[dieselz]

This is a game changer - not only for what service it provides, but I think it will lead to more companies making APIs for totally non-technical tasks. Sure there are companies like task rabbit, shyp, etc etc, but this is the next level of ease.

Relevant - I want an API for a cleaning service. AirBnB integration so that it can automatically track when a guest has left and the cleaner shows up within an hour to get it ready for the next guest. Would build if I didn't have so many projects going on already...

[hatsunearu]

It really is. There is nothing more to say than the fact that small business owners can't afford to have a dedicated delivery service when they know demand is near 0 in some hours and through the roof in another.

I'm curious though--will small business owners bother to implement this in their website, or isn't it easier for someone else (Uber, or its competitor) to do it for them?

[dieselz]

if you check out the bottom of the article, Uber has developed a dashboard for SMBs. But it's smart that they've opened this up to enable startups to leverage this as well as enterprise customers.

[chrismessina]

Indeed, UberRUSH exists for business end users that want to deliver their goods and products easily, especially if they don't have an app: https://rush.uber.com

The UberRUSH API exists for developers that want to go above and beyond and integrate Uber deeply into their products, services, or experiences.

A great example of this is Pythagoras (https://www.getpi.co/), a re-imagining of pizza delivery. Pythagoras doesn't have a brick and mortar storefront, and care a lot about design — so they built their own iOS app and use UberRUSH for delivery. Prior to integrating with UberRUSH, they needed to build and maintain their own fleet of delivery couriers, which limited their reach to a few neighborhoods in San Francisco. After integrating with UberRUSH, they now deliver across the city, expanding their addressable market size overnight without any additional overhead (aside from integrating the UberRUSH API into their app).

In this sense, we're offering the utility of UberRUSH to more contexts and use cases.

[jasonjayr]

Well, isn't EDI just an API for manufacturing + supply chain management?

As far as retail stores are concerned, they make an API call to a supplier, and product shows up.

Granted, it's a pretty convoluted API, but I don't think it's too difficult to imagine what a supply chain algorithm would look like. Just lots of exception handling + long timeouts...

[dragonwriter]

> Well, isn't EDI just an API for manufacturing + supply chain management?

EDI is more standardized data formats than API (though the fact that it often standardizes request and response formats and the relation between them makes it close to an API in some requests), and EDI goes a lot beyond manufacturing and supply chain management.

(In US healthcare financial transactions, specifically, the combination of EDI transaction specifications + standard operating rules mandated under the HIPAA is, basically, a standardized API, if not called that.)

[hboon]

EDI isn't so much the API but the payload's format (and its documentation). The projects I have seen usually customise the formats so much, I sometimes wonder if it's technically worth the effort to use EDI.

[manufacturious]

I'm working on a project involving EDI data right now. You speak as though you have some experience in manufacturing and data. Would you be willing to chat with me for a few minutes about the space?

[jasonjayr]

I'm not sure what I could offer -- my experience is limited to wrapping my head around EDI file formats + processes, and understanding what would be required to support a small manufacturing company's who directly drop ships their products.

Given the Expense + complexity of EDI, in all cases we've found it more cost effective to integrate with all the alternate Web-based import/export tools provided by systems like VendorNet, or whatever other crazy systems our customers use.

If our volume gets bigger, we'll probably have to revisit that position, but it's served us very well for now.

[physcab]

There are similar APIs available for same day delivery from Postmates and Deliv so not exactly a new concept.

[sawyer]

We offer all three (Postmates, Deliv, and Uber) at EasyPost if you want to test them out with only one API integration.

[chipgap98]

Completely agree. I've looking for an API for alcohol deliver to integrate into a site I'm building and there doesn't seem to be anything great out there

[seibelj]

I'm not sure I follow your example. Why would a cleaning service use uber? The cleaner doesn't have a car, or the uber driver will also clean your house?

Edit - I see what you mean now, more companies will make physical service API's

[dieselz]

No no - two separate services. I was just saying an API for a cleaning service would be great, just like an API for a courier.

[chrismessina]

We currently offer Uber for Business to allow for fleet management in order to dispatch rides to move employees or contractors (like cleaners):

https://www.uber.com/business

The Uber Rides API or Uber for Business are better products for moving people from Point A to Point B.