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What matters more, driver loyalty or user loyalty? Uber feels like the Kleenex of its industry. Outside of the tech hubs I don't feel that most people are even

by Touche 11y ago

What matters more, driver loyalty or user loyalty? Uber feels like the Kleenex of its industry. Outside of the tech hubs I don't feel that most people are even aware that non-Uber ride services exist. I certainly here people asking their friends "should we get an Uber?" all the time.

untog 11y ago
> Uber feels like the Kleenex of its industry. I agree but not, I think, in the way you intend. If someone asks for a Kleenex and they get passed a non-Kleenex brand tissue, they rarely object. "Uber" could just become the 21st Century "Hoover".
- Touche 11y ago
  Tissue paper is bought at a grocery store with each brand sitting next to each other. If tissue paper brands each had their own store, like ride sharing apps do, then I think Kleenex wouldn't have the problem you describe. Uber still has to compete on price, for sure. But there's certainly friction to A) download non-Uber ride sharing apps and (even greater IMO) B) open multiple apps to compare prices. If Uber's price doesn't seem unreasonably high, what reason is there for people to compare?
  - dagwaging 11y ago
    >open multiple apps to compare prices that gives me an idea...
    - waitwhatwhoa 11y ago
      http://www.whatsthefare.com http://www.whatsthefare.com
      - Touche 11y ago
        There was a similar app during the check-in app craze (where a half-dozen competing apps existed) but that didn't stop Foursquare from eventually winning the space (even though it was arguably not the best of the options).
        __derek__ 11y ago
        Aw, poor Gowalla.
        Touche 11y ago
        And loopt, brightkite, whrrl (spelling?) and probably more. And that was just within the "check into a place" category. There were also other categories like checking-in to what you're watching on tv (GetGlue), checking-in to what you're eating (Foodspotting), checking in to what you're drinking (Untappd). Some of these are still around but most are not. Not sure if the ride-sharing space will turn out the same or not. I feel at least Uber and Lyft are probably safe.
        __derek__ 11y ago
        This may be related to my provincial ignorance (I was in Ann Arbor during the check-in boom), but I remember Gowalla being the Lyft to Foursquare's Uber. Of course, there is an actual business model for the ride-sharing companies, so maybe there's room for multiple players.
        Touche 11y ago
        It's not a great comparison because Gowalla had essentially no competitive advantage, whereas Lyft at least has the chance to have one. Gowalla competed on "better design" for a while but ultimately the network effect of Foursquare mattered far more. Lyft is making headway in some cities so I think they're doing fine.
        marssaxman 11y ago
        They invented the concept, so far as I was aware, in the form of Dodgeball. Foursquare was just their relaunch of Dodgeball after the failed Google acquisition.
    - Touche 11y ago
      It's a fair point, honestly Lyft or whoever should be doing this themselves. If they just listed competing prices (heck, even link out to the other apps) that would be a strong reason to use their app as your default.
      - goldbrick 11y ago
        Tangential, but this is exactly what's happened in some parts of the adtech market, it's called "mediation".
    - dragonwriter 11y ago
      > >open multiple apps to compare prices > that gives me an idea... ...for the ride service fare and time comparison feature in Google Maps?
  - LanguageGamer 11y ago
    I wonder how difficult it would be to build an app that lists and estimates fares for different local car services.
    - dragonwriter 11y ago
      > I wonder how difficult it would be to build an app that lists and estimates fares for different local car services. Google Maps (on Android, at least, but I assume generally, I just haven't checked elsewhere) has that feature already, though when I've checked what it showed it only listed Uber. Even if it is currently Uber-only, the feature's UI makes very clear that its intended to be a ride service time & cost estimate comparison feature, so...
    - twinkletwinkle 11y ago
      https://goswift.ly/ https://goswift.ly/ My friend wrote it. Includes other modes of transportation like buses and scooter-shares.
chipgap98 11y ago
Not sure I agree. I'm in Boston and my friends (mostly not in the tech industry) use Uber, Lyft, and Fasten pretty equally. Its all about where we can get a cheaper ride from
- Touche 11y ago
  That's probably more commonly true in cities where people already heavily use public transportation and cars are not necessities; much more likely to be aware of these sorts of things. In contrast, cities where you only use ride-sharing on weekend nights a couple of times a month when you drink too much, there's less of a need.

by Touche 11y ago

untog 11y ago

> Uber feels like the Kleenex of its industry. I agree but not, I think, in the way you intend. If someone asks for a Kleenex and they get passed a non-Kleenex brand tissue, they rarely object. "Uber" could just become the 21st Century "Hoover".

