List of Digital #Products that are innovative when launched , but no-one will pay for it:
1) Email – Innovative and disrupting when launched. But even after 20 plus years, consumers will never pay for it (Excluding the corporate users).
2) #Social media platforms- Innovative, disrupting, no consumer will pay.
3)Instant messenger/ #business/corporate collaboration tools and services providers:
Yahoo messenger, #slack, etc innovative, disrupting, but no consumer will be willing to pay.
4)File sharing: Services like #Dropbox, #google drive etc, Innovative when launched, but will never succeed.
5)Streaming service providers: While netflix was able to generate profit, these companies will eventually face loss as every film production company will launch their own digital streaming services holding the rights only to their platform. This will mean, companies like netflix can no longer secure rights to stream as the content will become exclusive to each film production companies like Disney+ . This will force netflix to become a production unit and fund its own webseries which will surely lead to huge expenses and losses. Also, this will force companies like this to expand internationally adding more cost and expenses.
Customers interested/willing to pay even when on cloud:
Tools that helps them or tools that they are always dependant. Example: Microsoft Office on Cloud
All companies launching a product that the customers depend and will go crazy when these products suddenly disappeared will be the companies which will surely see profits.
So if your customer will go crazy if your products suddenly disappeared from the internet, those products will surely be profitable.
Who will be profitable?
No internet products relying on consumers can be profitable. Because these products are not what consumers rely on forever.
Indian Market:
In India – These services may see their decline (My assumption)
Job – Job market was always a good profit earner in India. But with people starting to network more openly on social media, they would mostly seek jobs through their networks than going online and registering on a Job portal like Naukri.
Matchmaking Services- Companies that are offering services – For example Matrimony companies were profitable. But This wont go for long. With people moving out from arranged marriages favoring love marriages, Matrimony companies may not be profitable in the coming years.
Streaming services – Amazon Prime is the best when it comes to streaming services. But if streaming alone was sold under prime, it will fail. Indians will never pay for a streaming service. With Jio making customers used to cheap calls and free TV streaming, people will never move out to VOD streaming services. These companies like Amazon and netflix are also burning huge cash on webseries. The Problem with Indian as opposed to US market is, in US market, One investment on english content webseries is enough. In India, its very tough as different languages are spoken on different states. Also, Web series are not most sought after content for the users. Instead of burning cash on competing with Kirana stores, these media companies can invest on TV channels like how Star group is doing with many channels running in India.
Classifieds – This market has no revenue model, No customer posting on classifieds will pay the company. Neither the buyers nor the sellers posting a classifieds item will pay. So all classifieds sites will surely fail.
Home services: All the home services segment will fail. One of my relative tried using a home services website to hire a A/C mechanic. The service was allocated to a service provider locally. The thing is the service provider gave his own contact number and asked to call that number from next time. Seeing his work, he got around 5 service order in the following weeks from the same apartments – All direct referrals and so no revenue to these companies. This segment is unnecessary and will surely fail.
Who will succeed?
Companies that help business through innovative ways will surely succeed. Example – Zoho
Companies that are focussed towards consumers wont survive in the long run. Because, for consumers they always have options. There is no way a loyalty can be built for a web product.
B2C segment is tough to crack because:
- Consumers will never be loyal
- Consumers need it cheap and for online services , They need it free unless your product and offering is unique.
- Consumers need quality