「プラットフォーマー」という和製英語が示す意味は、インターネット上で企業や個人に対してサービスやシステムを提供する事業者を指します。IT用語としての「プラットフォーム（Platform）」は、利用者と提供者をつなぐ基盤やビジネスの場を意味し、その基盤を提供する企業がプラットフォーマーと呼ばれるようになりました。このビジネスモデルは、サービス利用者と提供者を仲介し、その手数料や会費で収益を上げる形をとっています。
プラットフォーマーの重要性と拡大
プラットフォーマーは、インターネットとスマートフォンの普及に伴い急速に拡大しました。現在では、オンラインショッピングや動画配信サービスなど、私たちの日常生活において欠かせない存在となっています。代表的なプラットフォーマーには、Google、Amazon、Facebook（現Meta）、Appleといった企業があり、それらの頭文字を取って「GAFA（ガーファ）」と総称されます。
プラットフォーマーが提供するサービスは、多面的市場モデルに基づいています。これは、異なる市場間でプラットフォームを介して相互依存が生じる構造を持っており、例えば、消費者と広告会社、買物客と加盟店といった異なる市場が存在します。このモデルの強みは、一方の市場が成長することで他方の市場も同様に成長し、結果としてプラットフォーマー全体が拡大する点にあります。
プラットフォーマー活用のメリット
プラットフォーマーをビジネスに活用することの主なメリットとして、以下の4点が挙げられます。
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ネットワーク効果
プラットフォーマーを通じて得られるネットワーク効果とは、サービスの価値がユーザーの数に比例して高まる現象です。ユーザーが増加すると、プラットフォーム全体の価値が急上昇する可能性が高く、ビジネスにおいて重要な成長要素となります。 -
低コストでの事業開始
プラットフォーマーを利用すれば、インフラの構築にかかる初期投資や運用コストを最小限に抑え、手軽に事業を始めることができます。例えば、サーバーやストレージの購入が不要であり、必要な費用は使用料や手数料に限られます。 -
ビッグデータを活用したマーケティング
プラットフォーマーは膨大なユーザー情報（ビッグデータ）を持ち、そのデータをもとに精密なマーケティング戦略を立てることが可能です。ユーザーの購買履歴や趣味嗜好に基づいたターゲット広告が有効に行えるのは、プラットフォーマーならではの利点です。 -
顧客の囲い込み
プラットフォームビジネスは、既存顧客を効果的に囲い込み、長期的な売上安定につながります。ユーザーが一度サービスに登録すれば、他のサービスも利用できるため、顧客の継続利用が促進されます。
プラットフォーマーに対する法規制の必要性
プラットフォーマーは、ビッグデータの独占によって取引上の優越的地位に立ちやすく、不公正な取引条件をユーザーに押し付ける可能性があります。これを防ぐために、2020年6月に「デジタルプラットフォーム取引透明化法」が公布され、特定のデジタル・プラットフォーマーに対して取引条件の開示や事前通知、苦情処理体制の整備が義務付けられました。この法律は、プラットフォーマーが市場において公正な競争を維持し、消費者と提供者の利益を守るために重要な役割を果たします。
結論
プラットフォーマーは、現代社会において極めて重要な存在であり、その活用には多くのメリットがあります。しかし、その影響力が強大であるため、法規制によって透明性と公正性を確保することが求められます。ビジネスにおいては、適切なプラットフォーマーを選び、効率的に活用することで事業成長を加速させることが可能です。
Platformers: Their Role, Benefits, and the Future of Digital Regulation
Introduction
The term "platformer" is a Japanese-coined English word that refers to entities providing or operating services and systems for businesses and individuals on the internet. In general English, "platform" usually refers to a "stage" or "platform" for boarding, but in IT terminology, it refers to the foundation that connects users and providers (a business stage). Hence, those who provide this foundation are referred to as platformers. These businesses provide a base to their client companies and earn revenue through fees or membership charges.
With the widespread adoption of the internet and smartphones, platformers have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. The "platform business" has taken the world by storm, with numerous companies achieving great success. Thanks to platformers, we can efficiently utilize a wide variety of services such as online shopping and video streaming in our daily lives.
The Rise of Digital Platformers
Platformers, particularly in the digital realm, have expanded significantly, influencing various aspects of daily life and business. As businesses and individuals increasingly rely on these platforms for services, the scope and influence of platformers have grown exponentially. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, Facebook (now Meta), and Amazon have become household names, often collectively referred to as "GAFA" due to their dominant presence in the global market.
