National Retail Solutions, Uber Partner on Delivery for Neighborhood Stores

Point-of-sale (POS) platform operator National Retail Solutions (NRS) and Uber Technologies have partnered to facilitate delivery from participating NRS local retailers and bodegas.

The partnership will offer Uber Direct’s same-day delivery service to independent retailers operating the 17,000 stores that use NRS’ POS terminals, the companies said Thursday (Nov. 17) in a press release.

Deliveries will be provided at no cost to the retailer when the purchases are made through the BR Club app, which is part of a loyalty integrated into the NRS POS system, according to the release.

“Our partnership with Uber combines the power of our two companies’ platforms to enable same-day delivery of purchases made via our eCommerce channels from these retailers,” NRS President and CEO Elie Y. Katz said in the release. “Uber has been exceptional in working with us to help strengthen independent neighborhood stores and the communities they serve.”

With same-day delivery enabled by the platforms and capabilities of NRS and Uber, independent merchants will be better able to compete with larger firms as well as new entrants that offer rapid delivery of grocery and convenience items, according to the release.

“Since its inception, Uber has striven to make inroads providing accessibility and opportunity to underserved markets,” Uber Direct Managing Partner Jason McHale said in the release. “Our partnership with NRS will give small, local bodegas and grocery stores an opportunity to expand their reach through delivery and make more money, which is something we all should be excited about.”

As PYMNTS reported in April, grocery delivery has evolved from a luxury service to a mass-market option.

For much of the pandemic, consumers with more disposable incomes shelled out for the service, while those on tighter budgets continued to frequent brick-and-mortar stores. But as online grocery businesses looked toward their post-pandemic future, many began trying to expand their audiences to include those of all income brackets.