Uber experimenting with prepaid-item pickup from local stores in India

Uber has quietly begun testing a new feature allowing gig workers to collect prepaid items from local stores and deliver them to customers in India.

Dubbed “Store Pickup,” this feature was initially launched in select U.S. cities in December and has now been expanded to Delhi-NCR. Customers can place orders for pickups and deliveries, tracking them live through the Uber app, akin to ride tracking.

Uber’s Store Pickup may face competition from Indian platforms like Dunzo, Rapido, and Swiggy, which offer similar services for customers to retrieve packages from local stores. Nevertheless, this latest rollout introduces another option and indicates Uber’s recognition of a business opportunity in local store deliveries in India, mirroring its U.S. strategy. Moreover, this feature further integrates the Uber app into customers’ daily routines.

However, the Store Pickup feature has some restrictions. For instance, items for pickup at local stores must weigh five kilograms (11 lbs) or less, with a maximum value of 5,000 Indian rupees ($60). Additionally, certain items such as alcohol, medication, drugs, firearms, or “dangerous or illegal items” cannot be delivered.

Uber declined to comment on the matter.

To initiate deliveries, customers must provide pickup details, including the local shop’s name and address, along with pickup instructions for the driver. This includes whether the item needs to be collected from a specific customer service area. Customers can also upload proof of purchase and add an order confirmation number to aid drivers in fulfilling the pickup successfully.

In addition to Store Pickup, Uber provides its regular Connect feature, allowing customers to deliver packages through its app. However, Store Pickup is specifically designed for arranging deliveries from local stores.

Last year, Uber introduced Store Pickup across 1,700 U.S. cities and towns, including major locations like Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, and Tampa Bay. The company previously had a similar same-day local delivery feature named UberRUSH, available in some markets until it was discontinued in 2018.