The Multi-Sided Market Model
A defining feature of platformers is the "multi-sided market model." For example, Google offers search engine services to general users while simultaneously selling advertising space to companies, thus operating in two distinct markets: "consumers" and "advertisers." Similarly, e-commerce platformers like Amazon and Rakuten mediate between "shoppers" who want to buy products and "vendors" who want to sell them.
This interaction between two markets is known as the "two-sided market model," and when more than two markets are involved, it becomes a "multi-sided market model." The key characteristic of a multi-sided market model is the interdependence between different types of markets through the platformer. As the number of vendors increases, so does the number of users, and vice versa, driving the expansion of the platformer.
Examples of Platformers
Microsoft was a pioneer platformer, dominating the personal computer market with its Windows operating system before the advent of smartphones. Following Microsoft, other tech giants such as Google, Apple, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Amazon emerged as major platformers. Despite differing business domains, they share the common trait of being top global companies with vast user bases.
For instance, Google dominates the search engine and online video sharing markets through YouTube. Apple, on the other hand, focuses on digital devices and applications. Meta, with its success in social media, generates revenue by selling advertising space to companies. Amazon, hosting various vendors, operates the world's largest online marketplace and offers a range of other services such as e-books.
Beyond these giants, there are many other platformers such as Netflix, which offers content production and video streaming services, Lancers, which connects freelancers with clients, and Cookpad, a recipe site that also serves advertisers. The variety of platformers is indeed diverse.
Advantages of Utilizing Platformers in Business
There are several benefits to incorporating platformers into your business. Four major advantages are highlighted below:
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Easier Realization of Network Effects Leveraging a platformer can make it easier to realize network effects. Network effects refer to the phenomenon where the value of a product or service increases as the number of users grows. In platform business models, the value of products or services is largely built by the number of users, making user acquisition crucial.
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Starting a Business with Minimal Effort and Cost Starting a business via the internet used to be a laborious and costly endeavor. However, utilizing the services provided by platformers allows you to start a business with minimal effort and cost. Unlike traditional methods, where one had to purchase and set up servers and storage, the only expenses involved are platform usage fees or commissions. Both initial costs and operational costs can be minimized, making it easier to start a business.
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Marketing Using Big Data One of the strengths of platformers is their control over vast amounts of personal information (big data). Users must usually register personal information to use the platform's services, and once registered, they can access other services on the same platform. Platformers also gather touchpoint data, such as purchase and browsing histories, which become part of the big data.
This enables businesses to leverage big data for marketing, allowing them to analyze user preferences and target specific groups with advertising, making it easier to strategize.
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Benefiting from Customer Retention The platform business model also offers the advantage of customer retention. Retention, which involves preventing the loss of existing customers, is a crucial strategy for stabilizing revenue. For example, on Amazon, once customers have registered their name and address, they can make purchases without re-entering information, encouraging continued use. If customers become paid members, an increase in customer spending can also be expected.
Generally, acquiring new customers costs more than retaining existing ones. By utilizing platformers, you can reduce the cost of acquiring new customers and efficiently attract customers.
Legal Regulations on Digital Platformers
Digital platformers, which operate on the internet, are subject to scrutiny regarding the transparency and fairness of their transactions.
The Digital Platform Transaction Transparency Act
To ensure transparency and fairness in digital platform transactions, Japan enacted the "Digital Platform Transaction Transparency Act" in June 2020. The law targets specific digital platformers, particularly those providing platforms where transaction transparency and fairness need improvement.
Under this law, targeted platformers are required to disclose transaction terms to users, provide advance notice of changes, establish a system for handling complaints, and submit an annual report. The administrative agency reviews these reports, and the evaluation results are made public. Such legal frameworks are necessary to ensure the healthy development of the digital platform market.
The Need for Legal Regulation
The push for legal regulation is driven by the need to control unfair practices by platformers. This stems from platformers' dominance due to their monopoly over big data, which puts them in a superior position in transactions. Concerns include a lack of transparency in information disclosure to users and the imposition of unfavorable conditions on the other party.
While the existing Antimonopoly Act prohibits unfair practices, its enforcement on platformers was time-consuming. The rapidly changing environment surrounding digital platformers necessitates swift investigation and enforcement to regulate unfair practices. Consequently, legal regulations such as the revision of the Antimonopoly Act and the establishment of the Basic Act on the Utilization of Public and Private Sector Data have progressed.
Conclusion
The term "platformer" refers to businesses that provide services and systems over the internet. Utilizing platformers in business offers various benefits such as network effects, customer retention, and data-driven marketing. Selecting the appropriate platformer for your business and effectively utilizing it can lead to significant growth. However, it is also essential to be aware of and comply with legal regulations as digital platforms evolve.