Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history • Hacker News Board

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#51

Post by valuearb » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:18 PM UTC

dkarapetyan wrote: post #32

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

But they actually can't survive. You're assuming the current demand can offset all the money they're burning.

Your assuming their ridesharing business is not profitable in mature markets. There is evidence it is. No outside analysis has yet been able to break down how much of their losses are investment in new businesses and markets.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#52

Post by imh » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:18 PM UTC

>Two questions face the company. One is whether Uber will continue prospering under Mr Kalanick’s leadership. Silicon Valley and its denizens may celebrate his type, but ...

Well fuck you too, Economist. That seems like an unnecessary and ignorant jab.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#53

Post by valuearb » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:19 PM UTC

rthomas6 wrote: post #19

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

It doesn't matter if Uber's not actually making money. And they're not, last I heard.

it only matters if they can. Few rapidly growing tech startups make money while still investing in growth.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#54

Post by valuearb » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:20 PM UTC

robbyking wrote: post #18

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

I think it's important to remember that Uber users aren't loyal: if a ride isn't immediately available through Uber, they use Lyft; if Lyft isn't available, they go to the next app. While I agree that the service is here to stay, the individual players are likely to shift.

I have Uber in my phone, not Lyft.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#55

Post by valuearb » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:21 PM UTC

ProAm wrote: post #45

aianus wrote: post #7

As a part-time Uber driver in Toronto I haven't noticed any drop-off in ride requests whatsoever. Uber will survive, at least unless someone else beats them to market with an autonomous alternative. I don't get any incentives or bonuses either, just ~75% of the gross receipts from the customer.

Demand speaks nothing of their balance sheet.

Ther balance sheet is massive. They've raised over $15B.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#56

Post by Bahamut » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:21 PM UTC

sbov wrote: post #50

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tipping is often the only way for people to make end's meet. It lets people with excess money help out someone who really needs the help. I think most people's view would change if they were in a situation where tipping makes the difference between being able to pay your heating bill.

The entire point is that tipping shouldn't make the difference between being able to pay your heating bill. Tipping, as it exists in the US, is pretty much a dark pattern.

Then Uber should raise their rates - as it is, they take a greater cut of the fare than Lyft, charge less than Lyft, and don't offer tipping (which is always optional). This is a worse deal for the drivers overall from what drivers on both Uber and Lyft tell me, which is why I don't understand the tipping argument for when it comes to specifically using Uber or Lyft.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#57

Post by valuearb » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:21 PM UTC

paulpauper wrote: post #28

I suspect management quitting has to do more with options being deep in the money and no longer having a financial incentive to stay with the company, more than Uber actually being in much trouble. Sounds like more alarmism. Uber has gotten a lot of bad press over the past few months but the business itself is doing fine.

Quitting means forfeiting options.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#58

Post by thecopy » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:22 PM UTC

frgtpsswrdlame wrote: post #48

AlwaysRock wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Based on what? I'm pretty loyal to Uber and use it because I know what I'm going to pay when I order the ride and because I'm not pressured to tip in the app. I guess if another app had both those features, the same ride availability, and cost the same I'd download and try it but currently none of them, that I've tried, do.

Yes but Uber will have to raise prices at some point. Will you be loyal then?

What do you base that on?

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#59

Post by smallgovt » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:22 PM UTC

twblalock wrote: post #16

shostack wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I'm not sure I disagree with you, devil's advocate here...do you think you'd feel the same way as a founder who could prevent yourself from ever being fired from your own company? I can think of several situations where retaining that kind of control would be hugely beneficial and important (in the right hands of course, which is the whole issue here).

I suspect that most CEOs would like that level of control, but they shouldn't get it.

Care to elaborate on why? The initial condition here is founders having full voting rights. In a free marketplace, they're free to sell shares without (or with little) voting rights as they wish. If investors aren't happy with it (which doesn't seem to be the case), they're free to not invest.

You seem to be stating that there's a moral imperative that founders voluntarily give away voting rights to investors.

Re: Uber is facing the biggest crisis in its history

#60

Post by sillysaurus3 » Mon, Mar 27, 2017, 8:23 PM UTC

sbov wrote: post #50

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tipping is often the only way for people to make end's meet. It lets people with excess money help out someone who really needs the help. I think most people's view would change if they were in a situation where tipping makes the difference between being able to pay your heating bill.

The entire point is that tipping shouldn't make the difference between being able to pay your heating bill. Tipping, as it exists in the US, is pretty much a dark pattern.

"Shouldn't" and "doesn't" are worlds apart.

I think most people hate tipping because they hate when people ask for tips. But a formal tipping system might reduce the number of Uber drivers who already ask for tips.