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CommentaryDystopianMatterport Competes with MSPsMatterport Kerfuffle

Will Matterport Scan Services Eviscerate Matterport Service Providers?11319

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DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user

Screen Grab: It’s not clear to me if this is an internal Matterport document; or, a document that is being shared with residential real estate agents. Nor do I know if this is a current document. I received it earlier this month [March 2020] from a trusted source. – Dan Smigrod


Will Matterport Scan Services Eviscerate Matterport Service Providers?

Hi All,

You may earn at least 50 percent less than you earned before the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, if Matterport rolls out its Matterport Scan Services across America.

Matterport plans to directly - and aggressively - compete with Matterport Service Providers, based on the document above - Matterport Scan Services Provides Clear ROI to Agents - sent to me from a reliable source.

In the example above – based on a 2,000 SQ FT residential property – Matterport would charge real estate agents $235 that it says Matterport Service Providers would charge $1,270+ (which I would estimate at closer to $500).

If/when Matterport offers its Matterport Scan Services - including photos and floor plans - it appears that it will charge at least 50 percent less than Matterport Service Providers that bought a Matterport Pro2 3D Camera and Matterport Cloud Hosting plan.

“Matterport Scan Services Provides Clear ROI to Agents,” says this document that compares Matterport Scan Services pricing to an average residential real estate photographer, in this disturbing, insensitive and derisive document.

It’s not clear to me if this is an internal Matterport document; or, a document that is being shared with residential real estate agents. Nor do I know if this is a current document. I received it earlier this month. It’s such an explosive document that I had been holding off publishing it: waiting for corroboration that Matterport was, in fact, planning to roll out a Matterport Scanning Service in the United States. That confirmation was affirmed yesterday by this WGAN Forum discussion started by @Bollingerphoto

Matterport recruiting Pro Service Providers to compete against indepen...

Plus, one-half of the document above was published in the same post by a different source than the one that I received the document from.

It would be great if the Official Matterport User Group Forum would ask Matterport executives – at the very least – these questions:

✓ What is the Matterport Scan Services offering and when/where will it be offered?
✓ How much will Matterport pay Matterport Service providers to scan a space?
✓ How much will Matterport charge real estate agents to scan a space?
✓ How will Matterport Service Providers benefit from this program?
✓ How will Matterport Service Providers that do not participate in the program benefit from buying a Matterport Pro2 3D Camera and Matterport Cloud Hosting account and then have Matterport compete on price?

As @lilnitsch pointed out yesterday (Saturday, 28 March 2020) in this WGAN Forum post:

Quote:
Originally Posted by lilnitsch
@DanSmigrod

Pricing above is the payout to the "shooter" I believe the price the tour purchaser will be close to retail rates. If brokerages carry this for agents until the close or cancelation or withdrawal of a listing I believe this could have some legs. However, if it is just retail through the Brokerage my "magic 8-ball" says outlook hazy


Today, based on the additional chart above, it appears that Matterport will eviscerate Matterport Service Providers by undercutting their [“retail rates”] pricing by more than 50 percent.

While Matterport likely believes that its aggressive pricing will grow the market for Matterport 3D Tours (which will result in more business for Matterport Service Providers at deeply discounted rates), my conclusion is summed up in my WGAN Forum post yesterday (29 March 2020):

Matterport Shoots Self in Foot Again (and Matterport Service Providers)

While Matterport’s strategy of offering deeply discounted scans may grow Matterport 3D Tours in the short term, nearly overnight:

✓ real estate photographers considering Matterport will stop buying Matterport Pro2 3D Cameras
✓ real estate agents will aggressively negotiate with their existing MSPs for a better deal
✓ existing Matterport Service Providers will jump ship: either exiting the biz or switching platforms

It’s astonishing that Matterport wants to compete with its customers. That said, this is not the first time that this has happened. Long-time WGAN Forum readers will recall Matterport testing this business model three years ago:

Matterport now pricing their own 3D scan cost
Why I am participating in the pilot

When the WGAN Forum Community went ballistic, Matterport said it would abandon this business model.

I recall that Matterport was paying 5 cents per SQ FT to two San Francisco-based Matterport Service Providers that were participating in this pilot and offering San Francisco-area real estate agents Matterport 3D Tours for $199 for up to 3,000 SQ FT (6.6 cents per SQ FT).

From these WGAN Forum discussions three years ago:

Quote:
Originally Posted by @iTours360VR
If you call the (408)663-2655 phone number at the top of the page the automated message says "Thank you for calling Scan Service Pilot." The URL and voice message indicates that this is a Matterport Pilot Program being rolled out in the San Francisco area. We'd all like to understand the business strategy that underlies this pilot program. It's also hard to understand how base pricing could be set so low (plus 1 year free hosting!!) in a San Francisco real estate market that is full of million/multi-million dollar homes and average home prices around $500K. There obviously is a new business model being considered that is being pointed to the tech hub models of Zillow, Airbnb, Uber, etc...
I reached out to Matterport Support and they knew nothing about this but said they'd look into it and try to find some answers as to what this was all about.


