Who chooses: the buyer, the supplier, or the platform? It sounds like a small product decision, but it changes how long a match takes and where people drop out.
I use these four models to explain matching. B2B, local, and managed answer different questions about the business.
Both sides choose
Double-commit marketplace
Both sides have to say yes to the specific match. The buyer chooses a supplier, and the supplier decides whether to accept that buyer's request.
Example
Airbnb · Request to Book
A guest requests a stay. The host reviews the request and accepts or declines it. The booking needs both the guest's choice and the host's approval.
Works when
Both people need to know who they're dealing with before agreeing.
The tradeoff
Both sides get a say, but either can walk away. Slow replies can cost you the booking.
Watch
Match rate. How many requests turn into a confirmed agreement?
The buyer chooses
Demand-side pick
The buyer chooses from available supply. Suppliers set their terms in advance, so an eligible buyer can commit without waiting for approval of that specific match.
Example
Airbnb · Instant Book
A guest chooses an available home and books it under the host's preset rules. The host does not need to approve that guest's booking request separately.
Works when
Buyers want to compare options, and suppliers can set acceptable terms in advance.
The tradeoff
The buyer doesn't wait for approval, but still has to find something they want. More listings can mean more searching.
Watch
Buyer conversion. Are buyers finding an offer they actually want to buy?
The supplier chooses
Supply-side pick
Buyers post what they need. Eligible suppliers choose which requests or jobs to take, within the buyer's stated requirements and terms.
Example
Instawork · Open eligible shifts
A business posts a shift. A qualified worker browses the shifts available to them and books the one they want. The worker chooses the job from posted demand.
Works when
Buyers can specify the job upfront, while suppliers differ in availability, location, or the work they want.
The tradeoff
Suppliers get flexibility. Less attractive jobs can sit unfilled, even when plenty of workers are on the platform.
Watch
Demand fill rate. Do requests get fulfilled within the window buyers need?
The marketplace chooses
Marketplace pick
The platform selects the pairing using factors like location, availability, price, and fit. Participants can still accept or decline, but the platform decides which counterpart to offer.
Example
Uber · Standard ride dispatch
A rider requests a trip. Uber's matching system selects a driver to receive the request. The driver can accept or decline. The rider is not browsing a list of drivers and picking one.
Works when
Speed and a reliable outcome matter more than comparing individual suppliers.
The tradeoff
You save the buyer from comparing options, but now you are responsible for choosing well. Check that assignments become completed jobs.
Watch
Completion rate. Do accepted assignments turn into delivered service?
Look at the booking process
One marketplace can use more than one model.
Airbnb is the clearest example. Request to Book gives the host a say in the specific match. Instant Book lets an eligible guest book without that extra approval. The matching model changes even though the company is the same.
A supplier setting availability, prices, or eligibility rules is different from choosing a specific buyer. And accepting a match assigned by the platform is different from browsing demand and picking a job.
