Uber planning same-day merchant delivery service through UberRush

Uber is testing a new merchant delivery service that would offer same-day delivery by using UberRush couriers and Uber drivers, according to reports.

Luxury fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's and Hugo Boss, are reportedly in discussions with the ride-sharing firm about a new Uber Merchant Delivery programme that offers customers the option of having online shopping orders delivered within three hours or less.

Training documents, shown to TechCrunch, were sent out to UberRush couriers and Uber drivers explaining how the new service would work.

A separate app will feature an intelligent routing system for orders that will eventually allow drivers to transport both goods and passengers at the same time.

Uber responded to a request for comment, stating: "Experimenting and finding new, creative ways for the Uber app to provide even greater value to our riders and driver partners is a way of life at Uber. We have been piloting UberRUSH with multiple retailers for the last year."

Sources who revealed details of the new service to TechCrunch said that the merchant program was targeting up to 400 higher-end brands.

Uber's original plan was reportedly to partner with online retail giants like Amazon and eBay, however sourcing inventory from warehouses proved logistically impractical.

Uber already offers several delivery services, including UberFresh and UberEats, which deliver food to various cities where Uber operates.

UberRush was first introduced in 2014, using bike messengers to act as a personal courier for customers for a similar fee to that charged for its standard UberX car service.