Uber just launched an Amazon-like feature that could help it cash in on millennials' mobile-shopping addiction
- Uber has announced a new partnership with Cargo for an in-car shopping experience.
- By downloading the app and scanning a QR code during your ride, you'll unlock deals on everything from AirPods to luxury suitcases and more.
- It could help Uber latch on to millennials' deep love for online shopping, and keep people choosing Uber over competitors.
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Uber on Wednesday announced a new feature that will let you buy anything from Apple AirPods to luxury suitcases all from the back seat of your ride.
The partnership with new options for spending money - while already spending money on a ride - is made possible through a new partnership with Cargo, a startup that's quietly raised about $35 million for backseat commerce.
Drivers will earn an extra $1 every time a passenger orders something from the Cargo App Store, Uber said, and passengers will get 10% back as credit for future rides.
To use the app, first you'll need to scan your drivers' QR code using the separate Cargo app. Even just by checking in, you'll be able to play a card game and win prizes.
"Depending on which card they pick, they can win a wide range of items like Uber Voucher credits, a $30-discount on SeatGeek tickets, or premium products like an Oculus Go Headset or Christian Louboutin Nail Colour," Neal Watterson, Uber's head of guest products and services, said in a blog post. "This is a marketplace for Cargo brand partners to reward riders with exclusive discounts, products, and content that creates surprise and delight."
On airport trips, you'll be able to spend $5 to $10 on a movie to watch on your phone, provided you download yet another app, called Movies Anywhere.
The Cargo partnership could also help Uber tap into the red-hot e-commerce segment. Online shopping continues to gain ground on traditional retailers, with more than one-third of millennials telling one recent survey that more purchases were made on their phone as opposed to another device or in-store.
In-car purchases and advertising are also a popular side-hustle among many drivers for Uber, Lyft and more. The Cargo addition could help persuade both drivers and riders alike to stick with Uber instead of a competitor.
Here's the full list of daily deal offerings:
- Apple AirPods
- Apple Watch Series 4
- Away: The Carry-On, in Black
- Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones - Black
- Christian Louboutin Nail Colour
- Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
- Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Charcoal
- Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6
- Glossier The Makeup Set
- Mophie Charger
- Nintendo Switch
- Oculus Go 32GB
- Quip Electric Toothbrush Set - Silver Metal
- Ray-Ban Wayfarer Classic
- Tabletop Foosball
- Voluspa Crisp Champagne Candle
- Wander Beauty Gold Eye Masks