Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
North Portland — The car-hailing tech company Uber is actively recruiting North Portland and other businesses for its Cornershop retail and grocery delivery service.
Uber representatives have reached out to business district associations seeking 35 business partners, according to an email sent to one business district association.
Uber announced the grocery delivering service in July, when it also launched Cornershop in the Dallas and Miami markets. Uber acquired a majority stake in Cornershop in late 2019 for an undisclosed sum. Cornershop is already active in Latin America and Canada.
In the email, Uber is touting its size with prospective business partners:
“It’s no secret that more and more retail & grocery customers are choosing online and delivery options to fill their needs. Cornershop | Uber Grocery provides our customers with retail & grocery delivery and provides our partners access to the entire Uber customer base,” according to the email.
The offering is among several already available or being piloted by retailers and startups, including Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Amazon, Instacart.
According to the email, they are “sprinting to launch in Portland.”
However, initial feedback from some NOPO businesses is mixed, as owners are concerned that commissions paid to delivery platforms are too costly, especially during slumping sales related to COVID-19.
If you are a retail business owner, what are your thoughts? Would you sign up?
For everyone else, would you use this service?
Nathan is an award-winning freelance content marketing producer (words, video, audio, strategy). He also is an award-winning newspaper reporter. He has an MBA and a BA in Editorial Journalism. He is a past director of SEMpdx’s digital marketing conference, and past director on the Society of Professional Journalists’ executive committee. He has two great kids, likes to sail, ride his road bike, and make beer.
