Who Really Owns Your Customer Relationships?
You spent years building trust with your clients. You delivered exceptional service, earned their loyalty, and asked them to leave reviews. But when they open Fresha to rebook with you... they see three of your competitors advertised at the top of the screen.
Your customer. Their profit.
This isn't an accident. It's the business model.
The Discovery Myth
Marketplaces sell you on "discovery" — the promise that they'll help customers find you. But here's what actually happens:
Customer searches Google Maps or Google Search
Example: "best hair salon in Richmond" or "Salon X booking"
They find YOUR business through Google, Instagram, or word of mouth
Reviews, photos, your reputation — YOU earned this
They decide: "I want to book with this business"
You've earned their trust and they're ready to commit
"Book Now" redirects to Fresha/Booksy
Now they need to create an account, download the app...
Customer is now in THEIR ecosystem
They become the gatekeeper. You pay the commission.
The discovery already happened.
The marketplace isn't helping you get found. It's inserting itself AFTER the customer has already found you. You spent years building a path to your front door. People know how to find you. They trust you. They want to visit you. And then someone built a toll booth on YOUR path — and started handing out maps to your neighbors' houses to everyone who walks through.
This is the playbook we've seen before. Amazon didn't just create a marketplace — they used seller data to launch competing products and undercut the very businesses that built their platform. DoorDash promised restaurants access to customers, then charged 30% commissions that made it nearly impossible to turn a profit.
Now Fresha and Booksy are doing the same to service businesses. They're not helping with discovery — they're intercepting YOUR customers at the moment of booking and taking a cut of every transaction.
Source: BrightLocal 2025
The Marketplace Lifecycle Trap
Marketplaces work differently at different stages of your business. Most don't realize they've outgrown the platform until it's too late.
The Honeymoon
New Business Gets Value
At this stage, marketplaces genuinely help:
Instant legitimacy — you're on a known platform
Discovery mechanism — people browsing "haircut near me" on their app
Professional booking infrastructure without building it yourself
Reviews accumulate on the marketplace
No upfront cost to get started
Marketplaces can be valuable when:
- • You're unknown and need to be found
- • You don't have capital for infrastructure
- • You're testing if the business is viable
- • You have zero online presence
The Pivot Point
When the Value Equation Flips
Something changes — often without you noticing:
• 80%+ bookings are repeat customers or referrals
• Your Google Maps listing is strong
• Active Instagram/Facebook following
• Word of mouth is your biggest driver
But You're Still:
• Paying a commission for customers you could win yourself
• Feeding your loyal customer data to the marketplace
• Customers creating accounts on THEIR platform
• Building THEIR brand equity, not yours
At this point, the marketplace isn't bringing you customers — they're INTERCEPTING customers who are already looking for you.
You're contributing to their ecosystem.
The Lock-In
Why You Can't Leave
By now, the marketplace isn't serving you. But leaving feels impossible:
1. Review Hostage Situation
500+ reviews trapped on their platform. Can't export to Google Maps or your website.
2. Customer List Control
You don't fully own your customer data. Can't easily migrate customers.
3. Habit & Inertia
"Just send them the Fresha link" is muscle memory. Switching feels like a mountain.
4. Sunk Cost Fallacy
"We've invested so much time building our profile..."
While you're locked in, they're:
Showing your competitors to YOUR customers
Increasing commissions (or planning to)
Building THEIR moat with YOUR data
We've Seen This Movie Before
This isn't new. This isn't unique to booking platforms. This is THE playbook for marketplace platforms.
Here's how it always goes:
Attract
"Partner with us! We'll bring you customers!"
- • Build critical mass with suppliers
- • Offer great terms initially (low/no commissions)
- • Create network effects
- • Establish platform as the "default"
Extract
"Everyone's here now. Time to monetize."
- • Raise commission rates
- • Add new fees and charges
- • Control who gets visibility (pay to play)
- • Lock in data and reviews
Replace
"We don't need you as much as you need us."
- • Launch competing services
- • Promote whoever pays more
- • Algorithmic downranking
- • Race to the bottom on pricing
Industry Examples
Amazon & Third-Party Sellers
The Promise: "Sell on Amazon! Reach millions of customers!"
The Reality:
- • Amazon analyzes seller data to identify winning products
- • Launches Amazon Basics competing directly with successful sellers
- • Gives Amazon Basics preferential placement
- • Original sellers who built the market get buried
- • Can't leave because customers only know "I bought it on Amazon"
The Result: Suppliers build Amazon's empire while Amazon commoditizes them.
DoorDash & Restaurants
The Promise: "More customers! No overhead!"
