Uber Eats wants to make returns easier.
Starting Friday, Uber Eats will launch returns in the Uber Eats app — a first for the on-demand delivery industry. Customers will now be able to send back eligible retail items purchased on Uber Eats and receive a refund, all without leaving their homes.
“Returns are one of the biggest pain points in retail, and we’re reimagining them the way only Uber can,” said Rohan Mathew, engineering lead, Uber Eats. “Now, with just a tap, you can send an item back and get a refund without ever leaving home. Whether you’re debating the right paint color mid-project or second-guessing a new pair of wireless headphones, you can shop confidently on Uber Eats knowing returns are simple, fast and convenient.”
Customers go to their order history and tap the “Return an Item” option. They select the item and tell them why they’re returning it. The item must be eligible and fit the store’s return policy. They then tap “Return with a Courier” to finish.
Once the courier has picked up the item, Uber Eats instantly processes a refund. Return fees are calculated based on the courier’s time and distance. If the customer would rather return the item themselves, they have the option to return to the store directly, at no additional cost.
At the initial launch, returns with a courier in the Uber Eats app will be available for thousands of retail locations on Uber Eats throughout the U.S., including Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Pet Food Express, PacSun and Petco stores. There are plans to add more retail partners.
With their “Send Items” feature in Uber Courier, the customer can also have a courier pick up one’s prepaid and sealed packages — up to five at a time — and drop them off at a local post office, UPS or FedEx.
In Uber’s fourth-quarter earnings report, the company said that delivery gross bookings on Uber Eats accelerated to 26 percent year-over-year and surpassed a $100 billion annual run rate for the first time.
