Thursday, June 5, 2014

Postmates Launches In Austin

Crowdsourced product delivery startup Postmates said Thursday that it has launched its "Uber for stuff" in Austin, the seventh city for the company. Postmates lets customers order local items, ranging from groceries, takeout, retail items, and more for local delivery, 24/7--and also allows people to become a "postmate" to do the actual delivery. Postmates is driven by a mobile app, which runs on iOS and Android, and allow users to purchase a very wide range of items from restaurants and stores; they can then watch as a "Postmate" picks up and delivers their item to them, in real time. Postmates said deliveries cost as little as $5, and automatically include a tip to the courier. The company said it will initially launch in Austin in Downtown, South Congress, Zilker, Tarrytown, Rosedale, UT Campus, West Campus and part of Barton Hills, with plans to extend further in the market.