IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i22p6337-d285981.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How to Maintain the Sustainable Development of a Business Platform: A Case Study of Pinduoduo Social Commerce Platform in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wu Zhao

    (School of Economics and Management, Xidian University, Xi’an 710126, China)

  • AnQi Wang

    (School of Economics and Management, Xidian University, Xi’an 710126, China)

  • Yun Chen

    (Salford Business School, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK)

Abstract

At present, the ‘platform business model’ has indicated innovative potentials not just in traditional industrial sectors such as telecommunications, IT and retail, but also other sectors like social commerce. However, ‘Platform’ is not static as it is firmed at the beginning. Using Pinduoduo as a case study, this research conducts in-depth interviews and surveys in China to analyze the dynamic change of the platform provider’s role for successful platform operation via the lens of platform business models. As a “2.0 generation eCommerce platform”, Pinduoduo platform has become the largest social commerce platform in China with continuous growth at a high speed. The study found that stabilisation of the platform has experienced two stages: spread and evolution. At the spread stage, the role of platform provider focuses on forming “incentive to participants” through “Low price + Social contact” strategy and “Gamification + brand channel” strategy. At the evolution stage, the provider’s role is transformed into manager of products/services quality and revenue structure. Pinduoduo’s quality control is composed of three levels, including front-end quality control, middle-end quality control and back-end quality control. Besides, platform revenue structure strategies are sponsor-type. The purpose of this study is to enlighten the current players in the market on how they might utilize the underlying rationales in framework to further develop their platform business models. From the perspective of a platform, sustainable development of a theoretical framework is proposed based on these findings to facilitate future research in this area.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu Zhao & AnQi Wang & Yun Chen, 2019. "How to Maintain the Sustainable Development of a Business Platform: A Case Study of Pinduoduo Social Commerce Platform in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-26, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6337-:d:285981
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6337/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/22/6337/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roundy, Philip T. & Bradshaw, Mike & Brockman, Beverly K., 2018. "The emergence of entrepreneurial ecosystems: A complex adaptive systems approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1-10.
    2. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    3. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1986. "Price and Advertising Signals of Product Quality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(4), pages 796-821, August.
    4. Hagiu, Andrei & Wright, Julian, 2015. "Multi-sided platforms," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 162-174.
    5. Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo, 2007. "The Economic Lives of the Poor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 141-168, Winter.
    6. Jonathan L. Willis, 2004. "What impact will E-commerce have on the U.S. economy?," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, vol. 89(Q II), pages 53-71.
    7. Jean-Charles Rochet & Jean Tirole, 2003. "Platform Competition in Two-Sided Markets," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 1(4), pages 990-1029, June.
    8. Elizabeth J. Altman & Mary Tripsas, 2013. "Product to Platform Transitions: Organizational Identity Implications," Harvard Business School Working Papers 14-045, Harvard Business School, revised Sep 2014.
    9. Mangold, W. Glynn & Faulds, David J., 2009. "Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 357-365, July.
    10. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
    11. Jean‐Charles Rochet & Jean Tirole, 2006. "Two‐sided markets: a progress report," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 37(3), pages 645-667, September.
    12. Wujin Chu & Woosik Chu, 1994. "Signaling Quality by Selling Through a Reputable Retailer: An Example of Renting the Reputation of Another Agent," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(2), pages 177-189.
    13. David S. Evans & Andrei Hagiu & Richard Schmalensee, 2008. "Invisible Engines: How Software Platforms Drive Innovation and Transform Industries," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262550687, December.
    14. Kihlstrom, Richard E & Riordan, Michael H, 1984. "Advertising as a Signal," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 92(3), pages 427-450, June.
    15. Kevin J. Boudreau & Lars B. Jeppesen, 2015. "Unpaid crowd complementors: The platform network effect mirage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(12), pages 1761-1777, December.
    16. Junic Kim, 2016. "The platform business model and business ecosystem: quality management and revenue structures," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(12), pages 2113-2132, December.
    17. Andrei Rikkiev & Saku J. Mäkinen, 2013. "Technology Convergence And Intercompany R&D Collaboration: Across Business Ecosystems Boundaries," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(04), pages 1-28.
    18. Elizabeth Garnsey & Yuen Yoong Leong, 2008. "Combining Resource-Based and Evolutionary Theory to Explain the Genesis of Bio-networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(6), pages 669-686.
