A Taxonomy for Platform Revenue Models: An Empirical-to-Conceptual Development Approach

In the field of Information Systems and Software Engineering, taxonomies are widely employed to organize and present well-designed knowledge. They play a crucial role in identifying relevant dimensions and characteristics associated with the objects under study. This paper focuses specifically on revenue models for platform business models, which facilitate the connection between providers and consumers in two-sided markets. For example, the Vinted Marketplace charges a transaction-based fee of 5% for each item sold, while nebenan.de offers platform access for a monthly subscription fee. Although these revenue model types differ, they both lead to distinctive and successful revenue models. Understanding and formalizing these revenue mechanisms is fundamental for the systematic design of revenue models for platform business models. This paper follows a proven taxonomy development method with two empirical-to-conceptual iteration cycles involving seven use cases. It introduces a comprehensive taxonomy comprising 15 dimensions and 79 characteristics. The proposed taxonomy contributes to the formalization of revenue models for platform business models and enhances the current understanding of the monetization strategies used by digital platforms to generate revenues. This paper supports researchers and practitioners involved in the design process of platform business models.