How Well Do You Know Your Own Marketplace?
With consumers spending more than $3.2 Trillion on online marketplaces in 2022 (DC 360) and more than 66% preferring sites with online marketplaces to those without (Mirakl), the popularity of the model has been well-proven. But the complexity of transforming from traditional ecommerce to a marketplace model has seen many operators struggle to completely leverage the massive amounts of data generated by such a multi-sided commerce ecosystem. Whether you’re dealing in products, services or both, understanding the dynamics of your platform is paramount. But the question remains: How well do you know your own marketplace?
In the flurry of everyday operations – from managing user feedback to adjusting algorithms – it’s easy for even the most diligent marketplace operators to lose sight of the bigger picture. This is where the importance of a regular “Platform Business Diagnostic” (PBD) comes into play.
What are “Platform Business Diagnostics”?
At its core, a Platform Business Diagnostic is akin to a comprehensive health check program for your online marketplace. It’s an analytical approach, employing the vast swathes of data your platform generates to provide insights into its performance. These diagnostics not only measure how well your marketplace is doing but also highlight areas of improvement and potential blind spots. Employed as a regular program of check-ups rather an a one-off or occasional event, data can be turned into action, and profit, much faster.
The Need for Regular Health Checks
Ever-changing dynamics: Online marketplaces are never static. User preferences evolve, technology upgrades, and market dynamics shift. Regular diagnostics help businesses stay in tune with these changes.
Identifying blind spots: There’s a saying: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” PBDs can help unveil these unknowns, highlighting potential pitfalls or opportunities that might’ve been overlooked.
Performance gauging: An objective measurement of performance can validate the strategies you’re employing, giving you a clearer understanding of what’s working and what’s not.
Using Data for Diagnostics
User behavior: How are users interacting with your platform? Are there specific features that remain unused or others that are overwhelmingly popular? Data on user behavior can provide invaluable insights into user preferences and potential areas of improvement.
Sales and conversion rates: Regularly monitoring these metrics can offer a snapshot of your marketplace’s health. Declining sales or stagnant conversion rates might point to underlying issues that need addressing.
Customer feedback and reviews: Often, users will provide direct feedback on what they like or dislike. This qualitative data is just as valuable as quantitative metrics when understanding your platform’s performance.
Operational metrics: This includes metrics like average response times, uptime, and any technical glitches. They can give insights into the technical health of the platform and any areas that might need further investment or focus.
Implementing Changes Post-Diagnostics
Identifying issues or potential opportunities is just the first step. Once you’ve conducted your Platform Business Diagnostic, it’s essential to act on the insights gained.
Prioritize action points: Not all insights will carry the same weight. Some might require immediate attention, while others can be scheduled for later. It’s crucial to prioritize these based on their potential impact.
Engage with your community: If you’re making significant changes, it can be beneficial to involve your user community. Their feedback can help refine any modifications, ensuring they align with user needs.
Regularly re-evaluate: Implementing changes based on your PBD is not a one-off task. Once you’ve made adjustments, you should reassess their impact through another round of diagnostics to ensure they’re delivering the desired results and have a plan for conducting regular Platform Business Diagnostic rounds that includes how goals are set, insights are acted-upon, and results are quantified.
The dynamic nature of online marketplaces necessitates regular health checks. A Platform Business Diagnostic plan offers a systematic approach to tap into the wealth of data your platform generates, ensuring you stay ahead of the curve and continue to offer value to your users. How well you know your marketplace today can shape its success tomorrow. So, delve into the data, listen to your users, and ensure your platform remains in peak health.
McFadyen Digital recently published a White Paper on this topic, Accelerating Marketplace Performance with Platform Business Diagnostics, written by the subject matter experts who lead the strategy practice. If you have any questions about this topic or would like to explore how your marketplace can leverage our pre-built Platform Business Diagnostics program, please reach out to us at strategy@mcfadyen.com and one of our experts will reply to help address your needs.
