Uber Is Struggling To Enter This Lucrative New Market

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Th Uber Technologies Inc. car service application (app) is displayed for a photograph on an Apple Inc. iPhone in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014.Victor J. Blue—Bloomberg/Getty Images
By Dan Kedmey

Uber’s first whacks at the delivery market have resulted in a few notable misses, as talks with major retail partners have reportedly dragged on or fallen through without an agreement.

Insiders familiar with the negotiations told the Wall Street Journal that Uber had recently courted Apple and Starbucks for a same day delivery service spanning multiple cities. Both retailers sided with a rival delivery startup, Postmates, instead. Talks with food ordering services such as GrubHub and Yelp have also continued without an agreement.

In total, Uber has signed on a half dozen retail partners since it launched a courier service one year ago, riding high on shareholder’s expectations that its fleet of roughly 200,000 vehicles could one day take on delivery giants such as UPS and FedEx.

See Uber Protests From Around the World

French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs.
French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs. Anne-Christine Poujoulat—AFP/Getty Images
French taxi drivers protest Uber
Police officers in riot gear attempt to flip a car back onto it's wheels at Porte Maillot on June 25, 2015 in Paris. Protesters blocked roads to airports and train stations, overturning cars and setting tires on fire.Guillaume de Senneville—Demotix/Corbis
Hundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin.
Hundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin.Sean Gallup—Getty Images
A demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014.
A demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014. Paul White—AP
A taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014.
A taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014. Thomas Peter—Reuters
Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014.
Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014. Josep Lago—AFP/Getty Images
London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London.
London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London.Dan Kitwood—Getty Images
Taxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington.
Taxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington.PAUL J. RICHARDS—AFP/Getty Images
An Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome.
An Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome.ANDREAS SOLARO—AFP/Getty Images
Taxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC).
Taxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC). Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images

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