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Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

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121–130 of 152 posts

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#121
Despite what other people think Snap suffers from, I see their stock as a great investment. It has the ability to gain quite well over the short term, regardless on how they turn out in the long term. Also, there is no denying they have a good grasp on the younger generation who doesn’t like fb or Instagram.

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#122
post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Snaps core demo likely doesn’t have the discretionary income to pay for a social network. 2. Snaps main competitor would have a far lower barrier to entry - free 3. If all your friends can’t pay for Snap, you will likely move regardless if you are a paying customer. Why would I pay for a network with 80% of my friends when I can use a near clone with 100% of my friends. 4. Facebook nearly $7/user a month with an a…

> Snaps core demo likely doesn’t have the discretionary income to pay for a social network. How valuable are a demographics with no discretionary income to advertisers?

Here’s an example,

This year I want a [blank] from Santa/father Christmas.....

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#123
post #76
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> how to sell ads Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? This is not a web app, where you have to take out your wallet and enter your CC info; all it takes is the scan of your fingerprint. I am sure people wouldn't mind paying a certain amount per year to keep using the app without creepy apps. Sure, the revenue will be capped by the amount per year a user is willing to pay, but maybe the…

> Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? Short answer: Metcalfe's law. "Metcalfe's law states that the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system (n2)." [1] Social networks are valuable to the extent that the people you want to talk to are on it. Charging raises a huge barrier to entry, making it very hard to create a…

To add - earlier WhatsApp and other messaging was seen by most adopters as a free SMS replacement.

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#124
post #106

Snap is extremely valuable, it has the customers everyone wants - it simply doesn't know how to monetize them. Give it time, if someone like me can figure out how to monetize this user base, I am sure, snap can, in time.

So you figured out how to monetize?

Yes and its not ads.

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#125
post #39
post #30

Snap suffers from a fundamental paradox, one that is difficult for me to imagine an easy way to solve. They've made their bones by being a uniquely fun and social way of a certain subset of the population to share their lives without parents dipping their head in and seeing what they're doing, ala Facebook. The UI is designed to generally support this; it is confusing and messy and understandable only by someone who…

> how to sell ads Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? This is not a web app, where you have to take out your wallet and enter your CC info; all it takes is the scan of your fingerprint. I am sure people wouldn't mind paying a certain amount per year to keep using the app without creepy apps. Sure, the revenue will be capped by the amount per year a user is willing to pay, but maybe the…

> This is not a web app, where you have to take out your wallet and enter your CC info; all it takes is the scan of your fingerprint.

But you need a CC to begin with. What percentage of Snap’s user base has a CC?

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#126
post #76
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> how to sell ads Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? This is not a web app, where you have to take out your wallet and enter your CC info; all it takes is the scan of your fingerprint. I am sure people wouldn't mind paying a certain amount per year to keep using the app without creepy apps. Sure, the revenue will be capped by the amount per year a user is willing to pay, but maybe the…

> Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? Short answer: Metcalfe's law. "Metcalfe's law states that the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system (n2)." [1] Social networks are valuable to the extent that the people you want to talk to are on it. Charging raises a huge barrier to entry, making it very hard to create a…

> Charging raises a huge barrier to entry, making it very hard to create a large network.

Is this because digital payments are cumbersome, or are people really unwilling to drop 50 cents/mo on something they find valuable?

Imagine getting 3 months of Snap usage for free, and having the ability to make a 50 cent payment as easy as dropping two quarters in a tip jar. Would this still be a huge barrier to entry?

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#127
post #126
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why are we so obsessed with the ads model. Why not start charging? Short answer: Metcalfe's law. "Metcalfe's law states that the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system (n2)." [1] Social networks are valuable to the extent that the people you want to talk to are on it. Charging raises a huge barrier to entry, making it very hard to create a…

> Charging raises a huge barrier to entry, making it very hard to create a large network. Is this because digital payments are cumbersome, or are people really unwilling to drop 50 cents/mo on something they find valuable? Imagine getting 3 months of Snap usage for free, and having the ability to make a 50 cent payment as easy as dropping two quarters in a tip jar. Would this still be a huge barrier to entry?

There is not a chance in hell I would pay to put a photo on Snapchat, and I’m of their core demographic that can actually afford to.

Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would create an extension to the snap ecosystem, which would be called "snap graffiti". Snap graffiti would allow you to attach a geographic location to a picture. These pictures could be anything, and anyone could see the pictures by being near the location. They would only hang on to the location for a certain amount of time. This in and of itself is not a business plan. But I would then allow these pictures to b…

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Re: Snap’s Rise and Fall: How a Big, Splashy IPO Prompted the Doubters to Keep Mum

#130
post #128

No no no. Doubters kept quiet because watching a unicorn stumble would be funny . Same with MongoDB, the Snap Spectacles of databases.

Funny you mention that. I saw a sticker that said "MongoDB: Snapchat for databases:"

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWhO2jIUYAAbuiK.png

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