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Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

nytimes.com

21–30 of 99 posts

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#22

Dear Lyft, you're screwing up your chance. When Uber started to have a bunch of scandal, I tried to switch to Lyft. I really did. But, stuck at a hospital after an emergency room visit, trying to get home at 10pm, I sat there for 45 minutes, watching a driver go from 4 minutes away to 5 minutes away to 8 minutes away, then no driver, then a new driver is 4 minutes away, then 4 minutes away, then 5 minutes away, then…

Given your profile information this seems like an authenticate story, but does anyone else read this and think of the various misinformation campaigns by Uber like when they booked fake rides to waste the time of Lyft drivers?

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#23
post #13

Of course Uber sees an uptick in bookings. None of the people using the service in almost 200 countries worldwide are tuned into the daily drama of Silicon Valley. Normal people want to get from point A to point B in the most comfortable, efficient, cheap way possible. If that means Uber then so be it. If that means Taxis then so be it. If that means Didi Chuxing then so be it. It just turns out that Uber is well pos…

By the same token the issues which Uber faces really have very little to do with publicity and everything to do with operating at a substantial and constant loss, all bet on a dream of automation which is probably decades away. Uber with drivers simply doesn't work as a profitable business, and the self driving cars they need are simply not going to be here in time to save them. The rest is more or less academic.

Doesn't Amazon operate on a loss? Doesn't it not matter as long as there is a long term potential for profit?

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#24

Frankly the outrage against Uber makes me more likely to use the service. Before it became politically incorrect to mention Uber, I was entirely impartial. I'm sure that I'm not the only one.

I normally agree with this sentiment. In this case, in my opinion, the Uber situation was so inexcusable that I took my business elsewhere.

Me, and not many other people, it seems.

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#25

Of course Uber sees an uptick in bookings. None of the people using the service in almost 200 countries worldwide are tuned into the daily drama of Silicon Valley. Normal people want to get from point A to point B in the most comfortable, efficient, cheap way possible. If that means Uber then so be it. If that means Taxis then so be it. If that means Didi Chuxing then so be it. It just turns out that Uber is well pos…

So true. Most people just don't care. I've used this to my advantage over the past few years, as soon as a "big corporate scandal" breaks the stock tends to fall. Check their financials, buy the stock if it looks good, then wait a few months for it to all blow over. My most recent was Wells Fargo during their opening accounts scandal. Bought early Oct, Sold late Jan. 20.06% profit. There were so many headlines callin…

Even those who care, might not have real alternatives. The real benefit I see from Uber is exactly that: opening the markets up so we can avoid the bad actors. But for now, many of us still only have the choice between "new and corrupt" and "old and corrupt". Thankfully, more competition is coming, after Uber broken the barrier down.

(And yes, I know other places already had good working systems. Good for you, doesn't help me, though)

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#26
post #13

Of course Uber sees an uptick in bookings. None of the people using the service in almost 200 countries worldwide are tuned into the daily drama of Silicon Valley. Normal people want to get from point A to point B in the most comfortable, efficient, cheap way possible. If that means Uber then so be it. If that means Taxis then so be it. If that means Didi Chuxing then so be it. It just turns out that Uber is well pos…

By the same token the issues which Uber faces really have very little to do with publicity and everything to do with operating at a substantial and constant loss, all bet on a dream of automation which is probably decades away. Uber with drivers simply doesn't work as a profitable business, and the self driving cars they need are simply not going to be here in time to save them. The rest is more or less academic.

People have said the same about FB and Amazon. I agree that they wont be able to stay at loss for ever, however once the cheap cash runs out there's nothing stopping them from bumping up the rates a bit and/or growing less aggressively.

Yes, they will loose x% of users, but the ones that stay will be served at a profit. At this point, Uber is likely too big to fail.

Anecdotally, I have used Uber from the beginning and never even bothered to install anything else just because there was no compelling reason to, I don't see that be different for many users.

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#27
post #26
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By the same token the issues which Uber faces really have very little to do with publicity and everything to do with operating at a substantial and constant loss, all bet on a dream of automation which is probably decades away. Uber with drivers simply doesn't work as a profitable business, and the self driving cars they need are simply not going to be here in time to save them. The rest is more or less academic.

People have said the same about FB and Amazon. I agree that they wont be able to stay at loss for ever, however once the cheap cash runs out there's nothing stopping them from bumping up the rates a bit and/or growing less aggressively. Yes, they will loose x% of users, but the ones that stay will be served at a profit. At this point, Uber is likely too big to fail. Anecdotally, I have used Uber from the beginning an…

I would recommend installing Lyft as well if it's available in your area. Depending on where I am, usually one service or the other is cheaper, sometimes significantly.

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#28

Frankly the outrage against Uber makes me more likely to use the service. Before it became politically incorrect to mention Uber, I was entirely impartial. I'm sure that I'm not the only one.

You sound like someone who angrily voted for trump.

Things need to get worse before they get better?

Re: Uber, Mired in Corporate Scandals, Sees Uptick in Bookings

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So true. Most people just don't care. I've used this to my advantage over the past few years, as soon as a "big corporate scandal" breaks the stock tends to fall. Check their financials, buy the stock if it looks good, then wait a few months for it to all blow over. My most recent was Wells Fargo during their opening accounts scandal. Bought early Oct, Sold late Jan. 20.06% profit. There were so many headlines callin…

Even those who care, might not have real alternatives. The real benefit I see from Uber is exactly that: opening the markets up so we can avoid the bad actors. But for now, many of us still only have the choice between "new and corrupt" and "old and corrupt". Thankfully, more competition is coming, after Uber broken the barrier down. (And yes, I know other places already had good working systems. Good for you, doesn'…

How's Via and Sidecar doing?
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