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198 points 101carl | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.221s | source
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lettergram ◴[] No.14609429[source]
I can't imagine Uber doesn't start raising prices and drop out of markets they aren't profitable in.

No way they can bring in more investments (although maybe they could get a loan). Given the changes and their runway, I honestly see Lyft managing to outpace Uber in the next 12 months.

replies(4): >>14609464 #>>14609487 #>>14609493 #>>14609905 #
1. ghaff ◴[] No.14609493[source]
I'm no expert, but I have to believe that the next step has to be stabilize the patient.

- Cut back on actions and strategies that only make sense in the context of massive continued growth.

- Set prices to sustainable levels even though that means the buy-on-price segment of your customer base goes away. That's an ultimately unprofitable race-to-the-bottom segment you don't want anyway.

- At that point, potentially pull out of places where you don't have the critical mass to operate--especially in non-US markets where there are probably fixed costs to operate.

- Autonomous vehicles? That's going to happen over a decade or three timeframe that's utterly irrelevant to Uber even if a first mover advantage was defensible.

- And, yeah, the company is now far less valued to investors but it can potentially at least stay intact as a viable business.