A seat-based subscription is the standard commercial model of the major firms, in which access to research and analyst inquiry is licensed per named user rather than per company.
Each seat carries entitlements — research access, a number of inquiries, event passes — attached to a named individual. Sharing beyond licensed seats generally breaches the agreement, and firms monitor for it.
Why it matters
The model creates a structural asymmetry that shapes the entire discipline: your buyer's organization may hold many seats while you hold none.
That means they can book an inquiry and ask an analyst directly whether to shortlist you, and you cannot book one to find out what was said. The conversation that decides your candidacy is one you have no access to and no visibility into — and it is happening on a subscription your prospect is already paying for.
Related: Inquiry · Briefing · Inquiry volume as signal
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