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Uber and Google are very different cases. They, as tech companies, are also different cases from consumer companies. Detailed analysis are required to gain insi
by muddyrivers 10y ago
Uber and Google are very different cases. They, as tech companies, are also different cases from consumer companies. Detailed analysis are required to gain insights on why they succeed or failed.
In short, Google posed a thread to the government and the political system. If it was allowed to run freely, it will break the restrictions and the controls the government has been trying to impose on the internet. So the government can't afford to have Google freely spread information, etc.
Uber doesn't impose such a threat. In my opinion, Didi simply outperforms Uber. I use Uber and Lyft in USA. Last summer I was in China and tried Didi and Uber on purpose. I think Didi's app was easier to use, had better design, more integrated to other services, and had more drivers. I talked to the drivers. My general impression was that the drivers were more content at working with Didi. This was especially true when issues occurred. Didi were more eager to work with drivers to get issues resolved, while some drivers complained that Uber was kind of condescending, treated drivers less well.
As for traditional consumer companies like Walmart, etc. cutting costs was their primary goal, IMHO. When one complains about cheap products from China, has she/he thought about supply and demand? If the demand for such cheap products is low, will the companies continue making them? For example, there are high-quality hand-made silk, linen, cotton clothes in China, I don't think the big companies are interested in them. The market for high-end stuffs is always small. Most people would prefer to buy high-end stuffs on well-established brands, like those in France, Italy, etc. It takes time to build such a brand. So it is not as profitable to cheap products. Due to the drastic disruption before 1980 in China, Chinese start to build high-end products only in last several years. It will take at least another 20 years, IMHO, for such products to mature in both quality and design, and be recognized.
We have some cotton fabric hand-made by my wife's grandmother, in traditional ways. After 40 years, they are still both soft and sturdy (of course, we don't use them that often, since they are so precious for us.) It feels just so good, much better than those very good quality beddings one can find in department stores here. You won't find such products in department stores, though. That is my point.