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Uber Q3 Results

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Re: Uber Q3 Results

#141

Post by missosoup »

uptown wrote: post #131
donkeyd wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I left my umbrella in an Uber in NYC once. I found the driver's number in the app and they were back a few minutes later and I got my umbrella back. This wouldn't have been so easy if it were a regular cab.

And? You got a $5 umbrella back. That has zero relevance to the business model of a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

I left $5000+ worth of camera equipment in an uber once.

They went 40 mins out of their way to return it and tried to refuse the money I offered them for their trouble.

This would have absolutely not happened with a cab.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#142

Post by iamgopal »

ganitarashid wrote: post #17

Having new “one-time” charges every quarter means those are not one-time charges. They’re part of the business, which means the business doesn’t work. One of Ubers biggest problems is that they have zero brand loyalty. For a company that sells a utility (get me, or my food, from A to B) rather than an experience (like a cool vacation in a unique mansion), I will always pick the cheapest option. Whether that’s Uber or…

Profitable business are the one when one can not add Further value to it. i.e. advertise. Or retail trading like business.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#143

Post by icebraining »

femto113 wrote: post #82
rauchp wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If both companies are approaching bankruptcy trying to outlast the other, wouldn't the lesser evil be a world with a ride-share monopoly rather than a world without (large scale) ridesharing? With the amount of people that use these rideshare companies as their primary job or to make their daily commute, it seems hard to imagine going back to the pre-Uber/Lyft days. Not that the government or any regulatory body woul…

If both Uber and Lyft go bankrupt we’d have a new rideshare service (or 20) before the ink was dry on the court papers. The public value is embodied in the concept, not in the companies.

In fact, there are already lots of competitors worldwide, likely more lean than Uber/Lyft and probably ready to pounce on the US market once those two implode.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#144

Post by troysand »

greggman2 wrote: post #70
cavisne wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least for me uber has huge brand loyalty, it’s sitting in the dock of my iPhone. If I need to go somewhere, or get home, Uber has never let me down. Likewise with food delivery, I certainly have been let down on that but Uber does the best job of letting me track the order and get a refund if needed. Sure Lyft is an alternative, I have it on my phone but simply never use it. It’s incorrect that nothing has changed…

I switched to Lyft a few years ago because of Uber's evil ways. I've had zero problems. If people won't stop using a company that is so blatantly bad we're in trouble.

Same here. Switched to Lyft a year ago and never look back.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#145

Post by thecupisblue »

Jommi wrote: post #116
thecupisblue wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's all an Uber illusion: # No money changes hands, so safer for drivers. Not true in many countries where cash is supported in Uber. # No payment is made in the vehicle, so faster exit times. Not true in many countries where cash is supported in Uber. # Uber uses any credit card, so your boss can pay for your ride without the need for separate expensing. I wouldn't do that a lot of times - I switched a few cards on…

>Cash Argument Im not sure what you're trying to say? All Uber markets that support cash also support card. > Card Declines Of course you will get blocked if you add an active uber accounts payment method. Thats basically a huge red signal for fraud. > Rating Of course someone needs to be the first one to rate the drivers. Yet this is 100000x better than nothing, which is what most regular cab companies give. >Money…

I'm trying to say that all these "advantages" are just in specific situations.

And the card decline wasn't done with a card that already was active on Uber. And their "fraud" system got triggered months later, repeatedly, after a drive or two.

Also yes there are upfront costs in my area, in US maybe it isn't but here you have them.

I'm not saying Uber is worse than cabs. I'm saying that a lot of "advantages" Uber has aren't really all that. They are in a race to not burn their money before their AV investment can can come in, and in the end, it's just cabs with an app, not much better or worse than cabs.

3-4 years ago, the play was different, but now, it's becoming "just another cab company" in that area.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#146

Post by jaysh »

V-2 wrote: post #139
ganitarashid wrote: post #17

Having new “one-time” charges every quarter means those are not one-time charges. They’re part of the business, which means the business doesn’t work. One of Ubers biggest problems is that they have zero brand loyalty. For a company that sells a utility (get me, or my food, from A to B) rather than an experience (like a cool vacation in a unique mansion), I will always pick the cheapest option. Whether that’s Uber or…

> One of Ubers biggest problems is that they have zero brand loyalty. It may not warrant as much customer loyalty as - say - Apple, but "zero" is simply untrue. To give a most ovious example, in a foreign country/city I'd be strongly inclined to choose Uber over other alternatives because I'm already familiar with it . For the same reason why I'd eat at McDonald's (rather than some local hot-dog stand): not quality,…

Landed in Sydney a few weeks ago. First visit so I ordered an Uber (as I've used it a lot, trust it, etc.).

