{"id":42545,"date":"2023-10-20T15:21:58","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/uber-gets-its-first-australian-competitor-as-gocatch-expands-to\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:21:58","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:21:58","slug":"uber-gets-its-first-australian-competitor-as-gocatch-expands-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/uber-gets-its-first-australian-competitor-as-gocatch-expands-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Uber gets its first Australian competitor as GoCatch expands to"},"content":{"rendered":"
Taxi booking app GoCatch is expanding into the ridesharing market and taking on $US60 billion startup giant Uber at its own game.<\/p>\n
Launched in Sydney on Monday night, the GoCar function will be integrated into the existing GoCatch app, allowing users to switch between booking a taxi and using ridesharing.<\/p>\n
GoCatch co-founder and CEO Ned Moorfield says it will provide much-needed local competition to the US ridesharing startup.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re taking on Uber directly,\u201d Moorfield tells StartupSmart.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cUber has had a grip on the market for long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n GoCar will operate in much the same way as Uber, with transactions staying within the app and a rating system for drivers and users.<\/p>\n But the startup is banking on one key differentiator: No controversial surge pricing.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something that people really don\u2019t like about Uber,\u201d Moorfield says.<\/p>\n Instead, GoCar will have two different prices for peak and off-peak times.<\/p>\n According to Moorfield, GoCatch could be between 10-15% cheaper than Uber during surge times but will be \u201cbroadly the same\u201d during normal periods.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they surge people will really know the difference,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a bunch of people the absence of surge pricing is pretty appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n The peak times will be from 6am to 10am Monday to Friday, 5pm to 10pm Monday to Thursday and 6pm to 2am Friday to Sunday.<\/p>\n During these times Moorfield says the ridesharing service will be 10-15% cheaper than taxis, and 20-30% cheaper during off-peak periods.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The local competitor is also trying to offer a more enticing prospect for drivers, with payments made daily instead of Uber\u2019s weekly payments.<\/p>\n GoCar will also be taking a 15% commission on all fares compared to Uber\u2019s 20% cut.<\/p>\n Moorfield is also looking for locals to rally behind an Australian company rather than the US giant.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re 100% Australia owned and we were built from the base up five years ago,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cFor some people that will be an important differentiator.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re running our own race and we\u2019ll deliver a great service.\u201d<\/p>\n GoCar will be taking on a company estimated to be worth $US62.5 billion, but Moorfield says other countries have shown that there\u2019s room in the ridesharing market for local competitors.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a great opportunity in the market for a strong domestic competitor in ridesharing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s every reason to believe there are opportunities in the Australian market and we\u2019re in prime position to capture them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to provide some much needed competition in the market. There\u2019s room for two of us.\u201d<\/p>\nThe key point of difference<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A local option<\/strong><\/h3>\n