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Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

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Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#21

Post by [deleted] »

CPLX wrote: post #15
marenkay wrote: post #5

Another unicorn that can only exist because it uses fake self-employment to turn their workforce into a cheaper one. Just like Uber and so many others this only works because for some reason turning paid work into something that is not even self-sustaining suddenly is accepted. Does nobody have ethical issues with seeing value in devaluing people?

While I strongly agree with your overall sentiment it's worth noting that this is not a new startup-developed characteristic. The people driving FedEx delivery trucks to your office are independent contractors too.

[deleted]

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#23

Post by mirekrusin »

mattmanser wrote: post #16

I find it funny they're claiming some sort of AI system will help them make better margins. In my city, Nottingham. all the deliveroo people gather in Trinity Square waiting for jobs. There's obviously no special AI needed. I do think though that it raises the issue that they should be paying for their own business premises and stop using our public spaces as their company waiting spots.

Similar at Angel, London. They gather at the shell petrol station; also for some strange reason pretty much all of them speak brazilian portuguese.

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#24

Post by pault »

Zenst wrote: post #8

Was just reading about them only the other day and how they are losing money: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41347817 So how they derive such a valuation is very much at odds with actualities.

Hmm, if that surprises you I have some bad news about the rest of the startup industry...

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#25

Post by orf »

amyboyd wrote: post #20
orf wrote: post #10

For those wondering about these numbers, Deliveroo has a great concept, solid execution and huge brand recognition. Just-eat (worth 4.6B) connects people to shitty takeaways and has a terrible website. Deliveroo connects people to restaurants and provides the delivery service themselves, through bikers (here in London). They have taken this and spread throughout Europe. They are going to (and are) completely canablis…

What makes you think Just-Eat ran out of steam "years ago"? Stock price is higher than ever: http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-marke... They are reporting good growth: http://www.cityam.com/256734/just-eat-reported-order-growth-... I see lots of Deliveroo bikes around where I live in the centre of London, but they are basically non-existant when I go to other towns and cities. Also, Deliveroo sta…

By ran out of steam I mean:

1. Their website is really quite poor, and has been for years. Why the hell is the navigation so crap, and why can't I search for a specific food item?

2. They still haven't done anything about the prevalent and pervasive fake reviews.

Also, they cannot "move up-scale", their logo is associated with cheap food. Upscale restaurants don't want to put themselves on just-eat, next to the cheap low end places, nor do they want the just eat logo in their windows.

IMO it's the opposite of what you describe - it's way harder to go low-end to high-end. Just eat has to somehow convince people their brand isn't for bad food.and cheap takeaways, then market themselves at high-end places.

Deliveroo just needs to keep their high-end image, and then all the cheap places would throw themselves at Deliveroo to up their own image. No convincing required.

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#26

Post by pault »

mirekrusin wrote: post #23
mattmanser wrote: post #16

I find it funny they're claiming some sort of AI system will help them make better margins. In my city, Nottingham. all the deliveroo people gather in Trinity Square waiting for jobs. There's obviously no special AI needed. I do think though that it raises the issue that they should be paying for their own business premises and stop using our public spaces as their company waiting spots.

Similar at Angel, London. They gather at the shell petrol station; also for some strange reason pretty much all of them speak brazilian portuguese.

Is that strange because they aren't Brazilian?

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#27

Post by rrivers »

marenkay wrote: post #5

Another unicorn that can only exist because it uses fake self-employment to turn their workforce into a cheaper one. Just like Uber and so many others this only works because for some reason turning paid work into something that is not even self-sustaining suddenly is accepted. Does nobody have ethical issues with seeing value in devaluing people?

Are gig economies the problem (and the companies that create them) or are they an inevitability? I''d argue the latter, especially as the wave of automation that is foreseeable in the very near future will displace more people.

Companies are going to innovate but what we are witnessing now is innovation that under the current market economy ) this innovation "devalues" people. Perhaps the solution is better legislation and regulation of business to support this new, growing, and likely inevitable shift towards a gig economy and the people who operate within the sphere.

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#28

Post by z3t4 »

marenkay wrote: post #5

Another unicorn that can only exist because it uses fake self-employment to turn their workforce into a cheaper one. Just like Uber and so many others this only works because for some reason turning paid work into something that is not even self-sustaining suddenly is accepted. Does nobody have ethical issues with seeing value in devaluing people?

And when they want to increase their margins, guess who's gonna get cut !? The long game is to replace all manual work with self driving/flying drones. But for that to ever happen, those who are now carrying out manual work need to demand more, so it becomes economical to actually replace them.

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#29

Post by skrebbel »

marenkay wrote: post #5

Another unicorn that can only exist because it uses fake self-employment to turn their workforce into a cheaper one. Just like Uber and so many others this only works because for some reason turning paid work into something that is not even self-sustaining suddenly is accepted. Does nobody have ethical issues with seeing value in devaluing people?

It's even worse than Uber. With Uber, at least you can drive for multiple companies at the same time. If you want to bike for both Deliveroo and, say, Foodora you need to first go home and swap one branded backpack for the other.

(Not sure if that's an international thing - here in NL the delivery people use bikes and have branded backpacks)

Re: Deliveroo raises $385M in new funding

#30

Post by mschuster91 »

rrivers wrote: post #27
marenkay wrote: post #5

Another unicorn that can only exist because it uses fake self-employment to turn their workforce into a cheaper one. Just like Uber and so many others this only works because for some reason turning paid work into something that is not even self-sustaining suddenly is accepted. Does nobody have ethical issues with seeing value in devaluing people?

Are gig economies the problem (and the companies that create them) or are they an inevitability? I''d argue the latter, especially as the wave of automation that is foreseeable in the very near future will displace more people. Companies are going to innovate but what we are witnessing now is innovation that under the current market economy ) this innovation "devalues" people. Perhaps the solution is better legislati…

> and likely inevitable shift towards a gig economy

The "gig economy" scam must be stopped before it's too late. It is not "innovation", but pure exploitation.

As for automation, tax robots and distribute the profits to the people made jobless by them.

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