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Uber rolls out in-app tipping

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#101

Post by Simulacra »

londons_explore wrote: post #79
savanaly wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 l…

I'm gonna guess they'll keep the tips secret until many hours after the journey (and when both driver and passenger have left star ratings). They might even aggregate tips for the week/month. That way, if you leave no tip, it can't come back and bite you.

That is the best and most fair solution. You only find out your tip AFTER you've rated the passenger.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#102

Post by Simulacra »

kneel wrote: post #23

Tipping in the US is guilt driven and has very little to do with service. This is Uber's attempt pass on the burden of compensation to their passengers. Uber rides just got a little more awkward.

..and apparently originated with slavery. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/04/restaurants-t...

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#103

Post by magic_beans »

j4kp07 wrote: post #41

Wow. There are a lot of people in here that have never worked in the Services industry or done the math for an Uber driver's take home pay after taxes/gas/maintenance. It's ironic how the same people who say they don't mind paying a higher price vs tips, are choosing Uber because they are cheaper than a Lyft/Taxi.

I'd easily use NYC taxis if they had an app and payment system as convenient as Uber's. I HATE having to tip, but wouldn't mind paying higher to have it included in the price; I also abhor the taxi TV nonsense blaring in NYC cabs.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#104

Post by Simulacra »

linkregister wrote: post #82

I used to abhor the in-app tipping option in Lyft. But increasingly I would be asked to tip cash by drivers when I used Uber. My rating started to get lower as the cultural expectation to tip cash took hold. It turns out the Lyft model, where the driver doesn't know whether or not the rider tipped, is better for the rider. The rider doesn't have to carry cash in order to avoid getting extorted for a 5-star rating. Ti…

This is precisely the reason I switched from Uber to Lyft. I never carry cash, even though I desperately wanted to tip that Uber driver who picked me up at the subway station in the middle of the night and dropped me off at my house 20 miles away. I appreciate this option, even if I don't always use it.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#105

Post by Simulacra »

linkregister wrote: post #82

I used to abhor the in-app tipping option in Lyft. But increasingly I would be asked to tip cash by drivers when I used Uber. My rating started to get lower as the cultural expectation to tip cash took hold. It turns out the Lyft model, where the driver doesn't know whether or not the rider tipped, is better for the rider. The rider doesn't have to carry cash in order to avoid getting extorted for a 5-star rating. Ti…

This is precisely the reason I switched from Uber to Lyft. I never carry cash, even though I desperately wanted to tip that Uber driver who picked me up at the subway station in the middle of the night and dropped me off at my house 20 miles away. I appreciate this option, even if I don't always use it.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#107

Post by SilasX »

londons_explore wrote: post #84
djb_hackernews wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The way Uber works now is it incentivizes the driver to give you a poor rating if you don't tip. By including the tip functionality in the app, and preventing the driver from seeing the tip before you are rated, it will remove this incentive. I don't like tipping either but Uber had to do this and I'm confident the data showed it.

They will probably take some "handling fee" on the value of the tips. It'll form an income stream.

The article says they aren't (just like Lyft doesn't):

>Uber won’t take any part of the tips given drivers.[1]

IIRC, it would also be legally dubious to do so.

[1] And for the record, I prefer this phrasing to the more common "Drivers keep 100% of tips", which is not true unless they're evading taxes.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#108

Post by Simulacra »

smeyer wrote: post #68
amelius wrote: post #53

In restaurants, when a waiter is tipped, the kitchen gets part of the money. How would that work with Uber? Will programmers receive part of the tip money?

>In restaurants, when a waiter is tipped, the kitchen gets part of the money. That practice is highly dependent on the restaurant and locale. In many places, it's illegal to require the waitstaff to pool tips with the kitchen. https://www.eater.com/2016/2/26/11119264/restaurants-tip-poo...

Not always. Depends on the restaurant.

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#109

Post by [deleted] »

savanaly wrote: post #86
londons_explore wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm gonna guess they'll keep the tips secret until many hours after the journey (and when both driver and passenger have left star ratings). They might even aggregate tips for the week/month. That way, if you leave no tip, it can't come back and bite you.

But it will come back to bite me in a psychological way. I don't want to feel like the sort of person who doesn't tip when tipping is expected, I want to use a service where I don't have to think about tipping and can feel like a decent person. If that service has to cost more then so be it.

[deleted]

Re: Uber rolls out in-app tipping

#110

Post by SilasX »

blizkreeg wrote: post #66

A rhetorical question: what would it take to build a not-for-profit but 'capitalist' platform like Uber with all the features that exist today (reviews, ratings, scheduled rides etc) where drivers just pay a monthly subscription fee (say $25-100 based on earnings?) and take the entire earnings of the ride? I understand the marketing costs of getting drivers and riders on the platform but end of the day, if the driver…

Someone built it and it was discussed here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13529213

http://libretaxi.org/

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