One side grows more slowly
Compare buyer acquisition with seller onboarding and availability. Model the effect of supply constraints on conversion and completed transactions.
INDUSTRIES / MARKETPLACES
Two sides of a market.
One connected model.
Business materials for marketplaces that need to explain demand, supply, transaction economics and the investment required to bring them together.
MARKETPLACESOperating logic
START WITH THE DRIVERS
01Active buyers
02Transaction frequency
03Transaction value
04Platform take rate
Connected assumptions. A clear view of your business.
Built around your business.Explore all industries
01 / THE OPERATING REALITY
Your business has
its own moving parts.
Service marketplaces, booking platforms, B2B exchanges, rental platforms and transaction-based digital businesses.
01
Supply & demand
Model buyer acquisition and activity alongside seller capacity and availability. Make the assumptions behind matching and repeat use explicit.
02
Transaction economics
Separate gross transaction value from platform revenue. Include take rates, subscriptions, payment costs, incentives, refunds and support.
03
The path to scale
Connect regional launches, category expansion and acquisition investment to contribution and cash requirements. Test the effect of slower repeat usage.
WHAT THE FINANCIAL WORK MAKES VISIBLE
The operating detail.
The decisions it supports.
Show both sides of the platform and the economics of each completed transaction. Transaction volume, platform fees and the timing of seller payouts need separate schedules.
| What to track | What the model connects | What it helps you understand |
|---|---|---|
| Completed transaction volume | Active buyers, order frequency, available supply, order value and cancellations. | Whether planned demand can turn into completed transactions. |
| Platform income | Transaction value, fee structure, subscriptions and any additional service charges. | The relationship between marketplace activity and the income retained by the platform. |
| Contribution per transaction | Platform income, payments, fulfillment, support, incentives and refunds. | What remains from a transaction after its relevant delivery and support costs. |
| Settlement cash timing | Customer receipts, refunds, seller payouts and payment-provider timing. | Which cash movements belong to platform operations and which relate to settlement obligations. |
QUESTIONS I CAN HELP YOU TEST
How would your plan change?
Choose the uncertainties that matter to your business. I can connect alternative assumptions to the forecast and explain the differences in the plan or presentation.
The fee or incentive changes
Test a different fee structure alongside any change in transaction activity and seller incentives. Keep the commercial assumptions visible.
Refunds or payout timing change
Trace cancellations, refunds and faster seller payouts into contribution and cash timing, with separate operating and settlement schedules.
02 / WHAT WE CAN BUILD
The economics, the plan
and the presentation.
Agree the deliverables your project needs. Keep the assumptions consistent across the work.
01
Financial models
A transaction-based forecast covering both sides of the platform, monetization, contribution and cash flow.
Explore the service02
Business plans
A plan explaining the target market, supply strategy, demand acquisition, operating model and expansion sequence.
Explore the service03
Pitch decks
A presentation that distinguishes marketplace volume from revenue and connects the funding request to operating milestones.
Explore the service03 / INSIDE THE DOCUMENTS
See the detail.
Understand the structure.
The financial-model and pitch-deck previews are selected for this industry. Open either image to inspect the detail, or follow its link to the matching FinancialModelsLab product. Each custom project follows its own business assumptions.
A PRACTICAL STARTING POINT
Bring what you know.
I’ll shape the brief.
These details help the work after our first conversation. You can start with the information you already have.
- Buyer and seller activity
- Transaction value and frequency
- Fees, take rates and other revenue streams
- Acquisition spend and incentives
- Launch markets and operating team
ILLUSTRATIVE PROJECT SCENARIO
A specialist marketplace entering a second region
Build a city-by-city view of supply activation, buyer demand and repeat transactions. Compare launching two markets together with a phased rollout.
Explore the project briefA FEW PRACTICAL DETAILS
Before we work together.
LET’S MAKE THE NEXT MOVE CLEARER
Let’s work through
your next move.
Three quick questions. Then choose a time to talk with Henry.