Touche 11y ago
Tissue paper is bought at a grocery store with each brand sitting next to each other. If tissue paper brands each had their own store, like ride sharing apps do, then I think Kleenex wouldn't have the problem you describe. Uber still has to compete on price, for sure. But there's certainly friction to A) download non-Uber ride sharing apps and (even greater IMO) B) open multiple apps to compare prices. If Uber's price doesn't seem unreasonably high, what reason is there for people to compare?
- dagwaging 11y ago
  >open multiple apps to compare prices that gives me an idea...
  - waitwhatwhoa 11y ago
    http://www.whatsthefare.com http://www.whatsthefare.com
    - Touche 11y ago
      There was a similar app during the check-in app craze (where a half-dozen competing apps existed) but that didn't stop Foursquare from eventually winning the space (even though it was arguably not the best of the options).
      - __derek__ 11y ago
        Aw, poor Gowalla.
        Touche 11y ago
        And loopt, brightkite, whrrl (spelling?) and probably more. And that was just within the "check into a place" category. There were also other categories like checking-in to what you're watching on tv (GetGlue), checking-in to what you're eating (Foodspotting), checking in to what you're drinking (Untappd). Some of these are still around but most are not. Not sure if the ride-sharing space will turn out the same or not. I feel at least Uber and Lyft are probably safe.
        __derek__ 11y ago
        This may be related to my provincial ignorance (I was in Ann Arbor during the check-in boom), but I remember Gowalla being the Lyft to Foursquare's Uber. Of course, there is an actual business model for the ride-sharing companies, so maybe there's room for multiple players.
        Touche 11y ago
        It's not a great comparison because Gowalla had essentially no competitive advantage, whereas Lyft at least has the chance to have one. Gowalla competed on "better design" for a while but ultimately the network effect of Foursquare mattered far more. Lyft is making headway in some cities so I think they're doing fine.
      - marssaxman 11y ago
        They invented the concept, so far as I was aware, in the form of Dodgeball. Foursquare was just their relaunch of Dodgeball after the failed Google acquisition.
  - Touche 11y ago
    It's a fair point, honestly Lyft or whoever should be doing this themselves. If they just listed competing prices (heck, even link out to the other apps) that would be a strong reason to use their app as your default.
    - goldbrick 11y ago
      Tangential, but this is exactly what's happened in some parts of the adtech market, it's called "mediation".
  - dragonwriter 11y ago
    > >open multiple apps to compare prices > that gives me an idea... ...for the ride service fare and time comparison feature in Google Maps?
- LanguageGamer 11y ago
  I wonder how difficult it would be to build an app that lists and estimates fares for different local car services.
  - dragonwriter 11y ago
    > I wonder how difficult it would be to build an app that lists and estimates fares for different local car services. Google Maps (on Android, at least, but I assume generally, I just haven't checked elsewhere) has that feature already, though when I've checked what it showed it only listed Uber. Even if it is currently Uber-only, the feature's UI makes very clear that its intended to be a ride service time & cost estimate comparison feature, so...
  - twinkletwinkle 11y ago
    https://goswift.ly/ https://goswift.ly/ My friend wrote it. Includes other modes of transportation like buses and scooter-shares.

chipgap98 11y ago

Not sure I agree. I'm in Boston and my friends (mostly not in the tech industry) use Uber, Lyft, and Fasten pretty equally. Its all about where we can get a cheaper ride from

Touche 11y ago
That's probably more commonly true in cities where people already heavily use public transportation and cars are not necessities; much more likely to be aware of these sorts of things. In contrast, cities where you only use ride-sharing on weekend nights a couple of times a month when you drink too much, there's less of a need.