Something seemed rushed about Lyft's loyalty program launch early last week. In a blog post sharing the news and in subsequent media outreach, the ridesharing service had few details about its program, like how rewards would be earned or which markets would launch first.
Now we know why. Later in the week, Uber launched a loyalty program of its own, flush (at least relative to its competitor) with information about how and when the system would work.
This isn't to say that either program is a particularly screaming deal. Uber Rewards effectively boils down to a $5 return on $250 of spend, Lyft has revealed nothing and both programs claim vehicle upgrades as one of their prime selling points. Big deal.
If anything, last week's activity shows how ferocious the battle is for dominance in the ridesharing space and how a two-day lead can be perceived as a competitive advantage. Now, we just need Airbnb to feel the same sense of urgency.
Separately, as the three-month milestone for Starwood and Marriott's loyalty merger passed this weekend, we wanted to check in with legacy Starwood Preferred Guest members to see how consumer sentiment was stacking up. This week's story on the plight of those members is well worth the read.