The Reality:
- • Started with 15% commission, now 30%+
- • Restaurants can't negotiate
- • DoorDash owns customer data and relationships
- • Customers see DoorDash as the service, not the restaurant
- • Commission eats into already thin margins
The Result: Restaurants work harder for less profit while DoorDash extracts value.
Uber & Drivers
The Promise: "Be your own boss! Great earnings!"
The Reality:
- • Pay rates decreased as platform matured
- • Algorithm controls who gets rides
- • Uber owns all customer relationships
- • Drivers can be deactivated without recourse
- • Race to the bottom on pricing
- • Drivers absorb all costs and risks
The Result: Drivers become interchangeable while Uber controls the market.
The Pattern Timeline
The Pattern Applied: Fresha/Booksy
Where They Are Now
Somewhere between Act 1 and Act 2
Current State:
- • Building supplier base (you)
- • Commission at 10% (for now)
- • Promising discovery and convenience
- • Locking in reviews and data
- • Making themselves essential
Where They're Going
History suggests what comes next
Inevitable Progression:
- • Commission will increase (VC pressure)
- • More ads and promoted placements
- • Direct competition (featured providers)
- • Algorithmic control of bookings
- • Extraction maximization
Why Would Fresha/Booksy Be Different?
They won't be. Here's why:
The Reality:
- • They're VC-backed
- • They need massive returns
- • They control your customers
- • They have all the leverage
- • The playbook is clear
- • The incentives are aligned
Will you wait to find out?
The Alternative: Own Your Business, Don't Rent It
There's a different model. One where you build equity instead of paying rent forever. One where success compounds for YOU, not for a marketplace.
The Marketplace: Renting Forever
Customer Ownership
- • Marketplace owns the relationship
- • Customer data stays with them
- • They control communication
- • You're just a vendor in their app
Review Portability
- • Reviews trapped on their platform
- • Can't move to Google Maps
- • Start from zero if you leave
- • Your reputation is their hostage
Revenue Model
- • Pay commission on EVERY booking
- • 10% on customers who already know you
- • Costs increase as they need more revenue
- • No equity built, just recurring costs
Brand Control
- • Look like everyone else on the platform
- • Can't customize experience
- • Marketplace brand, not yours
- • Commoditized and interchangeable
Communication
- • Must go through their system
- • Can't run your own loyalty programs
- • Limited or no direct contact
- • They market competitors to your customers
Long-term Outcome:
• After 3 years: $36,000 spent, zero equity
• After 5 years: $60,000 spent, zero equity
• After 10 years: $120,000 spent, zero equity
You've built THEIR business, not yours.
With Askie: Building Equity
Customer Ownership
- • You own all customer data
- • Direct communication channels
- • Build lasting relationships
- • Customer lists you control forever
Review Portability
- • Reviews live on Google Maps (portable)
- • Build reputation on open platforms
- • Your reviews follow you anywhere
- • No platform lock-in
Revenue Model
- • Flat monthly fee (not commission)
- • No per-booking charges
- • Predictable costs that don't scale
- • Every booking adds to YOUR bottom line
Brand Control
- • Your brand, your style, your voice
- • Customizable experience
- • Differentiate from competitors
- • Show your unique value
Communication
- • Reach customers directly (WhatsApp, Instagram)
- • Run loyalty programs your way
- • No intermediary controlling access
- • Your customers see YOU, not competitors
Long-term Outcome:
• After 3 years: ~$900 invested, full ownership
• After 5 years: ~$1,500 invested, mature customer base
• After 10 years: ~$3,000 invested, transferable equity
You've built YOUR business on solid foundation.
This Isn't an Expense, It's an Investment
Marketplace commission: Operating expense that never ends
- → Money disappears
- → No equity created
- → Costs increase over time
- → Dependency grows
Askie subscription: Infrastructure investment
- → Builds customer equity
- → Creates owned assets
- → Compounds over time
- → Increases independence
One is an extraction. The other is a foundation.
Making the Switch Is Easier Than You Think
"But I have 500 reviews on Fresha!"
- → Keep your Fresha profile, add Askie alongside it
- → Gradually shift customers to direct booking
- → Build your Google reviews in parallel
- → Sunset Fresha when ready (or keep for discovery)
"My customers are used to the Fresha app!"
- → They'll adapt in one booking (no app needed)
- → Most customers just want to book easily
- → WhatsApp/Instagram booking feels natural
- → Your loyal customers will follow YOU
"What about the setup time?"
- → 2-minute onboarding
- → Import your services easily
- → Start taking bookings same day
- → No technical skills needed
Ready to Own Your Customer Relationships?
Discover how Askie can help your business thrive independently