
Escaping Platform and AI Rent
The article argues that small merchants cannot realistically break platform ecosystems, but can reduce dependency through a “suboptimal closed loop” built around physical stores, WeChat, local data, and human relationships. It cites platform-related costs of roughly 21%–40% versus much lower payment, cloud, and delivery costs in a WeChat-based model, while noting OpenAI’s reported 4% Shopify merchant commission as a sign of emerging AI fees.
虎嗅 · 41d ago





