    19. Hofacker, Charles F. & de Ruyter, Ko & Lurie, Nicholas H. & Manchanda, Puneet & Donaldson, Jeff, 2016. "Gamification and Mobile Marketing Effectiveness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 25-36.
    20. Barkley, David L. & Lamie, R. David & Markley, Deborah M., 2007. "Case Studies of E-Commerce in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Review of the Literature," UCED Working Papers 112893, Clemson University, University Center for Economic Development.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Junhai Wang, 2021. "Impact of mobile payment on e-commerce operations in different business scenarios under cloud computing environment," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 12(4), pages 776-789, August.
    2. Hsi-Peng Lu & Yi-Hsiu Cheng, 2020. "Sustainability in Online Video Hosting Services: The Effects of Serendipity and Flow Experience on Prolonged Usage Time," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Shumei Wang & Yaoqun Xu, 2022. "Complex Network-Based Evolutionary Game for Knowledge Transfer of Social E-Commerce Platform Enterprise’s Operation Team under Strategy Imitation Preferences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-34, November.
    4. Yu Xiang Xia & Seong Wook Chae, 2021. "Sustainable Development of Online Group-Buying Websites: An Integrated Perspective of ECM and Relationship Marketing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Xu Chen & Yingliang Wu & Rujie Zhong, 2023. "Optimal strategies of social commerce platforms in the context of forwarding and bargaining," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 1-28, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xing Wan & Javier Cenamor & Geoffrey Parker & Marshall Van Alstyne, 2017. "Unraveling Platform Strategies: A Review from an Organizational Ambidexterity Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Belleflamme,Paul & Peitz,Martin, 2015. "Industrial Organization," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107687899, January.
    3. Yuki Inoue & Takeshi Takenaka & Takami Kasasaku & Tadafumi Tamegai & Ryohei Arai, 2023. "How to design platform ecosystems by intrapreneurs: Implications from action design research on IoT-based platform," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Yuki Inoue & Masataka Hashimoto & Takeshi Takenaka, 2019. "Effectiveness of Ecosystem Strategies for the Sustainability of Marketplace Platform Ecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-33, October.
    5. Inoue, Yuki, 2021. "Indirect innovation management by platform ecosystem governance and positioning: Toward collective ambidexterity in the ecosystems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    6. Elizabeth J. Altman & Mary Tripsas, 2013. "Product to Platform Transitions: Organizational Identity Implications," Harvard Business School Working Papers 14-045, Harvard Business School, revised Sep 2014.
    7. Junic Kim & Jaewook Yoo, 2019. "Platform Growth Model: The Four Stages of Growth Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Rodolphe Durand & Robert M. Grant & Tammy L. Madsen & David P. McIntyre & Arati Srinivasan, 2017. "Networks, platforms, and strategy: Emerging views and next steps," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 141-160, January.
    9. Yuki Inoue & Takeshi Takenaka & Koichi Kurumatani, 2019. "Sustainability of Service Intermediary Platform Ecosystems: Analysis and Simulation of Japanese Hotel Booking Platform-Based Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, August.
    10. Yuki Inoue, 2019. "Winner-Takes-All or Co-Evolution among Platform Ecosystems: A Look at the Competitive and Symbiotic Actions of Complementors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-25, January.
    11. Scott Duke Kominers & Alexander Teytelboym & Vincent P Crawford, 2017. "An invitation to market design," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(4), pages 541-571.
    12. Bach Quang Ho & Yuki Inoue, 2020. "Driving Network Externalities in Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Inoue, Yuki & Tsujimoto, Masaharu, 2018. "New market development of platform ecosystems: A case study of the Nintendo Wii," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 235-253.
    14. Salvatore Piccolo & Piero Tedeschi & Giovanni Ursino, 2018. "Deceptive Advertising with Rational Buyers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(3), pages 1291-1310, March.
    15. Paolo G. Garella & Martin Peitz, 2000. "Intermediation Can Replace Certification," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(1), pages 1-24, March.
    16. Crass, Dirk & Schwiebacher, Franz, 2013. "Do trademarks diminish the substitutability of products in innovative knowledge-intensive services?," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-061, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    17. Carlyle Farrell & Gervan Fearon, 2005. "Renting Goodwill in International Marketing Channels: An Analysis of Pricing Strategies and Bargaining Power," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 33(3), pages 285-296, September.
    18. Choi, Jay Pil, 2003. "Bundling new products with old to signal quality, with application to the sequencing of new products," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 21(8), pages 1179-1200, October.
    19. Sendhil Mullainathan & Joshua Schwartzstein & Andrei Shleifer, 2008. "Coarse Thinking and Persuasion," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 123(2), pages 577-619.
    20. Christian Stummer & Dennis Kundisch & Reinhold Decker, 2018. "Platform Launch Strategies," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 60(2), pages 167-173, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6337-:d:285981. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.