Uber launched a new feature on Friday that allows customers to return purchased items without leaving home.
The new returns feature, accessed through the Uber Eats app, is Uber’s latest effort to add “reliability” to its app by offering services that extend beyond its core transportation and delivery businesses.
The new service has limitations and, of course, a courier fee. The drop-off fee is calculated based on the courier’s time and distance, according to Uber.
Customers can only return eligible retail items purchased on Uber Eats and must adhere to each store’s return policy. Participatory retailers include At Home, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, GNC, Michael’s Pet Food Express, Pacsun, Petco and Target. Uber said more retailers will be added in the future.
Uber has also imposed price limitations on the service. Customers can only return items with retail prices greater than $20, according to the company.
Customers can access the new feature by navigating to their order history in the app, tapping “Return an item” and selecting the item. The process is completed once users tap on the “Return with a courier” option. Some customers may be delighted with the instant refund, not to mention avoiding the task of driving to a retail store, finding a parking spot, and standing in line.
Uber has never experimented with retail returns. However, the company has launched a number of other roles outside of its traditional transportation and food delivery businesses.
In 2020, Uber launched a service called Connect that used couriers to pick up and deliver packages to friends, family or co-workers. It also created Uber Direct, which allowed users to order from select retailers and have their items delivered directly to their door, contactless, a reflection of the COVID-19 pandemic that was sweeping the country at the time.
Peer-to-peer package delivery service Uber Connect expanded in 2023 with a “Return a package” function that allow customers to hire a worker to pick up and deliver up to five packages at a time to a post office, UPS or FedEx.
