Earlier this month, Uber Eats trialed the delivery of grocery items in some countries as it was looking for ways to maintain its business while restaurants have been forced to close in some regions due to coronavirus. The new delivery service was tested in France, Brazil, Spain, and Sri Lanka in partnership with a number of companies.
Building on that service expansion, Uber announced today a new service called Direct. It basically works like the repurposed Eats, allowing customers to place orders from a few retailers. The items will then be delivered to their home in a contactless manner in obeyance of social distancing rules. The company has partnered with select retailers and is rolling out the service in a few locations for now such as New York City, where it has teamed up with Cabinet for the delivery of over-the-counter medications. The service is also available in other countries including Australia, South Africa, and Portugal.
Another delivery service unveiled by the company is Uber Connect, which is meant to let users send any item to their friends and family from afar. It's also a contactless delivery option and now rolling out across more than 25 cities in the U.S., Australia, and Mexico. Uber promises to improve the new services over time.