Quote:
Originally Posted by @natcoalson
This is certainly cause for concern. Matterport are clearly developing a business model not centered around the needs or profitability of the providers. I am shocked that they would establish baseline pricing like this, though, because in the end it could cause economic damage to the entire ecosystem including their own bottom line. It makes me nervous about hanging my hat on the Matterport platform. Sure wish we could have a peek at their longer range business plans ...


Quote:
Originally Posted by @Hopscotch
It’s an experiment in scale. Yet, because of the implications, I have had mixed feelings about this program, initially because of the price, and I don’t want to undercut other MSP’s (starting with myself). And at first I was fixated on that one metric, but price is relative. There is a high price to me in sourcing every lead myself, there is a high price to me closing every lead myself, and there is a high price in me shooting every property myself.

That price is my time. That’s why I wanted to see if it works. I’m sharing this, because I’m advocating all the way for this to be a program that works for everyone, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll be the first to express that.

I’m remaining cautiously optimistic about this, and I’ve had to rethink the way I view my camera-work a bit, but it’s too soon to know if it will be successful or not. In the meantime, I’ll follow this thread and take all of the considerations to heart.


Here’s what one of the two Matterport Service Providers wrote about his participation in the Matterport pilot at that time

And, this from two years ago:

Should Matterport be in the Business of Buying Scans from MSPs?

There has been a ton of turnover at Matterport since the failed pilot of Matterport offering scanning services directly to real estate agents.

Unfortunately, it looks like Matterport history is about to repeat itself. And, unlike three years ago, Matterport Service Providers – and potential Matterport Service Providers – have a choice of 130+ 3D/360 virtual tour platforms and 50+ 3D/360 cameras.

What are your thoughts? Will Matterport Scan Services eviscerate Matterport Service Providers?

Best,

Dan
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I am curious what market is getting $0.15 a SqFt for residential Matterport "on Average" for the typical shooter. I think the photo enhancement & floor plan pricing is grossly exagerated as well. Floor plans I mark up 100% so, floor plan $30 easy enough. If I get IMAGE ENHANCEMENT from BoxBrownie.com $1.60 a photo once again mark that up 100% that's $3.20 a photo that would make their example of 25 photos professionally edited $80

So if I take their base home of 2,000 SqFt and go with a much more realistic rate of $0.08 a SqFt = $160
My basic photo package runs $125 for a similar # closely matching their above study of 25 photos = $125
If I get IMAGE ENHANCEMENT from BoxBrownie.com and mark it up to $3.20 a photo = $80
Floor Plan mark it up 100% = $30

I come up with a Grand Total of $395

I no longer rely on my Pro2 for stills I might every once in a great while pull a still if I missed something. The quality of these photos just wasn't up to my clientele's standards not to mention any "chatter" you often get in bathroom lights or counter edges, etc
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Matterport's "Unlimited" Photography is not likely to include much in the way of exterior shots & definitely will not have any aerial component of photography BOTH of which nearly every property I shoot has a few of each
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HelloPado private msg quote post Address this user
I raised my price to $.15/sf this year and Im not getting pushback. That's for matterport only.
Im in Vancouver Wa/Portland Or
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@HelloPado

Your Market is actually one of the test markets ~ I am inland a bit from you covering Northern Idaho & Eastern Washington ~ there are a couple pilot markets
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Won’t they look embarrassed when MSP say no and they can’t find anyone to do their work for them? This happened to me 20+ years ago when a photo store/lab decided to get into the youth photo business. Not only did they do a horrible job, they lost all customers like me that bought cameras and much other equipment with them. Afraid I see the same thing happening here.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilnitsch
@HelloPado

Your Market is actually one of the test markets ~ I am inland a bit from you covering Northern Idaho & Eastern Washington ~ there are a couple pilot markets
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I am more curios what their current shooters may do to the #'s

My county had 16 last evening we are now at 26


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I haven't seen any of the correspondence like that above.
There's too much opportunity here to put my business in the hands of MP. They continue to disappoint.
Id love to see solidarity in our MSP community.
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martel private msg quote post Address this user
I charge anywhere from .08/.10/ sq ft. I feel like this is a trial balloon to see what the feedback is.

MP is becoming a luxury item vs a necessity for realtors. Now with that being said I think this virus will have many re-thinking their ways of marketing and showcasing their properties.
What MP should do is continue to expand their technology capabilities with the Matterpack software and allowing drone video to embed into their software.
Have some staging capabilities along with improving their camera and picture quality. Perhaps easier to put in GSV along with easier editing.

