Syndicate 12: WeTransfer Assignment
Introduction
Adoption of innovation is defined as a process that results in introduction and use of a
product, process or practice that is new to the adopting organization. Hameed, Counsel &
Swift (2012).
The strategies underpinning WeTransfer’s success can be explained through the various
stages of the Diffusion of Innovations (DoI) model:
Knowledge
WeTransfer monitored their customer base, gaining insights and knowledge that allowed
them to better understand customer needs. This led them to offer a service that allows users to
transfer files up to 2GB for free (WeTransfer, 2024), bypassing traditional restrictive email.
The website targets and largely attracts creatives; this is attested to by the distribution of
WeTransfer’s usership by industry (Enylyt. 2022). Visibility through creative marketing: eyecatching advertisements and a focus on community engagement showcased the platform’s
value and appeal. This helped the digital service gain popularity and attracted more users
over time.
WeTransfer later introduced new features: These include paid Pro and Teams services, as
well as integrations with tools like Dropbox and Google Drive, enhancing value for users.
Persuasion
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Compatibility
WeTransfer's innovative solutions seamlessly integrate with their target market’s
digital devices and operate over the internet.
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Observability and Trialability
WeTransfer started with a free model that allows users to send files up to 2GB,
supported by revenue from creative advertising. This made it easy for people to try
the service without any cost and understand its value. Many in the creative fields, who
often have limited budgets, benefited from this free option to share their work. This
approach helped WeTransfer gain its early adopters and later led to fundraising efforts
for creatives.
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Complexity
Adopting complex solutions can be challenging but WeTransfer offers a
straightforward alternative; allowing users to transfer large files for free whilst
avoiding the bottlenecks of registering for service use. WeTransfer also provides
customer support to help users understand how the product works. This contributes to
its popularity among both casual users and professionals in the creative sector.
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Relative Advantage
WeTransfer giving users the ability to transfer large files, (bypassing traditional
restricted email) allowed the company to grow its customer base from creative
individuals to organizations.
The company also assists creative professionals with their taxes and uses sophisticated
and creative marketing, all of which shows how it stands out compared to
competitors.
Decision
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With a solid understanding of its customers' needs for an effective and free or lowcost service, WeTransfer was able to introduce paid offerings in 2012. (WeTransfer,
2024)
•
Now, WeTransfer has over 80 million monthly users in 190 countries (WeTransfer,
2024), signifying that it has been accepted by adopters at all stages.
Implementation
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The product's implementation, shaped by user engagement, allowed innovators and
early adopters to try it out, then avalanche to laggards and leapfrogs with each
innovation. By letting users experience the product for free at first, WeTransfer
gained important insights to refine their offering, while users benefited from a reliable
and affordable service
Confirmation
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WeTransfer's success comes from effectively launching and growing its products and
services, offering competitive pricing and packages tailored to users' needs. The
acquisition by Bending Spoons marks a key achievement in their journey through
stages 1 to 4, showcasing WeTransfer's success and its use of the Diffusion of
Innovations model.
Conclusion
WeTransfer positioned itself remarkably against its giant rivals like Dropbox, Google Drive,
and Microsoft’s OneDrive. This was achieved through distinguished innovation and
understanding customers. They further improved their product and built a loyal customer
base by enlarging their CSI commitments.