After we were picked up, the driver helpfully informed us if we'd ordered the same ride via Ola (he drives both), it'd have been ~50% cheaper (as a new user).

Naturally, I installed it and now I'll switch between Uber and m Ola. This then expands to Bolt, Grab, and so on, and you realise it's virtually the same experience with different branding and the sole differentiating factor is price.

I definitely buy the convenience aspect: it's way more comfortable to pull out your phone and order a ride on a platform you're already familiar with. My trouble is the barrier is so low to install another app (and new joiner incentives are financially motivating) that this leads to virtually no brand loyalty.

Perhaps in a different world, where there are no up significant upfront financial incentives and perhaps drivers were exclusive to a platform (i.e. to pass their rigorous screening processes is a sign of quality), that'd certainly buy some loyalty from me.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#147

Post by jaysh »

lhorie wrote: post #74
cavisne wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least for me uber has huge brand loyalty, it’s sitting in the dock of my iPhone. If I need to go somewhere, or get home, Uber has never let me down. Likewise with food delivery, I certainly have been let down on that but Uber does the best job of letting me track the order and get a refund if needed. Sure Lyft is an alternative, I have it on my phone but simply never use it. It’s incorrect that nothing has changed…

> One of Ubers biggest problems is that they have zero brand loyalty > At least for me uber has huge brand loyalty, it’s sitting in the dock of my iPhone Hear hear. It feels to me that brand loyalty arguments are really opinions being extrapolated to the rest of the population. For example, one can reasonably argue airlines don't command any brand loyalty for the average traveler and how they are in a race to the bot…

There's one airline in particular that I dislike simply due multiple bad experiences. I vocalise this significantly. I still book their flights if it's the cheapest: I'd argue to myself that (a) flying is a transient experience and (b) I'll use the saving for a 'free' lounge pass, taxi to the airport, etc.

I wouldn't assume that just because people vocalise brand loyalty, means that they stick with it when it's time to open their wallets.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#148

Post by Jommi »

thecupisblue wrote: post #145
Jommi wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Cash Argument Im not sure what you're trying to say? All Uber markets that support cash also support card. > Card Declines Of course you will get blocked if you add an active uber accounts payment method. Thats basically a huge red signal for fraud. > Rating Of course someone needs to be the first one to rate the drivers. Yet this is 100000x better than nothing, which is what most regular cab companies give. >Money…

I'm trying to say that all these "advantages" are just in specific situations. And the card decline wasn't done with a card that already was active on Uber. And their "fraud" system got triggered months later, repeatedly, after a drive or two. Also yes there are upfront costs in my area, in US maybe it isn't but here you have them. I'm not saying Uber is worse than cabs. I'm saying that a lot of "advantages" Uber has…

Specific situations which make for a majority of their market? I don't think "specific" is an honest word here when it's mostly standard per continent.

Their fraud system is one of the best in the world, but of course it will have false positives. You know that your anecdote is not applicable to the business in general.

What upfront costs do you have? Where are you based?

I maybe get your point but I think you're vastly underestimsting the difference between a tech company optimizing digital transportation vs. A local cab company hiring a consultancy to make them a white label app.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#149

Post by wasdfff »

skinnymuch wrote: post #133
femto113 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If both Uber and Lyft go bankrupt we’d have a new rideshare service (or 20) before the ink was dry on the court papers. The public value is embodied in the concept, not in the companies.

There is a good chance suburban areas would not have ride sharing for a long time if that happened. All the alternatives popping up would be in cities and dense urban areas for a long time. Or if they get them, they might just be priced worse than the taxis.

Suburban areas already suck for ride shade. Try hailing a lyft in the proper suburbs, should take you over a half hour.

Re: Uber Q3 Results

#150

Post by lhorie »

jaysh wrote: post #147
lhorie wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of Ubers biggest problems is that they have zero brand loyalty > At least for me uber has huge brand loyalty, it’s sitting in the dock of my iPhone Hear hear. It feels to me that brand loyalty arguments are really opinions being extrapolated to the rest of the population. For example, one can reasonably argue airlines don't command any brand loyalty for the average traveler and how they are in a race to the bot…

There's one airline in particular that I dislike simply due multiple bad experiences. I vocalise this significantly. I still book their flights if it's the cheapest: I'd argue to myself that (a) flying is a transient experience and (b) I'll use the saving for a 'free' lounge pass, taxi to the airport, etc. I wouldn't assume that just because people vocalise brand loyalty, means that they stick with it when it's time…

Shrug. I hear time and again people say they make it a point to always use Lyft, even if Uber is cheaper. So it's certainly not a 100% sure thing that people will always pick the cheapest option.
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