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Every retail brick and mortar store needs to have their own delivery services. Every content creator and distribution network needs to have their own closed st

Every retail brick and mortar store needs to have their own delivery services. Every content creator and distribution network needs to have their own closed streaming platform and app and monthly fee schedule. Every tech platform that connects one user to others in any form or fashion needs to have their own blockchain system for the transfer of value. Apparently.. this is where we're headed right now.

bpt3 7y ago
It's not where we're headed, it's where we're at right now. There are many, many examples of this behavior in new markets (e.g. railroads, search engines), which is eventually followed by market consensus around a small number of winners and a market consolidation. I don't see any reason the examples you mentioned will be different.
- jvagner 7y ago
  I've been staying in hotels a bit more, in recent weeks, than I have in a while. So I'm seeing more television. I'm seeing more messaging around this than I usually do. Target advertising their own delivery services was news to me... of course I was familiar with all the food delivery services (UberEats, DoorDash, etc). This will crash, as you say, and some will survive as the Lyfts of the market. But I don't hear a lot about Zipcar anymore...?
  - bpt3 7y ago
    If your conclusion is that there are more delivery services than the market can support, I agree completely. Ultimately, I think the end result will be a stable market with a few competitors, as some of the existing companies fail, some of the bigger chains offering delivery shut down their internal service and outsource the work while others spin out their service to support external customers, etc. Zipcar still exists and seems to be doing fine in my area, with car2go and a couple others as competitors.
marcosdumay 7y ago
There's a lot of capital, and not as many investment opportunities. So successful companies are trying to differentiate themselves and lock people in by replicating infrastructure. When capital disappears or the economy becomes more dynamic, this will change.

bpt3 7y ago

It's not where we're headed, it's where we're at right now. There are many, many examples of this behavior in new markets (e.g. railroads, search engines), which is eventually followed by market consensus around a small number of winners and a market consolidation. I don't see any reason the examples you mentioned will be different.

jvagner 7y ago
I've been staying in hotels a bit more, in recent weeks, than I have in a while. So I'm seeing more television. I'm seeing more messaging around this than I usually do. Target advertising their own delivery services was news to me... of course I was familiar with all the food delivery services (UberEats, DoorDash, etc). This will crash, as you say, and some will survive as the Lyfts of the market. But I don't hear a lot about Zipcar anymore...?
- bpt3 7y ago
  If your conclusion is that there are more delivery services than the market can support, I agree completely. Ultimately, I think the end result will be a stable market with a few competitors, as some of the existing companies fail, some of the bigger chains offering delivery shut down their internal service and outsource the work while others spin out their service to support external customers, etc. Zipcar still exists and seems to be doing fine in my area, with car2go and a couple others as competitors.

marcosdumay 7y ago

There's a lot of capital, and not as many investment opportunities. So successful companies are trying to differentiate themselves and lock people in by replicating infrastructure. When capital disappears or the economy becomes more dynamic, this will change.