Aggregators often apply a "gray" pattern that is only available to aggregators.

Because all consumer access must flow through the aggregator, they can "front run" the query stream.

If the aggregator has a great 1P answer, they just return it immediately. If they don't they fall back on the 3P answer.

But even when they fall back, they can note patterns in the query stream to find pockets of important, adjacent use cases that they can build directly into their 1P solution.

Meanwhile, the 3P only sees an ever-shrinking subset of the query stream.

Over time, the aggregator sends less and less traffic to the 3Ps.

The aggregator can surf a wave of query traffic only they can fully see.

Sometimes at the start the 1P solution is way less powerful than the 3P solution.

The 3P solution might think they're being clever by partnering with the aggregator.

But if the aggregator is even minimally competent, they will get better and better and cut the partner out more and more.

As a partner it's like picking up pennies in front of a steamroller.