Uber Eats has introduced a new returns feature in the US which allows customers to send back eligible retail items purchased through the platform via courier.

The company said users can access the returns service through their order history and select an item to return if it meets the retailer’s policy requirements. Once the item is picked up, refunds are initiated immediately, subject to bank processing times.

Customers pay a return fee, which Uber said is calculated on courier time and distance, and are also able to return items in-store at no extra cost.

Uber said the move is a first for the on-demand delivery industry and is designed to encourage confidence when purchasing retail goods through the platform, particularly for categories such as electronics, home improvement and apparel.

Courier returns will be available across “thousands” of retail locations in the US, which Uber Eats said will include Best Buy, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Pet Food Express, PacSun and Petco. The company also plans to expand the service to additional retailers.

The service is currently available for retail items priced at $20 or more and remains subject to individual store return policies.

In December last year, Uber Eats announced it had launched autonomous deliveries in Leeds via robots in partnership with Starship Technologies. The robots can complete deliveries in under 30 minutes for distances of up to two kilometres and operate at high autonomy with human oversight.

---