Meetic generating value

Value generation Logic

First of all, we need to classify properly the online dating and matchmaking industry. That will help us to discuss how this industry creates value.

The online dating and matchmaking industry, in our case Meetic, is a firm that can be modeled as a value network. That means that rely on a mediating technology to link clients or costumers. So, at the first view,the online dating and matchmaking services generates value linking people through the world using the Internet as an infrastructure. We need also to clarify that the firm itself isn’t the network, it provides a networking service.

It’s remarkable that in this industry, when more people are in the network (clients, customers, etc.) More value it’s generated and there are more inputs. So, thisindustry acts as a mediator of all clients, where organization and facilitation of exchange between clients is the goal to achieve. Also, that industry is based on internet portals and websites, so the linking between the customers can be done indirectly (mail) and directly (chat).

Meetic, as a mediator of this kind of industry, offers the service accordingly the contracts that every clientcommits when they agree its terms and conditions. It’s important the existence of those contracts, because they’re required to be able to provide the service, specify the price of the service, and the mutual obligations of customer and mediator. This intermediary function of the mediator also needs to decide who admits in the network and who is rejected to accomplish a good quality service.Furthermore, in this industry, we have the positive network externalities offered by internet. This means that, a client of a company of this industry like Meetic can receive value without using the Meetic services. This is possible because Internet can make very huge networks all over the world, and when more people are into it more easily is to make a contact with another client without usingthe service. Summing it up, a client can receive value from two sides, via the mediator, or via the network positive externalities. Therefore, another positive externality of Internet is that simplifies all mediating service when linking people.

It’s seen that a mediating service like the online dating and matchmaking takes advantage of Internet possibilities, but isn’t as easy as it seems,because coordinating, mediating, an linking people without following some methods it’s inefficient and useless. So it’s needed a standardization to facilitate matching compatible clients and monitoring their interaction for an effectively service that clients are looking for. This standardization is one of the important objectives to achieve by the mediator because it will help to grow the network,and a consequence of it, increase the value. The matchmaking service uses standardization, each person describe the personal affinities and full some formularies and info request to carry out a good standardization of its profile for a properly matching done by the mediator.

In addition, in this industry we have many levels of mediating, that are traduced as different prices for clients andeasily are perfectly complementary. Depending what is looking the client, he can pay for a premium service with more eases for finding another people in the network. Also, the matchmaking service will be more effective when the customers are paying for it.

Finally, this industry uses an interconnected structure. That means that there isn’t only one network, there are many interconnectednetworks that works cooperatively. This can enhance the range and reach of the service provided. For example, Meetic Corporation has the online dating website (Meetic), the matchmaking website (Meeticaffinity), and the mobile dating service (PeexMe), each of them are networks that are interconnected and complements the others. Is necessary to mention the “match.com” network, that after been bought...