[lgieron]

> Really hard to see the defensible "moat" in the business models of these delivery companies.

Couldn't the same be said about a lot of the "unicorns"? For example Dropbox or AirB'n'B don't have significant network effects and anyone with some cash can copy their software and directly compete with them (the same way Lyft is competing with Uber). The likes of Facebook and Twitter are an exception.

[majani]

That's why they're avoiding the public markets. Their valuations will take a pounding once they're put up for everyone to scrutinize

[pjc50]

Dropbox has a mild network effect, as soon as people use it to share files with their friends and colleagues. Once Dropbox gets established inside a business (often because it's easier to use than internal IT), they're probably quite secure.

[chrischen]

I'd say quite mild, since if Dropbox prevented me from sharing files to anyone over the web, half its utility is gone.

[lmm]

I would think AirBnB has a pretty big network effect, in the same way as e.g. eBay.

[gumby]

I don't see it, since people could list themselves on competing listing sites just as the same drivers list themselves on both Uber and Lyft.

Then again you could say the same for eBay, yet Amazon couldn't get a competitor off the ground. One small moat (eBay has vs Airbnb model) is that you can automate the sale on eBay (so you'd have a hard time listing the same item on two sites -- you might sell it twice) while Airbnb still has manual intervention.