Uber Update: Big brand names linked to Uber Merchant Program

Uber, which expanded its UberEATS online food delivery service to New York and Chicago this week, is now said to be gearing up for a “massive” Merchant Program offering same-day delivery for online shoppers. Established in 2009, San Francisco-based Uber started up with a mobile app that allows customers to book and pay for cabs online. The cab-hailing service is now available in more than 55 countries. The company has also branched out to launch more services. In addition to UberEATS, it offers UberESSENTIALS, a delivery service for household items, and UberRUSH, a parcel delivery service.

Both UberESSENTIALS and UberRUSH have so far been running on a limited regional basis in the United States. However, UberRUSH – which is currently only available in New York –  has reportedly already been used as a testing ground for delivering goods purchased through the Spring mobile shopping app.

If the stories circulating in the IT press are to be believed, the Uber Merchant Program could be a much bigger deal. More than 400 merchants are said to be “in talks (or already) testing with Uber for same day deliveries”. Names that have been mention include Louis Vuitton, Tiffany’s and Hugo Boss.

PostandParcel invited Uber to comment on the reports about the Uber Merchant Program and received this reply today: “Experimenting and finding new, creative ways for the Uber app to provide even greater value to our riders and driver partners is a way of life at Uber. We have been piloting UberRUSH with multiple retailers for the last year.”