This whitepaper provides an insight into digital platforms, explains what they and are how they are working, shows some major platforms and gives a more detailed example of one. More information at statista.com

1. Digital Market Outlook – Whitepaper – e-Commerce & Retail
Digital platforms are eating the world

2. Introduction
A platform is a plug-and-play business model that allows
multiple participants (producers and consumers) to
connect to it, interact with each other and create and
exchange value.
Due to the concept of digital platforms, traditional
industries like retail, telecommunications or accom-
modation have been disrupted fundamentally, and new
industries, e.g. Online Food Delivery, have emerged.
For users, this means that the times of limited product
variety and inconvenient consuming conditions are over as
the ecosystem-platform-interaction offers a huge product
variety by using one single gateway.
But why are these platforms so successful and how do
they work?
This report aims at explaining what characterizes them
and why they are so unique. Furthermore, we will have a
look at one representative platform.
Statista // August 172
Digital platforms: The customer touchpoint is their
secret to success
“If you want 10,000 new customers,
you have to build a new warehouse
and this and that.
For me: two servers.”
Jack Ma
Founder and CEO of the Alibaba Group
comparing offline retail and Alibaba’s business model

3. The world’s largest
… retailer has no counter and owns no warehouses
… accommodation provider owns no real estate
… provider of hotel bookings possesses no hotels
… music provider has never sold a single CD
… video store has never run a physical store
… taxi company owns no taxis
… food delivery service employs no chef
Industries disrupted by digital platforms
Statista // August 173
Digital platforms have fundamentally disrupted many
industries, and others are likely to follow

4. Digital platform approach
Statista // August 17Source: Statista Digital Market Outlook4
Platforms provide the technology and user touch
point to connect consumers with retailers
External Ecosystem
Consumers
Digital Platforms
Touch Point
Producers / Value Creation
(e.g. Online Shops, Hotels, Owners of Accommodation)

5. Digital platform approach
Statista // August 17Source: Statista Digital Market Outlook5
Their success is driven by three main factors, which
enable their scalability and fast growth
Digital Platforms
Touch Point
Centralization
of the user touch point
(one digital “storefront”)
1
Decentralization
of value creation
(multiple producers)
2
Simplicity
to connect
(plug-and-play ecosystem)
3
Consumers
Producers / Value Creation
(e.g. Online Shops, Hotels, Owners of Accommodation)

6. Revenue development from 2012 to 2016 of top digital platforms (in US$ bn)
Statista // August 17Source: Company Information6
The superiority of platform models is illustrated by
incredible revenue growth in recent years
Baidu 10.2
3.6
JD.com
3.2
6.2
Google 89.7
50.0
Amazon 136.0
61.1
39.0
Apple 214.2
156.0
Alibaba 15.7
Tencent 22.0
7.0
Netflix 8.3
3.6
Facebook 27.6
5.1
Ebay 9.0
7.4
20162012

7. Overview
Statista // August 17Source: Grubhub7
Case study: Grubhub is a prototypical digital platform,
serving millions of meals without employing a chef
Grubhub is an online and mobile food ordering company
specialized in connecting diners with local take-out
restaurants. The company's portfolio of brands includes
Grubhub, Seamless, AllMenus and MenuPages.
The platform enables diners to order directly from more
than 55,000 take-out restaurants in over 1,200 U.S. cities
and London, U.K.
Grubhub’s business model describes the concept of digital
platforms best. Just by providing the infrastructure,
Grubhub currently processes 313,900 daily orders and
serves more than 9 million active diners.
Founded:
HQ:
CEO:
Market cap:
2004
Chicago, USA
Matthew Mayer Maloney
US$ 3.220 million
Diner orders
on the
platform
The order is
sent to the
restaurant
The driver is
notified and
collects the
food
The driver
delivers the
meal
1 2 3 4

8. Revenue and net income from 2011 to 2016 (in US$ million)
Statista // August 17Source: Grubhub8
Grubhub nearly reached revenues of US$500 million
in 2016, with a return on sales of 10 %
493
362
254
137
82
61
50
38
24
7815
201620142011 201520132012
Net incomeRevenue
36% 43%
85%
67%
36%
YoY revenue growth

9. Average number of orders per day from 2011 – 2016
Statista // August 17Source: Grubhub9
Grubhub served 325,000 orders per day in the first
quarter of 2017, 21% more than in last year’s Q1
274,800
2015
227,100
45,700
2014
182,800
2013
107,900
2012
62,000
2011 1Q 2017
324,600
1Q 2016
267,800
2016
Average numer of orders per day
24%
69%
74%
21%
36%
YoY growth rate

10. 0
1
2
3
4
1.0
2012
0.6
Grossfoodsales(inmillions)
2.4
2014
1.8
20132011
0.4
2016
3.0
2015
10
8
6
4
2
0
Activediners(inmillions)
8.2
6.7
5.0
3.4
1.00.7
Gross food sales (in US$ m) and active diners (in million) from ’11 to ‘16
Statista // August 17Source: Grubhub10
Number of active diners is growing rapidly and
reached more than 8 million in 2016
Gross food sales (in millions) Active diners (in millions)

11. E-MAIL
W W W . S T A T I S T A . C O M
Imprint
Statista ▪ Johannes-Brahms-Platz 1 ▪ 20355 Hamburg ▪ +49 40 413 49 89 0 ▪ www.statista.com
Disclaimer
This study is based on survey and research data from the previously mentioned sources. The forecasts and market analysis presented were researched and prepared by
Statista with great care.
For the presented survey data, estimations, and forecasts Statista cannot assume any warranty of any kind. Surveys and forecasts contain information not naturally
representing a reliable basis for decisions in individual cases and may be in need of further interpretation. Therefore, Statista is not liable for any damage arising from the
use of statistics and data provided in this report.
FELIX WEGENER
Analyst Digital Markets
Johannes-Brahms-Platz 1
20355 Hamburg
Felix.Wegener@statista.com
11
+49 40 284 841 864