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The competitive landscape of online platforms

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Abstract

This paper describes the different forces that shape the market structure of four different 'online platform ecosystems' and the competition between them. The paper focuses on the following categories of platforms, which represent a wide scope of online activities: (i) e-commerce marketplaces; (ii) app stores; (iii) social media; and (iv) online advertising platforms. A central concern is to provide descriptive, empirical evidence on the relative strength of the forces operating in each case. In the past decade or so, many theoretical and conceptual contributions have been very helpful in developing a clear understanding of many of the issues around multi-sided markets, and have analysed these activities from many different perspectives. Unfortunately, they have provided hardly any empirical evidence. This paper attempts to reduce the lack of empirical evidence available on online platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Nestor Duch-Brown, 2017. "The competitive landscape of online platforms," JRC Working Papers on Digital Economy 2017-04, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
  • Handle: RePEc:ipt:decwpa:2017-04
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    Cited by:

    1. Juan-Francisco Delgado-de Miguel & Tamar Buil-López Menchero & Miguel-Ángel Esteban-Navarro & Miguel-Ángel García-Madurga, 2019. "Proximity Trade and Urban Sustainability: Small Retailers’ Expectations Towards Local Online Marketplaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Rangaswamy, Arvind & Moch, Nicole & Felten, Claudio & van Bruggen, Gerrit & Wieringa, Jaap E. & Wirtz, Jochen, 2020. "The Role of Marketing in Digital Business Platforms," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 72-90.
    3. Paolo Bertoletti, 2022. "A Preference-Based Model of Platform Competition," Working Papers 486, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics.
    4. Fritze, Martin P. & Benkenstein, Martin & Belk, Russell & Peck, Joann & Wirtz, Jochen & Claus, and Bart, 2021. "Commentaries on the Sharing Economy: Advancing New Perspectives," SMR - Journal of Service Management Research, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 5(1), pages 3-19.
    5. Nestor Duch-Brown, 2017. "Quality discrimination in online multi-sided markets," JRC Working Papers on Digital Economy 2017-06, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital single market; data economy; online platforms; multi-sided markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • K12 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Contract Law
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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