Delivery through Postmates?

[TheRealChipA]

Greetings!

So I’ve changed my Online store settings to use Postmates for delivery stores.  I already use them for these types of deliveries, and have found them to be an excellent partner, so I was happy to see that Square had partnered with them.   Today I am reading that UberEats is going to acquire Postmates.  So I have a few questions:

1) How is this going to impact the on-demand delivery that Square has contracted with Postmates to handle?

2) Is Square planning to look elsewhere for an integrated delivery partner — say DoorDash Drive?  After all, Postmates is a superb delivery company, UberEats is almost a mediocre delivery company.  Therefore, I’m assuming that the new combined company is going to be worse, overall.  That’s what always happens with acquisitions, after all, especially where UberEats is concerned.

3) Does Square happen to know how much UberEats is going to increase our delivery fees?  I’m asking this because UberEats is known more for trying to gouge every last dime out of their restaurant partners without really adding anything of quality or substance.  And they are also known for forcing their restaurant partners to sign up for services (such as requiring us to be on their online ordering platform), whether those restaurants want those services or not.

I realize that this merger is out of Square’s hands.  But, I’m hoping that Square has enough clout to force them to honor your contract (including fees) with Postmates, at least in the short term.

Thanks,

Chip

[londontea]

I'm hopeful that nothing will change in the near term, as I've also just set up my online store for Postmates delivery. Additionally, I've been using the direct integration with them to receive Postmates orders on my POS. Regardless of what happens, I hope that Uber is gracious enough to give Square merchants as much notice as possible for any changes. 

[TheRealChipA]

@londontea I hope the same re: Uber as well.  My history with all third-party delivery services tells me that I shouldn’t bet the farm on respect, however.  In the end, they operate a lot like linen/chemical services do, and act like the Mafia of their Realm, so to speak.  They all have their strengths and weaknesses, which really came through as this pandemic settled in.  For example:

UberEats has great customer service, and a large delivery fleet.  Rarely do I have to worry about food getting picked up and delivered in a timely manner.  But, on the con side, while they offered daily deposits during the pandemic, they did not budge on the fees they charge their restaurant “partners.”  They were posting record sales every day, and still taking 30% of my sales.  It was blatant evidence of their avarice.

DoorDash gave us a few months of 50% discounts on their fees, which was very helpful.  It took them a while, however, to get on board with daily deposits.  I was one of a number of their “partners” who took them offline until they fixed that, since I couldn’t afford to have my money held up for a week.  Still, DoorDash has the worst customer service on the planet, and I’m being generous when I say that.  Their support team never has any but canned answers, they never listen to the issues, and they have never really solved a problem that I brought up.  And I’m always having issues getting their dashers here on time — they are either 15 minutes early, or they are 30 minutes later.  It’s maddening.  Even with that, though, I find them a better bet to “do the right thing” where their restaurant partners are concerned.

I only use Postmates for their on-demand delivery, as I don’t need another company taking 30% of my sales.  Like I said the on-demand delivery has worked flawlessly, and it costs me a lot less since I can share that cost with my customers.

I am VERY worried about UberEats being Square’s partner here.  History tells me they will only be worried about one thing as far as we business owner’s are concerned — that thing being squeezing as much money as they can out of us. 

Fingers crossed that you are correct about your “Uber being gracious” hope.

Chip