Uber is expanding its package delivery service, Uber Connect, to include returns. Starting today, customers can use Uber to summon a courier, who will return up to five packages to the post office or FedEx or UPS stores.
The packages need to be resealed and include all the necessary prepaid postage to be returned by Uber. Customers can track a package’s return in real time and will receive a photo confirmation of the receipt once the return has been completed. Uber charges a flat fee of $5 or $3 for Uber One subscribers.
Online shopping has grown into a juggernaut, and with it, package returns have become their own booming business. People will often buy several different versions of the same item and then return the ones they don’t like. The pandemic accelerated these trends, spurring more people to return more items they ordered online than ever before.
E-commerce sites compete to offer the most seamless returns, but the process can often be confusing and cumbersome. Uber cites research from the National Retail Federation that found 79 percent of shoppers under 30 think mail returns are somewhat or very annoying.
Though some of its futuristic projects and various side hustles have flopped, Uber continues to double down on delivery of all stripes, whether it’s food takeout, groceries, or courier services. Uber says its package return service is available starting today in over 4,950 cities throughout the US, including Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
