There are many shared power banks to choose from in the public spaces like restaurants and shopping malls.
Nowadays, smartphones are always in our hands and many services such as making payments, ordering taxis, and using map applications to find a route are done online.
So if your smartphone is running out of battery life, it can become a major crisis.
Fortunately, shared power banks are now available on local streets, in shops, and in transport hubs.
How do you use a shared power bank? City News Service provides you detailed information so that you can easily borrow one when you have a battery crisis.
Steps:
1. Find a nearby shared power bank rental station
Shared power bank rental stations are usually set up at public places such as shopping malls, restaurants, fruit stores , and Metro stations. You can search for major brands such as Meituan, Energy Monster, Jiedian, Xiaodian, and Soudian through the mobile application market, or search keywords such as "充电宝" or "充电宝租借" or "充电宝附近" in WeChat, or Alipay mini application to find the nearest station.
2. Scan the QR code at the rental station
Scan the QR code posted on the power bank cabinet using WeChat or Alipay, then you will be redirected to the rental page of the shared power bank.
Shot by Ke Jiayun.
3. Choose a power bank and pay a deposit
On the rental page, you can check the remaining power of the power bank, rental price, deposit, and other information.
Please read the relevant terms carefully and select a shared power bank to borrow.
Next, you need to pay the corresponding deposit which varies depending on the brand, generally between 50 to 200 yuan.
After successful payment, the system will allocate a power bank to you.
4. Take the power bank and charge your device
After paying the deposit, you can pick up your power bank from the power bank cabinet. Please follow the instructions on the cabinet and gently pull out the power bank. Then you can use it to charge your device.
5. Return the power bank and receive your deposit back
Please return the power bank to any station of the same brand after use.
The amount you need to pay depends on how long you use the power bank. The price varies with different brands and even for the same brand, the price can vary in different places.
In traditional tourist attraction like Yuyuan Garden, shared power bank respectively charged 8 and 6 yuan an hour, most power banks in this area charged 4 to 5 yuan per hour and the price cap was 40 to 50 yuan.
At local landmark Xintiandi, the hourly price of shared power banks mainly ranged from 3 to 7 yuan and the daily price cap was 20 to 50 yuan. In suburban areas, the price seem to be a little bit lower. In Qibao old street area, Minhang District, the price mainly ranges from 1 to 4 yuan an hour with price cap of 10 to 40 yuan.
During the return process, please ensure that the power bank is turned off and properly inserted into the cabinet.
The system will automatically refund your deposit after you return it to the bank. The specific refund time varies depending on the payment method, but is generally within 1 to 7 working days.
Tips:
Choose the appropriate power bank accordingly. Common charging ports on the market include Type-C, Lightning, and Micro USB.
Please abide by the relevant safety regulations and do not disassemble, repair, or modify the power bank without permission. If you find that there is a safety hazard in the power bank, please stop using it immediately and contact the brand customer service.
Make sure that the power bank is returned intact. If it is damaged or lost, you may be liable for compensation.
Do remember to return to a rental station of the same brand.
When paying the deposit, be sure to choose a safe payment method to avoid sharing personal information or encountering fraud. If you encounter payment problems, please contact the payment platform customer service for help.
Moreover, if you have a USB cable and plug with you, you can go to cafes, restaurants, or stores to ask if you can charge your smartphone for free.
At local transportation hubs, railway stations, and airports, there are also stations for a free charging service.