Marketplace dynamics: buyer mindshare is key to building a moat
Most marketplaces start off by providing a unique supply of products/services. Demand follows supply, and so the flywheel of supply and demand begins. However, as a marketplace gains popularity, its supply inevitably becomes less and less unique. I know this firsthand. At AbeBooks, our booksellers initially listed only with us, but then started to list […]
Is the Freemium Model the Future of Marketplaces?
The Freemium Model, where a vendor offers both a free and paid version of the product, has become the de facto business model for many SaaS companies. Freemium makes general usage free, while monetizing the heaviest users through premium features. This model has proven to work well for consumer apps like Spotify as well as […]
Introducing our latest investment: Shippo, simplified shipping for small e-commerce sites
Shipping is a huge pain point for smaller e-commerce businesses of any size. They don’t process enough volume to grant them bulk discounts from the major providers. It’s costly and resource-intensive to work with shipping carriers, and the barrier to entry is extremely high. Prices aren’t transparent and negotiating as a small business is next […]
The future of online marketplaces: “complex” transactions
The most successful online marketplaces today facilitate relatively simple transactions. There’s eBay and Etsy for buying/selling goods, AirBnB for short-term accommodations, and Uber for local transportation. While reputation mechanisms (i.e. user reviews) play an important role on these platforms, the price tags involved are typically low enough that customers are ready to deal with strangers […]
New investment: tindie, a marketplace for the maker generation
I’m very excited to announce Version One’s investment in Tindie, a marketplace for gadget tinkerers and the maker generation. Many think that 2012 was the year of hardware. Today, getting a product ready for market is less risky and cheaper than ever, thanks to rapid prototyping with 3D printers, cheaper high-powered computers that can run […]