Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

Post by saisun1988 » Wed, Aug 31, 2016, 9:13 AM UTC

imgabe wrote: post #21

mmanfrin wrote: post #3

Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…

There should never be an obligation to tip. The whole point of tipping is that it's not obligatory. I get that we've messed that up for a lot of professions, like restaurant servers, but Uber et al have a chance to reset the social norms at least around taxi-esque services and they should take it.

Post by dbbk » Wed, Aug 31, 2016, 9:15 AM UTC

saisun1988 wrote: post #380

Doesn't Google give "directions" to Uber? Literally & metaphorically? If Google starts charging a premium for consumers like Uber who use its services with a major commercial reason, Uber wouldn't be able to sustain.

Post by dbbk » Wed, Aug 31, 2016, 9:20 AM UTC

ianamartin wrote: post #206

Am I the only one who laughs when I see, "Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., . . . ."? Umm, who reading this article doesn't know who Google is? That construction is almost always there to let you know who some no-name subsidiary or division of a much more well-known company is. In this case it functions in the reverse if at all--reminding people that Alphabet is a thing, in case you didn't know. Anyway, I just think t…

Post by imaginenore » Wed, Aug 31, 2016, 9:27 AM UTC

dzhiurgis wrote: post #368

imaginenore wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Network effect + first mover advantage. It takes a lot of time and money to develop the community if there already are major players. In this particular case Google would have so spend a shit ton of money on advertising, and it's not guaranteed to work. They failed with Google+.

What network effects do you see in Uber?

Post by andypants » Wed, Aug 31, 2016, 10:24 AM UTC

ghshephard wrote: post #378

themartorana wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe you. No one I know likes tipping. It's awkward no matter how you slice it. We would all much rather just pay what it costs and not have to tip. -- Looked it up. You were right. Well, at least in the pay structure. 85% of surveyed people prefer a tipping pay structure to including it in the price of food. I think it has to do with the perceived idea that tipping leaves the diner in control and leaves t…

I don't think people (as least zero of the people I associate with) have any problem with tipping in the United States - it's just so understood it's what you do when in a restaurant, that the only question is usually one of "(A) I'm Lazy, don't want to calculate, 20% tip, (B) I'm being anal, figure out exact 18.5% tip, (C) Got poor service, 15% tip, (D) Waiter spit in my food and was really obnoxious/rude to me - 10…