Archive - Platform Strategies

WhatsApp’s ad gamble: Monetisation, user backlash, and the platform power play

Meta is introducing ads to WhatsApp for the first time by allowing businesses to place advertisements exclusively within the "Status" section of the…

Jun 25 •

Paul Belleflamme

May 2025

Airbnb’s Strategic Expansion: A Textbook Case of Platform Growth

How the travel giant is leveraging “densification” and “diversification” to dominate the experience economy

May 21 •

Paul Belleflamme

From Take Eat Easy to Takeover: How Platform Wars Shaped the DoorDash–Deliveroo Merger

The online food delivery market has transformed dramatically over the past decade, reshaping how millions of Europeans and Americans order their meals.

May 12 •

Paul Belleflamme

April 2025

Vinted vs. Rivals: The battle for sustainable fashion (Part 2)

In a previous post, we examined Vinted’s competitive environment, highlighting its rivals (which make it harder to attract buyers and sellers).

Apr 10 •

Paul Belleflamme

Vinted vs. Rivals: The battle for sustainable fashion (Part 1)

Traditional competitive analysis encounters several limitations when evaluating the competitive landscape of platforms.

Apr 3 •

Paul Belleflamme

March 2025

Thrifted treasures: Overcoming challenges and unlocking the potential of second-hand fashion

How can platforms strive in this promising market?

Mar 19 •

Paul Belleflamme

February 2025

Batibouw: A brick-and-mortar platform … for brick and mortar trade

Belgium's largest trade fair for construction provides a compelling case study to illustrate the strategies of platforms.

Feb 17 •

Paul Belleflamme

Concentration in the French Crowdfunding Market: The Role of Positive Spillovers Across Projects

What explains KissKissBankBank's takeover by Ulule?

Feb 5 •

Paul Belleflamme

December 2024

The Co-Opetition Dilemma: Will Airbnb’s Co-Host Network Benefit Everyone?

In October 2024, Airbnb introduced a new feature, the Co-Host Network, to facilitate connections between new hosts and experienced local co-hosts.

Dec 9, 2024 •

Paul Belleflamme

October 2024

Expectations game: How digital platforms try to fuel their own growth

The Roblox controversy

Oct 10, 2024 •

Paul Belleflamme

September 2024

Opportunity knocks: How new platforms are sheltering disgruntled Etsy sellers

An illustration of the 'Shelter Runaway Chickens' strategy

Sep 25, 2024 •

Paul Belleflamme

Cracking the Code: Demystifying the Minimum Viable Platform (2)

In 2011, Eric Ries popularised the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) as part of the Lean Startup methodology.

Sep 6, 2024 •

Paul Belleflamme

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