Network effects - The power of the platform

Network effect

G2

IBS3 Cathy

DFLL4 Evelyn

Two-side network effect

Suppliers and demand sides attract each other

Uber

Rider and drivers

Android

App developers and consumers

Upwork

Job listings and freelancers

PayPal

Sellers and buyers

Airbnb

Hosts and guests

Attract two-sided network effects with positive feedback

Network effect and other tools

Price effects and brand effects

The misunderstanding cause the dot-com boom and bust💥

During the 2000 dot-com boom

Discounting and couponing

Created price effects

To keep the market share

Brand effects are more stickier

Difficult to sustain

The number of the users on the platform

Creating value for every user

Network effects

Positive effects

Negative effects

Create the virtuous cycle

build a longlasting network of users

Virality

lock-in🔒

To attract people notice and join

Large, well-managed platform 😃

Increasing value among people on-platform

Produce significant value for every users

Growing in user numbers, poorly-managed platform 😢

Reduce the value for every users

Demand economies of scale

Internet era 💻

Driven by

Efficiencies in social media

Demand aggregation

App development

Fundamental source of Positive network effects

The most important differentiating factor

IBSM2 Brianna

Four kinds of network effect

Structural change

Two-sided network effect
(Producers & Customers)

Same-side effects

Cross-side effects

One side users 👉 other same side users

Producers 👉 others producers
Customers 👉 others customers

One side users 👉 other side users

Producers 👉 customers
Customers 👉 producers

Same side users ⬆️

Positive

Create positive effect

EX: Xbox MMOG

Negative

Customers side

Appear downside

EX: Covisint

Customers ⬆️

Suppliers ⬆️

Other side users ⬆️

More fellow gamer
Greater fun in game

Difficult to find appropriate one

Positive

Benefit from other side

Negative

complexity & expense⬆️

EX: Visa

Customers

Producers

Flxeibility

Convenience

Potential customers

Customers

Abandon platform

Reduce usage

EX:Uber

Most internet era giants

Demand-side economics

Create value by participate in platform

EX: Uber, FB, Google

Main economic activity

1.Asset builders

2.Service producers

3.Technology creators

4.Network orchestrators

Develop and sell forms of intellectual property

Develop physical assets they use to deliver physical goods

Employ workers who provide services to customers

EX: Ford,Walmart

EX: Untied Healthcare, Accenture

EX: Microsoft, Amgen

Develop networks create value between people and companies

The most efficient value creators

SDEI M2 Antony

Scaling

Negative

Network effects depend on the size of the network

Google V.S. Yahoo

Human-edited Database

Using web links

Frictionless Entry is the key

Threadless

No marketing

Designers contact their friends

No forecast sales

Not so well

Minimize the inventory costs

By outsourcing

Customers have already announced the numbers

Important

Need both sides of the market grow

Side switching

If one side is larger, no market growth

Uber & Airbnb

Find porducer from current consumer

Too much matches

Hard to find the best match

Controls, and limits the connections with other users

A never likes B

Compatible Interests

Comparative A's Attractiveness

Bad Influence

Fix

Easy come easy go

Naked Hairy Men

Abandon the network

Filter undesirable images