Uber test driving Corner Store delivery service

August 21, 2014

Mobile-first transportation service, Uber, is dabbling in deliveries with a new service called Corner Store. Those inside of two limited Washington D.C. delivery zones can now order from a catalog of over 100 items they'll have in stock, and have the items delivered to their precise location. This service will only go for a couple of weeks to see what the reception's like.

The way it works is you order an Uber like usual, but check the Corner Store option and set the delivery location. You'll get a text with a list of available items, then your driver will call to take your order. The Uber Corner Store can deliver all of the necessities: cough syrup, shaving gel, Tylenol, toothpaste, diapers… The list goes on. Current hours are 9 AM to 9 PM, and over the course of the experiment there will be no delivery charges.

Uber Corner Store is an interesting expansion of the service into new areas, and could very well be one that pays off in the long run. Uber has also recently tested a bicycle courier service called Rush. Whether or not Corner Store gets to the point where it can properly compete with Amazon Fresh or Google Shopping Express is another question altogether.

How do you guys feel about Uber? Would you try out their delivery service, even with alternatives readily available?

Source: Uber via VentureBeat