| Oct. 09 2008 at 11:30 AM |
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many believe that the internet is a trend of the future and it is absolutely critical to establish a business online. some believe that it is necessary given the global working culture/condition/trends. you just don't know anymore what is to come (i.e. outsourcing, layoffs, dying industries, etc) and therefore people prefer having their situation in their own hands and control.
experts also say that the internet has yet to hit critical mass (they base this on how long it took the TV, AC, Radio to hit critical mass) and that now is the best time to get in. what are your thoughts on that? what about businesses that have been online since 1998/2000?
some say that the web is also saturated and it is only getting worse. they say with so much dilution it will be very hard in the future to sustain a good living from online ventures. any thoughts?
all that said, what are (in your opinion) some of the most lucrative trends of online business? where do you see the future of internet business? do you see another channel/medium that might replace the web and therefore all hard efforts made by online entrepreneurs go to waste?
there are just so many questions regarding the past present and future - it would be interesting to start a discussion here on everyone's thoughts and where we all see the future of the internet in the next 3,5,10,30 years?
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| Oct. 11 2008 at 7:41 PM |
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I think a discussion involving online retailing has to include the
concept of a global economy--the globalization of business. If we do
make that inclusion, then the question isn't whether or not ecommerce
has or is yet to reach saturation, it's rather how organized is this
globalization.
Many people believe that "someone" is creating and forming a global
economy. But when you examine it, nobody's doing this. It isn't some
sort of conspiracy. It's human nature. All of us would like to spend
the least amount of money to get the best quality and most useful
things.
Corporations can go anywhere in the world now, because of technology,
communications, transportation, and computers. Why, then, would anyone
stay only in one geographic area when they can spend less to get more
elsewhere?
Many people also hate the idea of globalization, believing that they'll
be wiped out, lose their jobs, or whatever else. On the other hand,
everyone likes having cheap computers, TVs, cars, clothes, and seasonal
food available all year round.
One of the key principles of business (and life) is to "do what you do
best, and delegate the rest." A global economy simply means handing off
what's less interesting and retaining or developing what's more
interesting.
Internet business isn't a "thing," it's a vehicle....a distribution
channel. Neither is the Open Source community a software "company."
It's an entirely new business model, impossible before the advent of
the Internet.
As such, Internet business is the perfect distribution channel for a
global economy. I would imagine that kiosks would replace
brick-and-mortar stores in many instances. But I also know that it
would be foolish to order a hamburger and fries online, waiting for the
post office to deliver them.
The solution there is the order-and-pickup process Wal-mart is
developing. And that's really no diferent than the existing model of a
pizza place that either delivers or where you can pick up and carry out
your order.
Another thing online business will require is a global currency. Rapid
currency exchange can work with computers, but on a macroeconomic
level, exchange rates are problematic. Whether we'll see such a
currency is a political problem, and in today's world, not something
everyone really is sure they want.
Even so, the US Dollar is almost (not quite yet) a de facto
international monetary system. The collapse in our banking system has
been foreseen, but nobody wanted to really think about it. The
resulting nightmare would be so catastrophic, it was "unthinkable." And
yet, it's happened.
It's possible the World Bank, or International Money Fund might be made
into something that would work. Doubtful, but possible. As such, I
think Internet commerce will probably sideline the concept. What likely
would emerge would be some sort of Internet currency.
Virtual gold, for example, might become an online currency. If major
multinationals like IBM, GE, and others were to accept and promote such
a currency, then we might also see a way for Third World countries to
access development funds. I'm not sure how, but there's at least an
outline.
Ultimately, if I sell something from Illinois to New York, I've
produced a borderless transaction. Only if or when the two states can
track and verify the transaction can they produce a tax. We're already
seeing a breakdown in the whole concept of personal taxing. So I'd
expect to see a transaction tax, something like value-added tax (VAT).
If that actually comes to pass, then I would expect online commerce to
eventually be the bulk of modern business transactions. Much like
online banking, and the way banks transfer funds around the world.
Another problem then, would be who gets what percentage of that
transaction tax.
All in all, I think Internet business is at about the same stage as a
coherant, organized, structured global economy. It's emerging and
developing.
Craig Landes
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Defining the undefinable. "There are 10 kinds of people in the world---those who understand binary numbers and those who don't." - Unknown
International Society of Curmudgeons
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| Oct. 26 2008 at 8:43 AM |
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I am IT professional that been involved for almost 25 years in technology; and saw internet grow to be what it is now. I did entertain the same thoughts for one purpose, to be ahead of the trend and make money.
Well, I am a firm believer in sharing and joining forces, while I lack cash and connections, so I don’t mind posting.
In my opinion, the current use of internet today is mainly answering two fundamental questions.. “Where is….”, and “What is…” In simplicity, internet became the wise-man who knows all, and we consult it/him in how to do things and what are things. With that said, and abstracting the thoughts, those two questions relates to two elements human experiencing at the time of consultation, time and place.
So for example, I am planning to visit France and I want to know where is the cheapest hotels or the best meals ..etc. or, I want to know what a French term means in English say.. Etc. In any sense, If you noticed the common divider between the two usages in those examples, they are related to “MY’ locality -- as in place and/or time. So… With the current technology of the internet, you have to inform the internet of you locality as in France, or maybe the time or the date where you need this answers related to…
Gowning further, and thinking the Mobile technology, don’t you see Cell phones nowadays having GPS’s and can know where you are now? So -say- I am in a grocery store, my cell phone can pick up my location, do a search in the background and know where am I at, search again in the background for a web site associated with this address, so when I open my browser the main page of the grocery store is displayed? Of course then thier web site would display today’s specials, coupons ..etc.
Basically I think the new trend would be a push internet rather a pull one or in other terms, an active verse’s passive surfing of the net.. If you wish to talk more or explore business ideas in that regard let me know..
Enjoy!
Hany~
Edited by: Hanysm - Oct. 26 2008 at 8:55 AM
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| Oct. 31 2008 at 12:17 AM |
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I think online marketing will grow to become... marketing. We will no longer realize that it is the internet handling the marketing. Using the previous post's grocery store idea. You enter your shopping list and the phone has the layout of the store with the locations of your items (I just moved, so I've spent lots of time wondering around in new...larger...stores).
Oh, and by the way... You might want to check out these items based on your list. Perhaps since you bought pancake mix, you might want some syrup as well? Why get Pepsi when Coca-Cola is on sale?
While we will of course know it is the internet that powers these devices, as things become more consumer aware we will start being cattle even more so than we are right now!
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| Oct. 31 2008 at 1:47 AM |
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Just saw today's article that Christian Science Monitor looks like the
first major newspaper that will go entirely online, dropping their
print version completely. That'd be a great opportunity for coupons,
ads, and all the marketing that used to happen in those papers.
Craig Landes
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Defining the undefinable. "There are 10 kinds of people in the world---those who understand binary numbers and those who don't." - Unknown
International Society of Curmudgeons
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