DUSSELDORF, Germany — CityLab reported on an app, called WelectGo, which allowed users in Dusseldorf, Germany to download a transit token in the form of a QR code that is valid for a single journey worth $2.80 after they select and watch four 20-second ads on their smartphone.
The app’s creators estimated they’d get roughly 1,000 downloads by the end of this year, however, after just one month, they exceeded 20,000 users. Expecting a lower take-up rate, Welect only launched with four advertisements. Without much revenue to buy them with, the supply of transit tickets ended up running out quicker than expected.
