RIDEGURU
I'm just kinda interested to read what everyone has to offer for their passengers.
I myself have:
- a USB charging unit that caters to Android, Iphone & USB-C phones (http://www.powapod.com/)
- a CarGo box with some free snacks/stuff and some you have to pay for (https://getcargo.today/)
- free candy
Do you feel amenities increase your tips? If so, which specifically do you feel increase your tip chances?
Comments
Fireball Shots. Those tiny bottles, nips. Popular in college town, and they all love it.
This is an exchange between a person and person. Nothng to do with me being an Uber driver. Just never to underage kids.
You can buy them for like $1.00 each and you cansell them for $5, easy.
I haven't had the courage to go to liquor, but I do sell those tiny energy shots. I have cleared an entire 12 bottle box in one night. You can sell the for $3~4 easy. You can buy them at Costco/BJs now.
yeah, the 24-hour energy and its variations.
Energy Shots I also carry. They do sell super well.
I'd love to go the route of opium, cigarettes, as many request them, but I am a bit scared to cross that line.
Genius! If I get arrested, it's your fault.
How does cargo work out for you? Do riders appreciate it? Do you make any money off of it?
I think it is a nice addition. You do have to work the box by explaining it to your pax.
Some show instant interest, some don't care at all.
If you explain it to everyone, and you push it a little, you can make some decent, free money.
You get paid every two weeks. I don't especially push the box, but I still make an extra $60 every 2 weeks. Hey, it's basically free money. If I'd push it more, I could probably make at least double or triple that amount.
Well, the big question lingering in people's minds is whether it's cheaper and you get to keep a bigger cut if you supplied it on your own. You use the Costco membership you already have.
Candy bars, waters, and gums are ridiculously cheap at discount stores. I guess what you need to figure out is the payment and whether it's legal to resell that stuff on your own.
not sure about food, but there are state laws on these things. In California, you have to apply for a permit as a seller, but I believe they are free. They just keep you on the file for tax purposes.
Would Uber have any issues with it? It isn't exactly something you can do it under the table as any of your customers can report you with 100% possession rate of smartphones.
Uber drivers are independent drivers, so they better be okay with it. Uber has no say over what they do in their own cars.
Uber once featured a driver who was selling jewelery out of the back of his car. Also some musicians who were spreading the word through being an Uber driver. (selling CDs). so I don' tthink Uber would mind.
The payment is easy. Just use cash or square. No problem.
Reselling may be illegal? Are there health requirements and stuff you need to clear when selling food?
That's actually a fair bit more $$ than I would have expected.
That's awesome. $60 ain't nothing. and like you said it's basically free money. Might have to try it.
I used to offer water bottles too. I stopped doing that because I agree with the previous posters that bottles are left behind, and that a lot of people just drink a few sips from the bottle. It was not worth the trouble to me. Wrapped candy however is easy. I look at the back seat anyway after I drop off a paasenger, it's no big deal to just collect the occasional wrapper. The car stays clean. Now, chips I would never do. Just be smart as to what you offer your pax.
good advice.
I provide emergency ponchos. I mean I provide other things but this by far has been the biggest hit. or at least a money maker. I buy them for like $0.80 and people buy them for $5.00.
I've tried to sell umbrellas with some success. NYC.
I have experiemented with this.
I think this heavily depends on whether you drive an Uber or UberBlack. As an UberBlack driver, I feel amenities are expected and I do think it affects the tip amount. Even when the rider is not used to tipping, whenever they "take" something or "use" something, they seem to tip in return.
Charger - I think this is pretty much expected, meaning I am not sure if it affects the tip amount.
Small bags of chips - If they take one, more often than not, they will tip at least a dollar. With a bag at a dime (buy them at Costco), it has high ROI.
Water - It's a toss up, but where I am (Boston), I believe there is positive ROI. My buddy drives in Scottsdale, and apparently it is expected in every UberBlack that no one cares.
Mint, small candies, etc. - Mixed, but usually positive.
The above is for UberBlack, and I am sure it is very different from UberX experience.
I offer my 32 years of experience in the taxi industry. That means no water,mints WiFi, wires and etc. It's too late ,these asswads have already been trained not to tip. U must join together to add a mandatory 15 % surcharge which is the legal word for a tip.
Then we might as well call for increasing the fare. Anyone got Uber's phone number. no? I didn't think so.
I actually have a physical tip box. I bought it before Uber app had tipping option and did fairly well. I drive in Vegas and Phoenix.
You have to sell your tip box right near the items you offer. Like charger and mints. Tip isn't required but I basically make them think about it a second before they take something from me.
Some people do ask whether money is necessary, and I tell them politely, "no." The interesting fact? Those who were polite enough to ask always tip.
It's those who just take and not pay who are assholes.
Have you seen these?
I definitely offer a 6-footer ligtning and USB cables so my passengers can use the plug if they want to. Not sure if that's an amenity.
When I was just starting out, I was motivated and used to offer magazines and water bottles. Then I realized it didn't do much for tipping. I mean, I only get tipped like once every ten rides. That figure hasn't changed from those earlier days. LOL. UberX. Baltimore. (but also have driven in Philly when I lived there)
Magazines, interesting. I hadn't thought of that one before. I imagine most people would just look at their phones though.
I offer one amenity...
A quick, safe ride to the destination of their choice. Passengers aren't paying me for water or candy, they're paying me for TRANSPORTATION. I do the job they pay me for.
I assume every rider on this Forum does that. Not really earthshocking information. Thanks anyway.
My point is that we're paid for transportation, not to provide a cheap meal/snacks for ingrateful passengers.
Does it increase tips? NO. What it does is create more work for the driver and causes passengers to expect freebies (while not tipping) to be "acceptable."
The only things I ever got from providing snacks was crumbs in the back seat, trash stashed in every crevice imaginable, water bottles with half a sip drank from it, and complaints/rating hits from the next passenger due to a "dirty car." No thanks. (When I stopped the freebies, my rating rose from 4.92 to 4.96. Go figure.)
Hard to argue with real life examples. Crumbles on the seats and water bottles strewn all over the back.
Good point on how it may be increase the star- ratings but how it may not lead to more tips.
I have the complete opposite experience. My tips have gone up after adding certain services. And my rating is still 4.97.
4.97, impressive. Never seen one that high ever. Not even close.
This is a bit off topic, but drivers with higher ratings shuold be qualified for higher fares/rates. Instead of leaning on the undefined tip system to work, won't this work to motivate drivers to do their jobs better?
I provide mini waters and phone chargers. I don't offer the mini waters to everyone though :)
I do see some correlation between those that take the waters and tips but I also only offer the water to polite customers so I may be skewing my own study.
Be creative and fill the empty bottles with tap water and use elmers glue to reseal the cap. Then you will be ahead of the game
except for the amount of time that would take...
I'd do it for $0.25 each. How long does it take to fill a bottle, come on.