Lazada finds new reward partners with Uber's exit

Ride-hailing firm Uber's abrupt exit from Singapore has left Lazada's membership programme short of two of its reward partners, though it appears to have gained new ones.

Grab announced yesterday that it had acquired Uber's South-east Asian operations, including its food delivery business Uber Eats.

Currently, e-commerce giant Lazada's LiveUp programme offers members rebates and discounts on Lazada, RedMart, Netflix, Taobao Collection, Uber and Uber Eats. Its Uber-related rewards include $10 off every 10th ride and delivery fee refunds for Uber Eats orders over $35.

Grab said the Uber app will run in South-east Asia until April 8, while the Uber Eats app will operate until the end of May, when all restaurant partners will be migrated to the new GrabFood platform.

A spokesman for Lazada said subscribers can continue to make use of the LiveUp benefits on the Uber app until April 8.

An e-mail sent by Lazada to subscribers last week, seen by The Straits Times, included new tie-ups with bike-sharing firm ofo and online restaurant reservation platform Chope. Neither are currently listed on LiveUp's website.

Yearly LiveUp membership is $28.80 after a 60-day trial, and $49.90 from the second year.

Competition appears to be heating up, with supermarket chain FairPrice and Grab teaming up to launch the Score subscription programme last week. It offers members rebates on supermarket purchases and discounts on Grab rides, and is similarly priced at $29.99 for the first year of membership and $49.99 from the second year.

LiveUp member Yixi Tan, 34, said he signed up last July mainly for the six months of free Netflix included in the subscription. The replacement of Uber and Uber Eats is no loss, said the marketing manager, who uses Uber once or twice a month. "If I eat by myself. I rarely hit $35. so I won't get free delivery, and with Uber, it is about 10 rides before one is free," he said.