I think there are two factors:

1. "Help customers buy crap" is one of the vaguely plausible use-cases which excite investors who see the ads, even if it isn't so exciting for actual customers.

2. The ideas seem sourced from some brain-trust of idle-rich, rather than from the average US consumer. Regardless of how the characters in the ads are presented, all of them are somehow able to prefer saving 60 seconds even if it means maybe losing $60 on a dumb purchase or a non-refundable reservation at the wrong restaurant, etc.

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thewebguyd 3 hours ago | parent [-]

> The ideas seem sourced from some brain-trust of idle-rich , rather than from the average US consumer

I think it says more about the economy currently. The "average US consumer" is the wealthy right now. Just 10% of the population, the highest earners, drive nearly 50% of consumption currently and that number is growing.

That is the new average US consumer, hence the ads and use cases targeting a more well-off demographic. Everyone else has been left behind.

	▲	Terr_ an hour ago \| parent [-]
		Adding context: The upper 10% for household income across the US is about $160k/yr. Limiting the scope to people living in high cost-of-living cities (probably smaller than their ideal customer field) that might be $300-400k/yr.