Uber rolls out in-app tipping • Hacker News Board

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#31

Post by mtgx » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:39 PM UTC

Terrible decision. Tipping is harmful culture in the long term. It leads to employees (drivers in this case) being paid less than they should be "because they will be tipped anyway" and it gives customers anxiety about tipping. Plus, the employees will start to expect tipping or treat you badly, especially if their employers consider tipping as part of their salary.

Just a lose-lose situation.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#32

Post by untog » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:39 PM UTC

vthallam wrote: post #8

The most important feature I liked in Uber relative to lyft was no tipping. Why not spike the price up a little and compensate them. When they have started, the motto was, "Uber - Your private driver" and it was truly like that until today I tip the driver like every other service you get.

The irony is that people have tipped their private drivers as long as they've existed.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#33

Post by nullnilvoid » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:40 PM UTC

How does this make Uber the nice guy if the riders tip drivers, not Uber? Uber still takes a cut of up to 25% of the fare. Anyway, riders can always tip drivers with small cash.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#34

Post by rzg08 » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:40 PM UTC

bpicolo wrote: post #2

Why not just raise the prices a bit again? Now I'm worried I'll get down-starred for not tipping on Uber, which is just kind of annoying. I feel like not requiring a tip is Uber's biggest differentiator

Drivers will rate first before seeing tipping information.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#35

Post by horsecaptin » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:40 PM UTC

RunawayGalaxy wrote: post #10

bpicolo wrote: post #2

Why not just raise the prices a bit again? Now I'm worried I'll get down-starred for not tipping on Uber, which is just kind of annoying. I feel like not requiring a tip is Uber's biggest differentiator

You answered your own question. Why raise prices and risk losing customers when they can just use widely accepted social pressure to coerce you into subsidizing their cost of doing business for free?

Widely despised social pressure.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#36

Post by savanaly » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:40 PM UTC

RunawayGalaxy wrote: post #10

bpicolo wrote: post #2

Why not just raise the prices a bit again? Now I'm worried I'll get down-starred for not tipping on Uber, which is just kind of annoying. I feel like not requiring a tip is Uber's biggest differentiator

You answered your own question. Why raise prices and risk losing customers when they can just use widely accepted social pressure to coerce you into subsidizing their cost of doing business for free?

It's not like they're fooling anyone though...regular users of uber will know the average outlay from using an uber is $X, whether it's through the fares charged or a lower fare plus expected tip. I would much rather have a higher fare than the stress of figuring out how much to tip. I could just decide on a tip to always give, but what about those times when the service is really shitty? Do I "get back" at them by leaving no tip? Isn't that the whole purpose of the tipping process? But that makes me feel like a shitty person, and the cognitive outlay in thinking about all of this is just annoying.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#37

Post by Consultant32452 » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:40 PM UTC

bpicolo wrote: post #2

Why not just raise the prices a bit again? Now I'm worried I'll get down-starred for not tipping on Uber, which is just kind of annoying. I feel like not requiring a tip is Uber's biggest differentiator

What makes you think your lack of tip doesn't impact your rating now? The few Uber drivers I know expect a tip.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#38

Post by jdc0589 » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:41 PM UTC

screw this; charge a fair price and pay people a fair amount. Relying on the random generosity of customers to pay your employees/contractors/indentured-servants a fair wage is a bullshit business model (yes, I am aware this is how the restaurant industry in the US survives).

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#39

Post by fullshark » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:41 PM UTC

Hate this as a consumer.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#40

Post by RunawayGalaxy » Tue, Jun 20, 2017, 5:41 PM UTC

horsecaptin wrote: post #35

RunawayGalaxy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You answered your own question. Why raise prices and risk losing customers when they can just use widely accepted social pressure to coerce you into subsidizing their cost of doing business for free?

Widely despised social pressure.

Doesn't matter if it's despised as long as it's accepted.

Edit: To be clear, I am speaking from Uber's perspective.