Uber Eats brings unwanted purchases back to the store with a new returns service

Uber Eats is launching a new returns service in the United States, allowing customers to return items purchased through the platform via a courier. The service promises to simplify the returns process to just a few taps in the app.

Returning is as easy as ordering

Customers select the item to be returned from their order history, specify the reason, and choose to have it picked up by a courier—for a fee. As soon as the courier picks up the package, Uber Eats initiates an immediate refund of the purchase amount (excluding delivery fees and tips).

“Whether you’re unsure about those new headphones or ordered the wrong paint color: with Uber Eats, you can now shop with the confidence that returns are just as smooth as the delivery itself,” the company said in a press release. The service is available for items priced at $20 or more, purchased from thousands of participating retailers, including Best Buy, Petco, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Customers also retain the option to return items in-store at no cost.

Convenience comes at a price

The return fee is calculated based on distance and time, similar to a delivery fee. Uber Eats emphasizes that the service is primarily aimed at consumers who will “never again have to search for a parking spot at the mall.”

For now, the service is only available in the U.S., but the company says it plans to expand the list of participating retailers. Whether and when the service will come to Europe is not yet known.

Battle for non-food

This move underscores the ambition to grow into a “full-service” retail platform where consumers don’t just order food and groceries: by integrating returns, the platform lowers the barrier to purchasing non-food products as well. After all, it eliminates one of the biggest pain points of online shopping: the logistical hassle of returns.

Rival Just Eat Takeaway.com is also making the transition from meal delivery to “on-demand retail,” particularly through electronics. Non-food items attract “new customers to the platform, who then also order food and groceries.” In this way, the (former) meal delivery platforms aim to become firmly embedded in consumers’ regular shopping habits.