Uber has struck a deal with online retailer Flipkart in India to deliver “everyday essentials,” as the country remains in lockdown as part of the coronavirus pandemic, per reports.
The delivery service will target the major Indian cities of Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi.
The San Francisco-based Uber, a ride-hailing company, has also struck similar deals with India’s Spencer’s Retail and online grocery store BigBasket. For its part, Uber is looking to get back up and running after shutting down most services in March.
When it comes to what is considered “essential” services, groceries and the like are high on the list. Uber said it would not be charging drivers a commission.
“We are pleased to announce our partnership with Flipkart today to further consolidate our new last-mile delivery service,” Prabhjeet Singh, director of operations, Uber India and South Asia, said in a prepared statement. “The partnership helps keep the economy running and enables Indians to stay at home in line with government guidelines for containing COVID-19, as well as creates earning opportunities for drivers.”
Commenting on the partnership, Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer for Flipkart, said, “This partnership is to help move essential supplies from our sellers/vendors to customers in the shortest possible span of time.”
Kumar added, in a prepared statement, that Flipkart wants to support the government’s shutdown order while also delivering essential supplies to people who are staying indoors.
The two companies said the agreement will “also support the government’s objective of keeping hundreds of millions of Indians at home to contain the spread of COVID-19.”
In other Uber news, the ridesharing company recently announced that its Uber Eats app will now accept donations for restaurants. Uber will match up to $3 million of the donations and will add another $2 million to the fund.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
Learn More