In a move to capture a piece of holiday-themed merchandise sales — and more “last-mile logistics” market share in the process — Uber announced on Thursday (Sept. 30) that it’s launching the first Holiday Shop on the Uber Eats platform.
The effort kicks off Friday October 1 with the launch of The Holiday Shop by Mr. Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch, a unit of Los Angeles-based Proper Companies, owner of a portfolio of businesses including Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees and RIP Halloween Costumes.
In a statement, Uber Global Head of Grocery and New Verticals Raj Beri said, “Our goal is to make Uber a destination that customers can rely on to get whatever they need when they need it, so creating a Holiday Shop that offers festive items for all types of celebrations was a no brainer.”
Halloween enthusiasts who don’t want to go inside a store to buy decorations can order several themed items from the new online shop on the Uber platform, including at least two Pumpkin Decorating Kits (“softball pumpkin, washable paint, paint brush, glue with applicator, glitter, pom poms, Halloween stickers, jewels, and googly eyes”), a Mr. Jack O’s Pumpkin Carving Kit Package (“medium pumpkin, carving kit, choice of flameless or real tea light candle”), and even a selection of gourds including a medium-sized carving pumpkin and a Cinderella Pumpkin (“decorative pumpkins in a variety of pastel and autumn colors”), among other items.
Brandon Helfer, owner-operator of Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch, said the pact with Uber, which “will transition into upcoming holidays and continue to rotate seasonally while it expands to more markets,” per the statement, is inspired by changes in consumer shopping patterns.
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen our customer base become more interested in having our products delivered rather than coming into our brick-and-mortar locations. With this partnership, we will be able to fulfill more delivery requests and get our customers into the holiday spirit without them having to leave their home or office,” Helfer said.
Orders are made right in the Uber Eats app. The offer will initially be rolled out to customers in Los Angeles, San Diego and West Palm Beach, per the announcement.
See also: Uber Eats Devours Ride-Share Business As Company Doubles Up On Groceries
Rideshare Gives Way to Retail Deliveries
Uber is moving ever deeper into delivery and logistics, announcing a major expansion of its grocery delivery business in July via a deal with Albertsons Companies. Of the pact, PYMNTS reported, “As a result, Uber Eats will now be available in 400 U.S. towns and cities, an expansion that more than doubles the platform’s grocery capabilities.”
Uber also announced a new partnership in May with convenience store startup Gopuff enabling Uber Eats users to order a selection of household items in-app. Launching in 95 cities in June, the partnership will mean that residents “in over 100 cities and towns in 20 major U.S. metros can now have groceries delivered through the Uber and Uber Eats apps,” PYMNTS reported.
The trend reflects growing and changing demand for home delivery of an assortment of goods.
As researchers found in PYMNTS’ June study The Bring-It-To-Me Economy, “Consumers in the bring-it-to-me-economy are accustomed to getting their retail purchases, restaurant orders and even groceries wherever and whenever they want, and digital marketplaces have played a key role in driving this expectation. Ninety-four percent of all consumers have made at least one purchase on a digital marketplace that delivers right to their doors in the last year.”
Read also: The Bring-It-To-Me Economy
Platforms Pushing Boundaries
By creating themed specialty shops on its platform, Uber ups the ante in the expansion of platform aggregators out of a dependence on rideshare and food delivery into adjacent areas.
In March, Instacart announced it was testing same-day delivery of arts-and-crafts with the Michaels chain of art stores, at the same time Uber Eats was piloting prescription delivery.
Of this latest announcement on holiday-themed platform stores and in-app ordering with delivery, Uber’s Raj Beri said, “We’re extremely proud to leverage our technology and logistics expertise to support a family-owned small business and enable them to deliver high-quality, seasonal items right to their customers without losing that personal local touch.”
As for Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch (and a Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees shop that will likely soon follow), Helfer said, “Our exclusive relationships with growers and farmers around the country, along with this new partnership with Uber, will allow us to accommodate more customers and deliver more of what makes the holidays special.”
Also see: Food Delivery Services Aim To Expand To ‘Everyday Goods’
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