Returning packages just became a breeze for those of us who tend to put off the trip to the post office.
Uber has introduced a convenient solution that allows its customers to hand over prepaid packages and mail to an Uber driver, who will then ship the delivery to your local post office, UPS, or FedEx center through the Uber Connect service, according to a report by Entrepreneur.com.
Uber noted in their press release, “With the launch of Uber Connect three years ago, we’ve simplified the way you can send items to friends, family, or colleagues across town. Now we’re adding a new way to save you time and effort with a much-avoided chore: taking care of the packages you need to return but have been ignoring.”
This innovative offering aims to address the inconvenience associated with mailing returns, especially for the younger generation. According to research by the National Retail Federation, a significant 79% of shoppers under 30 consider making returns by mail to be “annoying.” Uber, which caters to an estimated 65% of users under the age of 35, hopes to make this process much smoother.
For a flat fee of $5, customers can send up to five packages at once and will receive a photo of the receipt confirmation from their Uber driver upon the completion of the transaction.
The new shipping feature was launched in 4,950 cities, and customers can access it through both the Uber and Uber Eats apps. It builds upon the foundation laid by Uber Connect, which was introduced in 2020 as a car courier service. This service allows users to ship packages or items of all sizes to another person at a designated drop-off location.
While Uber Connect continues to expand its range of services, Uber itself is in the midst of its financial reporting season. The company is expected to announce its Q3 2023 earnings next month, following a mixed Q2 2023 in which it missed analysts’ expectations but still managed to generate a net income of $394 million. This is a significant improvement from the net loss of $2.6 billion reported at the same time the previous year.
As of Oct. 4, Uber’s stock had seen a 54% increase over the past year, reflecting the company’s continuous innovation and adaptability in the ever-evolving world of transportation and logistics.