes pop

Photo credit: Leiphone.

When it comes to sharing and on-demand services, there seems to be no limit to what goes around in the Chinese ethosphere. The authorities drew the line on a “girlfriend sharing” service with sex dolls this month, and the startup had to shut down. But there are plenty of other eyebrow-raising items that the Chinese share or buy second-hand online.

Here’s a look at the breadth of China’s sharing, renting, and on-demand services economy beyond the ubiquitous bike-sharing and ride-sharing.

Used underwear, anyone?

A commercial aircraft sold on second-hand goods marketplace Xianyu. Photo credit: Tech in Asia.

The Chinese are digging into their own treasure troves to offer their neighbors a share of what they loved but grew tired of. Xianyu, roughly translated as “idle and excess,” is an app where users can pass around all kinds of second-hand or unused items. Apart from the regular used clothes and shoes, there are also more intimate items such as lipsticks, underwear (worn once), or even rare pets like centipedes. And what’s being sold aren’t just consumer goods: here you can also find a pink diamond, which sold for US$1.15 million; a full-size commercial aircraft, which sold for a bargain at US$76,000, and a lock of long hair, which sold for US$455.

Apart from the eclectic and personal, there are also apps that offer more functional utilities. If you forget your umbrella on a rainy day, there’s an app that will locate for you the nearest place to borrow an umbrella. Or on a day when your phone is almost out of battery, you can use an app to find the closest charging hub available.

Shared living

Co-living spaces are gaining ground in all major cities around the world. With rents in big cities becoming increasingly unaffordable for young Chinese, many are turning to shared living spaces. And they have plenty of variety to choose from.

A popular option is a youth condo, a product akin to a nicely furnished youth hostel. For a rent lower than that of a regular apartment, one can have a small room of 20 to 30 square meters, in addition to the much larger shared area where residents can relax and mingle around a pool table in the lobby, lounging chairs and sofas, and also use a kitchen. It is often branded as a lifestyle choice where professionals can expand their social circle rather than just a place to go to for cheap rent. Among the popular ones in China is You+, a co-living space backed by Xiaomi’s founder Lei Jun.

See: How Chinese unicorn Tujia altered the Airbnb model

Pedestrians walking in Pudong, where Shanghai’s finance district is located. Photo credit: wangsong / 123RF.

Another form of shared living space is co-renting, but with total strangers. Zuber, a subletting app, allows users to find roommates and sign legally binding contracts with them. Renters can list their preference for roommates – from gender and occupation to personality types and horoscopes.

Real estate agent Lianjia has also stepped into the co-living space market by managing sublets for landlords. For example, they will subdivide a four-bedroom flat into four units, each with an electronic lock mounted on the bedroom door. Tenants sign leases with Lianjia and share the kitchen and bathroom with other sub-letters.

On-demand services

Time-savers

Shared Knowledge