Publications
Publications
- June 2024
- HBS Case Collection
SnapTravel: Betting on 'Super.com'
By: Reza Satchu and Tom Quinn
Abstract
This case explores SnapTravel, a travel startup offering discounted hotel rooms, and its founders’ desire to pivot to a “super app” that saved customers money across many different purchase types. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hussein Fazal and Henry Shi saw SnapTravel nearly go bankrupt as people stopped traveling, but the crisis led to a discovery: their customers were lower-income and more cost-conscious than they had realized. The founders debated doing more customer discovery, and whether it was the right time to expand their ambitions.
Keywords
Business Growth and Maturation; Business Plan; Business Startups; Change Management; Disruption; Transformation; Volatility; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Value and Value Chain; Decisions; Income; Entrepreneurship; Geographic Scope; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Health Pandemics; Surveys; Knowledge Acquisition; Knowledge Use and Leverage; Leading Change; Crisis Management; Goals and Objectives; Risk Management; Consumer Behavior; Game Theory; Risk and Uncertainty; Adaptation; Diversification; Expansion; System Shocks; Accommodations Industry; Technology Industry; Canada; United States; Las Vegas
Citation
Satchu, Reza, and Tom Quinn. "SnapTravel: Betting on 'Super.com'." Harvard Business School Case 824-196, June 2024.