In a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, Uber is extending its brand far beyond ride-hailing. Through Uber Direct, the company is becoming a serious contender in the last-mile delivery space. In a recent episode of the EGN Podcast, host Efe von Thenen spoke with Moritz Bernhard, Head of Uber Direct Germany, about the current state of retail logistics, customer expectations, and the growing need for delivery flexibility.
Moritz Bernhard began our talk by recapping Uber’s journey from a ride-sharing platform to a logistics service. Leveraging its experience in efficiently moving people, Uber is now deploying that expertise in moving goods through Uber Eats and its B2B logistics arm, Uber Direct.
A standout example of this transformation was showcased at the E-commerce Berlin Expo, where MediaMarktSaturn demonstrated a smashed smartphone replaced live on stage within just 30 minutes, thanks to Uber Direct’s 90-minute delivery integration.
“The average delivery time is just 51 minutes, even though the promise is 90,” said our guest.
Empowering omnichannel retailers
During the interview we had a chance to find out that what makes Uber Direct a compelling option for retailers is scale and simplicity. A single integration opens up access to a logistics network across over 130 cities in Germany and multiple European markets like France, Poland, UK, and Spain. This makes international expansion significantly easier for retailers.
Delivery isn’t one-size-fits-all
Despite being prized for fast delivery, our guest emphasized that customer needs differ and speed is not always the most important factor; options are.
“It’s all about letting the customer decide: If I need it fast, I can get it fast. If I need it in a time window, I can choose that. Or if I’m okay with two to three days and want it cheaper – that should also be available.”
This flexibility not only caters to different lifestyles but also offers environmentally friendlier options, like consolidated deliveries for those willing to wait.
A future-proof model for retailers
With inflation and slowed domestic growth since 2022, many German retailers are seeking growth abroad. Uber Direct’s model is designed for this scalability. During the talk our guest argued that traditional retailers, if they don’t adapt, risk falling behind due to increased customer expectations and rising operational costs.
“The biggest strength of traditional retail is their proximity to customers. Uber Direct helps them use that by enabling fast, local, and scalable delivery.”
Returns are also handled efficiently. Customers can either return items in-store or use Uber’s return logistics to have products picked up and sent back, reducing delay and improving inventory turnaround.
Looking ahead: Uber Direct in 5 years
We also asked Moritz Bernhard about future plans. We found out that our guest envisions Uber Direct as the fastest, greenest, and most cost-efficient way to move things in urban environments in the future. He admitted that they want to be the dominant force in city logistics, from instant to same-day delivery.
Want to hear more insights from Moritz Bernhard? Watch the full talk below:
Can’t watch? No problem. It is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcast.
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