Uber's New Service: Picking Up Your Returns From Home

Uber has started a new service that picks up packages from your doorstep when you want to return something. It's now available in over 4,950 U.S. cities. Instead of trying to compete with mail carriers like UPS and FedEx, Uber is working together with them. Here's how it works: Uber drivers collect your sealed package and take it to a nearby drop-off location run by UPS, FedEx, or the postal service. You pay $5 for each pickup. Uber isn't trying to deliver packages itself—instead, it's focusing on the first step (picking up from your home), which is where it has an advantage. Because Uber already has many drivers in your area delivering food, the company can use those same drivers to grab your returns. This way, Uber handles the pickup part, and the big shipping companies handle everything else.