What Is The Analog For Marketplace Aggregators?
Here's a thought experiment. With over 50-60 marketplace aggregators like Thrasio out there now. What is the analog to them?
Is this the next generation of GSI Commerce, just channel-specific? GSI (well, except for Fogdog and TSA) usually didn't acquire the brand.
One key advantage they have: proprietary tech and loads of data the average seller does not have, or must build or cobble together on their own.
The next question - will sites like Thrasio build their own software and services platform disconnected from their investments?
These platforms work on a marketplace-specific company where the stack is uniform. Yes, there are a lot of them, but they are not infinite.
Most brands realize it's smart to be multi-channel. I don't predict that will change soon. What if the brand wants to go direct? Own its own customers? I doubt these investors prohibit it, but will it be optimized?
What will happen to the "pure platform" players in the marketplace arena? Will they be forced to focus their attention less on the pure-plays and more on these multi-channel companies?