I was mulling over investing in Expedia during the beginning of the pandemic. It made sense that travel would take a hit for a couple of years. And then it would likely come back. Plus, digital marketplaces are good at scaling up and down. But I didn’t buy as I feel more comfortable with Asia […]
The Didi financials are finally out. And they are an interesting mix of good and bad. Didi has market dominance and tech leadership in the largest market for shared mobility. But it is also chronically unprofitable. For investors, this could be a fantastic opportunity. Because Didi’s ongoing losses will scare off investors and likely lower […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses why Didi Chuxing, the dominant ride-hailing company in China, is still unprofitable. He explores the factors that have contributed to its dominance, such as its scale and its network effects, and he discusses the challenges that it faces in becoming profitable. For example, he discusses how Didi has to invest heavily in research and development, and how it has to compete with other ride-hailing companies that are also losing money.
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the three types of network effects: direct, indirect, and standardization and interoperability. He explores how these different types of network effects can create value for businesses and consumers, and he discusses the challenges that businesses face in building and maintaining network effects. For example, he discusses how businesses need to invest in marketing and advertising to attract users, and how they need to keep users engaged with their products and services.