DoorDash Launches Package Pickup, But Would You Trust It?

After a beta test that lasted for several months, DoorDash is now ready to roll out a new feature — Package Pickup. It's not all just food deliveries anymore, and DoorDash may be well on its way to adding even more convenience to our daily lives. The question is, can the new service be fully trusted?

When you shop online, you often have the option of returning the item if it doesn't prove to be to your liking. This is as much a benefit of online shopping as it is a necessity, because without seeing the product in person, you can't be sure whether it's in good condition. Returns are common, and with the holiday season behind us, many people might want to return some of their purchases. However, returning packages means a trip to the post office, which is a nuisance since they initially arrived at your doorstep.

In order to simplify this whole process, DoorDash started a small beta test in March 2022, allowing select customers to try out the new Package Pickup feature. The test must have gone well, because starting now, the DoorDash app will offer this service to everyone. Here's how it works.

With the introduction of the Package Pickup feature, you can now request a DoorDash driver to come to your location and pick up your packages in order to return them. You can have the Dasher drop them off at your local carrier, including the most popular courier services such as FedEx, USPS, and UPS. It's easy to do — simply update your DoorDash app and select the carrier you want your packages to be delivered to.

You can send up to five packages in a single DoorDash delivery. Remember that you still need to take care of the prepaid shipping label, but it's also possible to ship with just a QR code if you send it to your delivery driver. Once the packages have been delivered, you will receive a confirmation with a photo to prove that they made it to their destination. In addition, DoorDash is offering the first Package Pickup during January for free — check out the terms and conditions in the official blog post.

On the surface, the feature sounds great, and could potentially simplify the process of returning packages. However, it can get tricky — what if the package goes missing or an accident on the road destroys it? If such an event is reported, DoorDash says that it will look into the matter. If the package has really been lost, customers will be able to request a reimbursement of up to $100 per package.