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Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

nytimes.com

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Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#101

Post by gboss »

mdorazio wrote: post #41
jbw976 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the in app tipping that lyft provides is what seals the deal for me. the drivers are performing a service for me and having an integrated way to enhance their compensation is really nice. a lot of the drivers have a hard time making a good living especially considering vehicle related costs are all on their shoulders. I'm happy to have a 1-click way to give them a bit extra. I've never understood why uber doesn't let…

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

I really don't understand what the issue is with tipping. I am American and I love the custom. I feel being able to pay directly the person I have received a service from is very powerful. I think it does incentivise a better work ethic and it's a very social way of affording a middle class income. Now states that reduce the minimum wage for tip workers, that's evil (I live in California).

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#102

Post by rimantas »

mdorazio wrote: post #41
jbw976 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the in app tipping that lyft provides is what seals the deal for me. the drivers are performing a service for me and having an integrated way to enhance their compensation is really nice. a lot of the drivers have a hard time making a good living especially considering vehicle related costs are all on their shoulders. I'm happy to have a 1-click way to give them a bit extra. I've never understood why uber doesn't let…

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

So people use Uber because it costs less to ride and because it does not allow tipping idea being that companies should pay more. This is a sound logic.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#103

Post by erispoe »

hueving wrote: post #92
Griffinsauce wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain how it's a strawman? The Muslim ban (as it has been known for a long time) is a ban on people from a particular faith.

That very name is the strawman. The ban doesn't even target the largest Muslim countries.

Yet it was sold as a Muslim ban by the administration, which is a major reason for San Francisco's federal appeal court to suspend it. The fact that it's not an effective Muslim ban is a different question.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#104

Post by teach »

freyr wrote: post #94
dietrichepp wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a complaint against American culture in a broader sense, not really Lyft specifically. Valid complaint for sure, just misdirected.

No, it's a complaint against Lyft since they made a conscious decision to include tipping, while their main competitor demonstrated that modern American companies do not need to bow to stupid customs. [edit: shouldn't have implied that Uber is financially successful]

I think it's still an open question whether Uber has shown that "American companies can be successful." They are losing hundreds of millions per quarter and are only still afloat due to venture capital.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#105

Post by smileysteve »

freyr wrote: post #94
dietrichepp wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a complaint against American culture in a broader sense, not really Lyft specifically. Valid complaint for sure, just misdirected.

No, it's a complaint against Lyft since they made a conscious decision to include tipping, while their main competitor demonstrated that modern American companies do not need to bow to stupid customs. [edit: shouldn't have implied that Uber is financially successful]

> their main competitor demonstrated that American companies can be successful without bowing to stupid customs.

And then Uber bent in May 2016.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#106

Post by marcell »

freyr wrote: post #72
smileysteve wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The key points are - CEO never blackmailed journalists - No major revelations of sexual harassment - ~~No major revelations of political support~~ Related to core business - Surge Limit has prevented complaints about emergency pricing vs Uber. - Lyft takes a lower commission capped at 20%/25% - Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). Uber's tip policy encourages cash, which is an often cited comp…

> Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). One of the reasons I don't like Lyft. How about this system: pay the drivers a fair wage up front, so they don't need to subsist on the generosity of strangers. If they get great ratings, you can give them a bonus.

You can think of it as something similar to price discrimination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#107

Post by elastic_church »

bbcbasic wrote: post #71
smileysteve wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The key points are - CEO never blackmailed journalists - No major revelations of sexual harassment - ~~No major revelations of political support~~ Related to core business - Surge Limit has prevented complaints about emergency pricing vs Uber. - Lyft takes a lower commission capped at 20%/25% - Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). Uber's tip policy encourages cash, which is an often cited comp…

Slide 1: Why fund us? The key points are - CEO never blackmailed journalists - No major revelations of sexual harassment - No major revelations of political support Slide 2: ..

Our 20% commission is great because the other company with more funding and first mover advantage takes more commission.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, "and people don't like that."

~~~execution~~~

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#108

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc »

mdorazio wrote: post #41
jbw976 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the in app tipping that lyft provides is what seals the deal for me. the drivers are performing a service for me and having an integrated way to enhance their compensation is really nice. a lot of the drivers have a hard time making a good living especially considering vehicle related costs are all on their shoulders. I'm happy to have a 1-click way to give them a bit extra. I've never understood why uber doesn't let…

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

I've never understood why tipping, specifically when it is completely optional, threatens people or turns them off. If you don't tip a Lyft driver, they aren't going to give you a dirty look or treat you any differently, especially since you get to rate them on their service.

You can complain that people should be paid a fair wage, but they aren't. I wish for many things, such as the end of warfare, but I accept the current reality that I live in and that I don't care enough about tipping to dedicate time and energy to affect its change. I'm not going to go out of my way to change some business's wage policy. It's sub-optimal, but what isn't? Humans are terrible at setting the correct prices for goods and services. The market does not provide either for a number of reasons (eg we don't take externalities into account, love to socialize losses and privatize gains without getting caught, etc.) It's been this way for longer than I've been alive and has shown no signs of abating.

If it bothers you that there is an OPTION to tip in an app, there's some insecurity there for a reason. Honestly, I like the system. I tip well at bars. As a result, bartenders will occasionally give me free drinks, engage in meaningful conversations, or just really go out of their way for me.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#109

Post by paulddraper »

Griffinsauce wrote: post #81
xiangmin wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No major revelations of political support They took a kind of strong stance [1] in protesting the recent order that restricted travel from those seven countries, so that's a political statement (whether or not we agree with it.) Their announcement also included some strawman language, which turned off some people: "This weekend, Trump closed the country’s borders to refugees, immigrants, and even documented residen…

Can you explain how it's a strawman? The Muslim ban (as it has been known for a long time) is a ban on people from a particular faith.

Muslims from Algeria (99% of the population) can enter. Christians from Syria cannot.

That's the weirdest Muslim ban I've ever heard of.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#110

Post by smileysteve »

gboss wrote: post #101
mdorazio wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

I really don't understand what the issue is with tipping. I am American and I love the custom. I feel being able to pay directly the person I have received a service from is very powerful. I think it does incentivise a better work ethic and it's a very social way of affording a middle class income. Now states that reduce the minimum wage for tip workers, that's evil (I live in California).

There are many issues with tipping

This article and the research behind it

http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a23132/why-tip...

3. The percentage basis makes no sense.

4. Better service doesn't actually beget better tips.

5. It perpetuates racism and sexism.

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