There is a great analysis of Uber's failed business model by Hubert Horan [1] [1] http://horanaviation.com/Uber.html
so you mean the whole rider sharing is scam? lol
SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
71–80 of 143 posts
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same here. In the States I mostly use Lyft, but internationally it's easier to just use the Uber app instead of first figuring out which other options are available. In many cases installing the local apps doesn't even work because they are limited to their own local app stores. One of the next steps for those companies is probably to get roaming agreements with each other: When I'm in a country where, e.g., Uber doe…
Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany. Was surprising that Uber didn't work there. Uber "seems" everywhere, but is largely North American.
North America is their largest market, but they still have more cities outside it than inside: https://www.uber.com/cities/
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#73In Japan, company struggles are first blamed on the management chain. Not the employees, not bad luck. The people in charge. If new management can’t sort things out then it must be they workers. This also appear to apply to subsidiaries in other countries. Given the way Uber has been going, next year is going to get interesting. Given Uber’s struggles, if SoftBank follows the playbook, they won’t touch anything for a…
SoftBank has a minority, 15% stake. Will they really have enough authority and juice with the other board members to execute a boardroom coup?
They will if 35% of shareholders agree with them.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same here. In the States I mostly use Lyft, but internationally it's easier to just use the Uber app instead of first figuring out which other options are available. In many cases installing the local apps doesn't even work because they are limited to their own local app stores. One of the next steps for those companies is probably to get roaming agreements with each other: When I'm in a country where, e.g., Uber doe…
Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany. Was surprising that Uber didn't work there. Uber "seems" everywhere, but is largely North American.
Uber is prohibited from operating in Germany like they do elsewhere. So Uber stopped operating in Germany.
This was because Uber did not provide adequate insurance for rides and did not comply with German transportation law.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#75Does anyone really think that Uber has enough runway, or could ever get enough, to last until the necessary level of automation is developed? SoftBank though, between this and their incredibly favorable, conditional loan to Theranos really has an eye for distressed assets! If someone does have a vision for a successful Uber, I’d love to hear it, not to try and pick it apart, just to understand what’s happening.
Uber should easily be profitable without driverless cars. Uber's cost to book rides is pennies, its share of ride revenues is dollars. It's likely profitable or close in north america now. The naked capitalism analysis was childishly biased, completely done without access to the necessary detail of their financials. Uber under Kalanick poured massive amounts of money into accelerating international market expansion a…
I use Uber on a regular basis and have always been happy with the service. I attempted Uber eats twice. I wrote of the first bad experience as a one off, the second time was a sign
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
The success of Didi in China has been interesting. They have largely co-opted the taxi pools in Beijing/Shanghai/Shenzhen by allowing you to bid/pay the driver to pick up riders. It has changed dramatically in only a few years. Although locals tell me it is illegal you can wait over an hour and a hundred green-lit taxis before one will stop to pick-up someone without an app that is willing to bid a few yuan. Train st…
This highlights why many governments dislike ride hailing services. As riding hailing becomes dominant (with their rise only being enabled by being able to skirt regulations) it creates a transportation system where one needs a mobile phone to participate. This excludes low income persons and persons with low technical literacy. The way that ride hailing slices away only part of the population and ignores the rest is…
In my city low income people are technologically literate enough to have smartphones.
The poor are excluded from traditional taxis as well, whereas at least ride-hailing can pool people together to lower prices. In the future we might see larger van formats operating like buses with ad-hoc routing.
I personally favor subsidized public transit options, and don't think ride hailing apps discourage that any more than taxis. If anything, ride hailing apps help transition people away from car ownership and into mixed use transit.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#77In Japan, company struggles are first blamed on the management chain. Not the employees, not bad luck. The people in charge. If new management can’t sort things out then it must be they workers. This also appear to apply to subsidiaries in other countries. Given the way Uber has been going, next year is going to get interesting. Given Uber’s struggles, if SoftBank follows the playbook, they won’t touch anything for a…
SoftBank has a minority, 15% stake. Will they really have enough authority and juice with the other board members to execute a boardroom coup?
Yeah I thought this was meant to be a bigger stake after the rumors and the title. 15% is a large stake now, WSJ?
However as someone else pointed out SoftBank has ties to some of the other investors, so who knows what the board room will look like.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, but scale of countries like Bahrain doesn't make a dent. Also, in each of those countries Uber has a competition that is usually more successful than Uber. That's not true in Brazil and Mexico and that's why Didi is rushing there!
In my experience, the Didi app is inferior to Uber's. Not sure how they would manage to outcompete.
Price is the by far the biggest factor. My friends (here in Brazil) have two or three apps installed and always compare price before making a choice.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
How is it a scam? It gave me a ride to the airport for $26 bucks. I took a cab once and it cost over $50 bucks. My need some tweaks here and therem but overall its a great service for customers
The missing $24 were health insurance, car insurance, pension payments for the driver etc. All not being paid. Uber is no ride share service, it is a test project to figure out if modern society will accept a larger lower income working class without any social security, and that is what all investment firms bet on.
The driver uses that money to pay for his own health insurance and retirement. Contrary to your post, Uber provided me with commercial vehicle insurance when I was driving for them.
Re: SoftBank Succeeds in Tender Offer for Large Stake in Uber
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
How is it a scam? It gave me a ride to the airport for $26 bucks. I took a cab once and it cost over $50 bucks. My need some tweaks here and therem but overall its a great service for customers
The rates Uber charges are unsustainable, funded with VC money and underpaying drivers, hence posters comment that Uber is a scam. Uber’s play is to wait out taxis going out of business and then charge you $50.
Because they think no one else can write apps..? Kalanick may be an asshole, but I don't think he's stupid.