Airbnb’s Summer 2022 Summer Release is compelling both in terms of product and also strategy.
Playing on Hard Mode
Airbnb and DoorDash both created new markets where ones did not previously exist; they are startups played on “hard” mode.
Airbnb Losses, Airbnb and The Google Squeeze, Airbnb’s Marketing Spend
Airbnb is losing money, thanks to a big increase in marketing. It matters greatly what that marketing is for.
The Google Squeeze
Google, the real Aggregator, is squeezing OTAs, which acted like Aggregators while depending on Google for demand. It’s easy to say Google is being unfair, but this may be better for consumers.
Airbnb Acquires HotelTonight, Supply Versus Demand, The HotelTonight Proposition
Airbnb has acquired Hotel Tonight, three years too late. The question is whether Airbnb wants to own a subset of the travel market, or the whole thing — and abandon its view of itself.
More on Scooters; Airbnb and Hotels; Netflix, AT&T, and Friends
Succeeding in scooters may require vertical integration, why Airbnb should go deeper into hotels, and why AT&T is making a mistake with Friends (or are they)
Uber in London: A Correction, Books and Blogs Revisited, More Aggregators
A comment on Twitter 280, and a correction on Uber in London. Then, why blogs are better than books (in some cases), and a whole list of aggregators not covered in Defining Aggregators.