From Starbucks, doggy tags, to the nearest loo: Alipay’s mini programs have you covered
Part of the“Alipay’s Tech” series about the technology behind the world’s most popular non-social networking app and how we’re sharing it with partners
Alipay Mini Program officially launched in 2018, opening up the service to independent programmers and enterprises to create interesting and useful “lite apps” targeted at users of Alipay.
Through these mini programs, Alipay provides capabilities such as payment, marketing and risk management to third party partners, thus enhancing the overall experience for users. Furthermore, these mini programs can also be accessed from other services in the Alibaba ecosystem, such as the mobile web browser UC Browser and navigation app Amap.
There are now more than 160,000 of these mini programs, with more than 230 million people accessing them each day for a variety of functions. These include on-demand services such as housekeeping, home repairs, as well as those that allow users to lease office equipment and other electronics, KrAsia reported in March.
Here are a few that we think are pretty cool:
#1: Starbucks coffee at your finger tips
Alipay users can access Starbucks’ virtual store by just swiping downwards on the main page of the app, ordering items from macha lattes to custard flans to be delivered to their doorsteps.
It’s part of a long-standing partnership between Alibaba and the Seattle-based coffee chain, to deliver the “Starbucks Experience” to Chinese consumers anywhere, anytime they want it.
The Starbucks mini program can also be accessed from other apps in the Alibaba ecosystem, such as Taobao and Tmall, Alizila reported in December,
Accessing the virtual store through Alipay, customers can also collect and track their points in their “Starbucks Rewards” cards, as well as check out other promotions and benefits, such as special privileges on their birthdays.
#2 “Finding My Lost Pet” mini program
Earlier this year, a few Alibaba engineers got together to come up with a mini program targeted at pet owners.
After seeing the many “Missing Pet” posters in their neighbourhood, they figured there was a much better way to make sure everyone’s beloved animals make it home safely. (They’re mostly pet-owners themselves)
Through the “Pets QR Code” mini program, owners can order a little tag printed with a code, which their pets to wear on a collar.
When someone discovers one of these animals wandering outdoors on their own, they can scan the QR code and contact the owners to pick up their pets through Alipay. (The program will not reveal the identities of either party)
The mini program was so popular with pet-owners that about 4000 of them downloaded it on the first day that it went online in January.
But obviously, not all animals will like wearing the tags (meow…), with some cat-owners requesting for smaller and lighter versions to be made.
#3 Track down the nearest Jiangxi toilets
When you’re exploring a new city and nature calls, what do you do?
If you’re in Jiangxi, you can pull out Alipay and access a mini program by the provincial government that helps you look for public toilets within a 1.5-kilometer radius.
By accessing navigation software Amap through the mini program, it can even show you the quickest way to get there on foot, by bicycle, or if you’re really in a hurry, you can call a taxi.
It’s not just public toilets of course. Through the mini program, residents of Jiangxi province can also access a whole range of public services, including checking their social health insurance and requesting electronic versions of various public documents.
Of course, we still wish more places will introduce the toilet tracker. It can get pretty urgent.
Think you’ve discovered a cool mini program in Alipay? Ping us and we’ll add it here. Check back often because we’ll continue to update this list. Thanks!
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