Oracle and Uber have unveiled Collect and Receive. A new solution offering on the Oracle Retail platform connecting retailers and consumers to enhance and enrich last mile delivery. Supported by the Oracle Retail Data Store and cloud platform technologies, retailers can now link to Uber Direct, the company’s white-label delivery solution, via pre-integrated APIs.
The joint solution enables retailers to rebalance inventory while giving customers more choices. This includes same-day and scheduled delivery options, order pickup, and returns to the closest retail or postal location. The service is available for Oracle Retail customers in the US and Canada.
“At Uber, it’s crystal clear that on-demand delivery is a core expectation for consumers. Today’s retailers are taking note,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
“Every month, more than 3,500 brands use Uber Direct to support millions of same-day local deliveries. Together with Oracle, we can make it easier than ever for retailers to leverage on-demand delivery—and even returns. To delight consumers, streamline logistics, and ultimately boost loyalty and sales.”
This co-innovation builds on Uber’s recent seven-year strategic cloud partnership with Oracle to deliver new consumer experiences with last-mile logistics and drive increased profitability with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
According to Pat Bohannon, vice president at Oracle Retail, “Oracle knows retail processes, and Uber knows delivery. Connecting the two platforms eliminates the gap between a sales transaction and customer service. At the same time provides invaluable data to better serve the customer on their next experience and improve overall retail profitability.
“Together, we can improve the experiences and profitability of the retail industry. Raising the bar to a new ‘premium delivery’ standard where the customer can determine where and when their delivery or return will occur. Combining Uber’s ability to schedule deliveries in advance or on short notice is far superior to traditional last mile delivery.”
Going the extra delivery mile research
New research commissioned by Uber shows that:
- 75% of consumers expect express delivery as an option
- 72% are more likely to continue ordering from companies that offer this service
- 44% of consumers mentioned a company lost their business because they didn’t offer express delivery
With Collect and Receive, retailers can leverage the power of the Oracle Retail Data Store Cloud Service. Oracle Retail Store Inventory Operations Cloud Service, Oracle Retail Xstore Point of Service, or Oracle Retail Order Management Suite Cloud Services enable retailers to quickly connect to Uber Direct through bundled APIs.
Once connected, retailers can offer customers fast, reliable, and flexible local delivery while better-managing delivery costs. Oracle says that closing the gap between order and delivery will create a more agile supply chain geared to move merchandise more efficiently across retailers’ ecosystems.
All transaction data is captured back into the Oracle retail cloud platform. This enables retailers to further analyse buying behaviours and preferences to refine and improve services and offers moving forward. This connection allows retailers to deliver on their brand promise through every interaction with the customer to drive true loyalty.
“With this partnership, Oracle is enabling retailers to easily extend the value of their Oracle retail applications with last-mile delivery services from Uber,” said Jordan K. Speer, Research Director of Worldwide Retail Product Sourcing, Fulfilment, and Sustainability Strategies at IDC Research.
“This will lower the cost of last-mile deliveries of whatever sort—whether product delivery to home, store-to-store transfers of merchandise, product returns, and so forth. This bilateral communication between Uber and Oracle is a significant step forward in providing retailers a more valuable, intelligent, end-to-end supply chain process.”
Enterprise Times: What this means for business
Oracle’s new delivery Collect and Receive partnership with Uber Direct sounds compelling. The company says the partnership provides a completely new proposition for retailers and brands. Enterprises can now offer same-day delivery and returns, to get customers’ purchases faster while helping retailers move merchandise more effectively.
This should be sweet music for Oracle Retail customers. All the industry research suggests digital customers expect a positive, quick, and hassle-free online shopping experience. In particular, they want reliable delivery services and prompt returns. Furthermore, they do not tolerate unnecessary delays or obstacles along the customer journey.
For many retailers, meeting these expectations will be the difference between success or failure. As a result, it is essential for enterprises to consistently offer positive shopping experiences to help differentiate themselves from competitors.
Many retailers will focus on front end designs, optimising their product catalogues or marketing strategies. However, many brands and retailers often overlook one of the most critical aspects of the customer journey – the final mile. The delivery to customer doors.
