Ride-hailing platform Uber Technologies Inc
What Happened: On Tuesday, Uber said that December food deliveries for those ordering from Uber Eats will be undertaken by its robot reindeer in Los Angeles, Miami, or Fairfax.
The reindeer, however, is merely a part of the Christmas offerings from Uber. The company is also offering store pickup via Uber Connect for the season across 1700 U.S. cities and towns, including Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, and Tampa Bay. On purchasing from a local store, customers can simply upload the receipt and have the courier pick it up and drop it off with them or a loved one.
Customers booking an Uber Charter in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. can avail Uber's festive fleet of decked-out buses with karaoke, holiday lights, and photo props.
Starting Dec. 12, Uber will also make available a 'Grinchmas kit' in the Uber Eats app exclusively for members priced at $49.99. The kit will have gingerbread, cookies, and hot cocoa.
Why It Matters: As per the National Retail Federation's holiday shopping outlook, consumers shop well into the holiday season. As per the federation's survey, 58% of consumers plan to finish shopping only in December.
Furthermore, even among the higher prices and inflation last year, 58% of people said spending on holiday gifts and celebrations was important, the federation noted, hinting that Uber's initiatives might indeed find high demand, particularly for store pickups and food deliveries.
