DoorDash will now return your packages for you • TechCrunch

DoorDash is launching a new “Package Pickup” offering that allows users to have a delivery person pick up their prepaid package from their home and drop it off at a UPS, FedEx, or USPS location. The company started piloting this feature in March 2022 as part of a small beta test and is now officially rolling it out. For a fee of $5 for standard users or $3 for DashPass members, users can get up to five packages picked up and dropped off in the same order.

To get started, you need to select the Packages hub at the top of the DoorDash homepage and select the carrier that matches the package you’re returning. Or, you can type “package” in your search bar. Next, you must prepare your packages and attach a prepaid shipping label. If you have a shipping QR code, you can send the QR code directly to your delivery person in the DoorDash app. Your courier will send you a confirmation photo after dropping off your package at the designated store.

Picture credits: DoorDash

During beta testing, DoorDash said it wanted to help users avoid the tedious task of bringing a package to a post office to make a return. The company noted that while returns are common, they can take time, so it wanted to create a way to simplify the returns process by leveraging its current local logistics infrastructure. DoorDash also said its app delivery people are always looking for new ways to earn money through the platform and this new feature will give them an additional option to do so.

DoorDash says it plans to continue exploring new ways to provide more convenience to its users, while giving its delivery people additional opportunities to earn money on its platform.

DoorDash isn’t the only delivery company that has worked to offer such a service. In 2015, Uber offered customers a “limited time” option to send packages back to post offices. The feature was called “Returns” and was powered by UberRush, which shut down in 2018. Similarly, a former on-demand shipping startup called Shyp offered a service that picked up packages and delivered them to their destination. The company ended operations in 2018 after struggling to find a scalable model beyond its San Francisco launch point.