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Nobody Likes Uber Anymore, Recent Reviews and Ratings On App Store Suggest (qz.com)
Alison Griswold, writing for Quartz: The public is not happy with Uber. Incensed by allegations of sexism and harassment in the company's corporate halls, people are once again #deleting Uber, while one-star ratings and withering critiques of its service are piling up in Apple's iOS App Store. From Jan. 1 through Feb. 22, Uber accumulated 4,479 one-star reviews from US users in the iOS App Store, according to data from analytics firm App Annie (the highest possible rating is five stars). Several of the most recent reviews cite the horrifying and explosive account of sexual harassment published by former Uber engineer Susan Fowler over the weekend. "Was harassed and scammed by an Uber driver for two hours in the car," reviewer "Jorwl" wrote on Feb. 20. But far more reviewers have another gripe: Uber's apparent disregard for user privacy. The monthly volume of one-star ratings for Uber in the App Store first spiked last November, after the company redesigned its app and infringed on user privacy by eliminating an iOS setting that let users grant Uber access to their location only "while using" the app. Users are now forced to choose between letting Uber track their location "always" and "never".
The App Store ratings for Uber are meaningless in the same way that a restaurant or other service provider that attracts the ire of the media for some reason suddenly gets one star reviews â" from people that have never eaten at the restaurant or used the service. Those who are regular Uber users or non-users looking for traditional taxi alternatives will continue to use or look to Uber. Lyft should be leveraging this too-doo, but as before the Uber issue, Lyft is absent from serious media promotion, and I wonder how they stay in business.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
I was going on a trip to DC and needed a ride from the airport to the place I was staying. I pre-loaded Uber about a week before I left, put in a credit card number, and thought I had everything set up. But the app wouldn't let me pre-save an address. So I had to write it down to type in to my phone later. Strike one.
The morning I was leaving, I got an e-mail from Uber that my credit card wasn't 'supported' and I'd have to enter a new one. What the hell? I used it twice on the way down. It works fine. (And I used it throughout my entire trip with no problems.) Put in a second credit card number before boarding. Strike two.
Got in to IAD, fired up the Uber app and it said there were errors submitting my ride request. Trying to continue typing in 13 degree weather sucked. Strike three.
I put my hand back in my glove, raised my arm and said "Taxi". The regular Taxi had no problems with my 'request', or my original card.
Next time I go to DC I'll try Lyft instead.
There's no place like
These reviews mean nothing about the functionality of the app and are more about a vocal minority complaining loudly. If Google had the balls like Yelp does to remove reviews that aren't about functionality and are instead some hair brained attempt at "social justice" when an app or its company makes it into the news this would be a non-issue.
Take a look at all of the BS one star reviews for writers like Daryush Valizadeh or Mike Cernovich on Amazon. These people haven't even read their books yet get to do drive by whining and get the rush of being another sheep in a crowd.
The people who still use Uber will keep on using it and eventually these negative reviews will be forgotten. Uber isn't going anywhere.
You have to wonder a bit whether a boycott would actually help. Uber is currently cheap because they're using VC money to subsidise every ride and making a loss to build up market share. Is it better to use them and cost the company money, or not use them and help ensure that competitors stay in business?
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Can't believe how much people just believe everything they read
In both the Fowler and Kamal incidents, Uber's CEO did not dispute any of the allegations, and acknowledged and apologized for what happened. So, yes, I believe the allegations. Do you have any reason I shouldn't?