A marketplace can provide demand, payments and trust, but it concentrates critical decisions in a third party. A dependency map shows which revenue, data and operations are exposed to a change you do not control.
Record the functions provided
Include acquisition, identity, checkout, fulfilment, reviews and dispute handling. Dependency extends beyond the percentage of sales.
Quantify concentration
Measure revenue, margin, new customers and operational time by platform. Include how quickly an interruption would become apparent.
Map assets that cannot be transferred
Reviews, rankings, audience access and behavioural data often cannot be exported. Do not treat them as assets you own.
Develop change scenarios
Test higher fees, account suspension, a new ranking rule and API restrictions. Estimate the action, owner and time required for each scenario.
Build an alternative before failure
Develop direct relationships, contacts who have consented, a second channel and export processes. Resilience is built gradually, rather than after access has already disappeared.
This framework is an original editorial methodology developed by DigitalNow.