Social commercial breakthrough, NetEase LOFTER team-IT information
Outgoing messages this morning, NetEase LOFTER product development team officially disbanded, NetEase insiders have confirmed the news to be true.
We hypothesized that NetEase go LOFTER not open around after all "money".
LOFTER NetEase was launched in 2011 and a photo application, first learning object is the light originator blog Tumblr. Over the years, LOFTER gave the impression of being a tremendous beauty products, from UI to UGC content, photography, designer group consisting mainly of seeds laid the LOFTER user community keynote.
However, products, Mitsuyoshi is not enough. LOFTER 4, 5 years since the birth of time, little contribution on net earnings.
It's no wonder the LOFTER, literary quality product does not make money appear to be common. The most typical is the watercress and toss back and forth over the years several commercial projects, such as movie tickets, Bazaar and things are not much better (now the watercress to focus on film and television, but also see the results). And even the standard Tumblr facing commercial difficulties, it is learnt that Tumblr has, after being bought by Yahoo set a goal of $ 100 million in annual sales, can never achieve.
Generally, there are two reasons for this disease caused. A team of property decision, the makers of such products are often product design and construct logical proficiency, but lack of experience in business; some even have obsessions in the purity of the product, so indecisive at the liquidation strategy. But on the other hand, their users are often unique and splendid products qualities attracted, so once the product becomes somewhat "rotten" raises the old user's resistance.
In fact, compared to other products, in order to break through the "small is beautiful" LOFTER initiatives can be said to be very bold.
In February this year, LOFTER in version 5.0, replace the entire UI+LOGO. While there was a lot of old user's protests, LOFTER objective is very clear: meet the activity more of younger users, to train them to be supporting LOFTER main force of development. Indeed, LOFTER started supporting the second element content, know early if not for SLR photography is recommended by the little LOFTER website.
Social or Community products are always looking for the next new user with improved capacity of hematopoietic, LOFTER team obviously thinks so. LOFTER product owner saga has said: "social networking is something edgier, the older users will not necessarily social networking on the Internet. The other hand, 95 more spending power, their parents ' financial ability is very good, and very willing to pay for my stuff. 95, therefore, may have done after, generation now is not such a State. ”
5.0 launched, LOFTER on commercialization of the tilt is also growing.
In May this year, officially declared LOFTER foray into e-commerce, launched the LOFTER Mall, LOFTER ART,LOFTER printing three plates. Now open the LOFTER, in a conspicuous position in the personal home page with two entrances, all for electrical contractor equipped with, a welfare market, second, music prints. Former watercress-like market, specializing in entertainment and design-oriented, the user can apply to become a seller, and the latter provides a service, LOFTER accumulate pictures into real customers.
But these are after all a small sales. Small user base, low unit price exclusive of, goods are not particularly strong, resulting in electrical contractor did not become the engine of LOFTER hematopoietic.
For the NetEase, deserves even more attention is obviously now can earn a higher market value for themselves, games and e-commerce business. Cant LOFTER, do not let it go.
社交商业化难突破，网易LOFTER团队解散 - IT资讯
今晨传出消息，网易LOFTER产品研发团队正式解散，网易内部人士已确认消息属实。
我们猜测，网易放手LOFTER终究绕不开“钱”字。
LOFTER是网易在2011年推出的一款图片社交类应用，起初的学习对象是轻博客鼻祖tumblr。一直以来，LOFTER给人的印象都是一款极具美感的产品，从UI到UGC内容，以摄影、设计师群体为主的种子用户奠定了LOFTER的社区基调。
不过，做产品，光美并不够。LOFTER诞生至今的4、5年时间里，对网易财报的贡献微乎其微。
其实这也怪不得LOFTER，文艺气质的产品不赚钱似乎已是行业通病。国内最典型的是豆瓣，几年来来回回折腾的几个商业项目，比如电影票、市集和东西，都没有太大起色（现在豆瓣把重心放在影视上，但还看不到成果）。而即便是对标公司tumblr也面临着商业化的困境，据悉tumblr曾在被雅虎收购后定下年销售额1亿美金的目标，可从未达到过。
造成这种行业病的原因大致有两点。一是团队属性决定的，这类产品的缔造者往往对产品设计和构造逻辑十分精通，但在商业层面缺乏经验；甚至有人会对产品的纯粹性抱有执念，以至于在变现策略上举棋不定。而另一方面，他们的用户往往是被独特美好的产品气质吸引过来的，因此一旦产品变得有些许“不对味”都会引发老用户的反抗。
事实上，相比其他产品，为了突破“小而美”LOFTER的举措可以说是非常大胆了。
今年2月，LOFTER在5.0版本里更换了整个UI+LOGO。虽然此举遭到了不少老用户的抗议，但LOFTER的目标非常明确：迎合活跃度更强的低龄化用户，培养他们成为支持LOFTER发展的主力军。甚至，LOFTER开始扶植二次元内容，要知道最早如果不是单反的摄影图片是几乎得不到LOFTER官网推荐的。
社交或者社区产品永远在寻找未来拥有更强造血能力的新生用户，LOFTER团队显然也是这么认为的。LOFTER产品负责人saga曾表示：“社交还是偏年轻化的东西，上了年纪的用户不一定会在网上社交。另一方面来讲，95后更有消费能力，父母的经济能力很好，也很愿意为自己的东西花钱。因此，95后有可能做得起来，80后目前来看是没有这种状态的。”
5.0推出后，LOFTER对商业化的倾斜也越来越大。
今年5月，LOFTER正式对外宣布进军电商，推出LOFTER商城，LOFTER ART，LOFTER印品三个板块。现在打开LOFTER，在个人主页的显眼位置设有两个入口，都是为电商配备的，一是福利市集，二是乐乎印品。前者类似豆瓣市集，以贩卖文娱和设计小物为主，用户可申请成为卖家，后者则提供了一种服务，能把用户在LOFTER上积累的图片变为实物。
但这些终归都是小本买卖。用户基数小、客单价低、商品也没有特别强的排它性，导致电商并没有成为LOFTER造血的发动机。
而对网易来说，现在更值得关注的显然是能为自己挣取更高市值的游戏和电商业务。至于围城里的LOFTER，做不好就让它去罢。