parcel storage operator cainiao began experimenting on thursday with contactless food and grocery delivery at an office building in jing'an district.
one user of the new service, an office worker surnamed liu, received a call from a deliveryman about an hour after he ordered food online.
"sometimes i'm in a meeting and won't be able to meet the delivery staff. this way, i don't have to go downstairs in a hurry and can pick up takeaway whenever it's suitable for me," he said.
zhou xiaohong, general manager of cainiao's smart locker service in shanghai, said the company hopes to offer pickup services for all kinds of parcels, including takeaway food and groceries, as demand for delivery has boomed in recent weeks.
cainiao's smart lockers usually only store parcels purchased from e-commerce sites.
the company hopes to expand the trial scheme to include delivery from offline supermarkets and restaurants, but did not mention when such services will be available in other parts of the city.