Just my 2 cents.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by @lilnitsch
Your Market is actually one of the test markets


What are the test markets for Matterport Scan Services?

Dan
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Gerhard private msg quote post Address this user
@DanSmigrod I think the best way forward is for all MSP's to stop scanning until Matterport listen to us and stop screwing over the MSP community. They are going to cause their own epidemic very soon.
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@Gerhard

I could imagine that Matterport will conclude they are right to offer scanning services - and we are wrong - because:

1. only a few people engaged in a discussion about Matterport Scanning Services
2. it's likely some Matterport Service Providers called Matterport to ask how they get included

I suspect:

1. Matterport Service Providers are exhausted on the topic of Matterport behaving badly
2. Matterport Service Providers are still busy scanning until they are told not to
3. Potential new Matterport Service providers will likely think twice because Matterport will compete with them.

Dan
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I think it's very important that the collective voice builds on this topic. Though there are ways to make vertical integrations like this work, when it's done 'to' rather than 'with' then (1) a collective voice has more chance of being heard and responded to, and (2) each need to make their own decisions about doing business with a firm who behaves in such as way.

The only tidbit I've uncovered is that this is a scanning service offering being developed in the US in response to "enterprise customer requirements". Which MIGHT mean that some of MP's larger customers who have been scanning for themselves don't have the capacity internally, or want to move to an outsource model. That would make this a new market opportunity for MSPs, not a cut into existing. If MP wants to agree (low) pricing before lining up its supply chain to deliver at those prices, there will be lessons they learn from this.

I'm guessing we all have a love/hate relationship with MP as we bought into the awesome stuff their technology and platform can do, then we want to succeed with them but struggle to have a mature business discussions with them. My view is they are mis-managing the MSP middle tier and in time this will bite them. I'd then hazard a guess that if their are a large number of MSPs feeling aggrieved, then customers and suppliers of a MP direct scanning service will also end up in the same place as they are likely to be treated in a similar way, and this will degrade that service. Our job is to maintain that as professionals, we won't do business in an immature way - customers will gravitate to that.

What to do? Well, if you've received an email out of the blue from someone you don't know at MP offering you this - talk to them. Don't decide you are or are not interested until you have a good picture. And please, SHARE what you learn so others can also decide their next steps.

If you need to locate Troy, here's his LinkedIn - you never know, he might want to directly connect with ALL of you . https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-lowry/
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Hi All,

Reminder that this Matterport webinar starts at 11 am ET today (Thursday, 16 April 2020).

Dan

----

Quote:
Originally Posted by DanSmigrod



Screen Grab of eBlast sent to Matterport Service Providers [likely in Target Markets]


Matterport Recruiting Matterport Service Providers to Compete with MSPs

Hi All,

Above is the eBlast sent by Matterport Marketing today (Thursday, 9 April 2020) to recruit Matterport Service Providers to compete with Matterport Service Providers.

Thursday, Apr 16 from 8:00 - 9:00 am PST / 11:00 - Noon EST / 3:00 - 4:00 pm GMT.

Matterport Register Now Link

Below is a screen grab of the landing page that this link goes to.

Your thoughts?

By the way ...

I could imagine that Matterport will say that it's not competing with Matterport Service Providers because large accounts would not engage MSPs individually and that this business is only possible because Matterport is handling it directly.

I would not object if this was a 3rd party company or agency that was recruiting Matterport Service Providers for projects because they are not the same company that sells the camera and sets the rates for processing, hosting, publishing to Google Street View, 2D schematic floor plans and likely other services in the future.)

Plus, Matterport IS establishing benchmark pricing of what MSPs are getting paid. Never mind that Matterport is excluding the process, hosting, etc. because ... potential clients will just see the Matterport pricing and soon MSPs will be asked by their client to honor the pricing that Matterport is paying you.)

When Uber started out, they only offered rides form limo drivers. Eventually, Uber offered service from all drivers; thus, competing with those it said it would originally help.

Thanks,

Dan

----



Screen grab of the Matterport landing page for its Matterport Register Now link in the eBlast above

---

Body Text of eBlast

Last November, we announced that we were working with fellow MSPs and customers across industries to explore more efficient ways to support the growth we foresaw for scanning services. At that time, we projected that the demand for high-fidelity, professional scans would continue to rise among businesses and consumers in 2020.

The COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated the rollout of this new program to meet the urgent need for Matterport 3D scans from enterprise customers with regional or national reach.

We’re excited to tell you all about the new scan services program and answer any questions you will most certainly have.

Please join us on Thursday, Apr 16 from 8:00 - 9:00 am PST / 11:00 - Noon EST / 3:00 - 4:00 pm GMT.

We look forward to seeing you on the 16th to share the opportunities ahead of us.

--


eMail confirmation for attending this event
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