[9625] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Is advertising relevant?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Russell Nelson)
Fri Jan 14 12:10:58 1994
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 10:41:09 EST
From: "Russell Nelson" <nelson@crynwr.com>
To: "Barry Shein" <bzs@world.std.com>
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
On Thu, 13 Jan 1994 15:54:44 -0500, "Barry Shein" <bzs@world.std.com> wrote:
> I don't mean to defend it exactly, but let's at least start out with
> some attempt to get at valid assumptions. A few billion a year spent
> on direct mail advertising by people who are quite sophisticated with
> advertising techniques and are aware of their other choices disagree
> with your characterization.
But neither do they (yet) have to compete with distributors who make
good use of on-line information. We're not *there* yet.
> >In the age of online searching, I could just search the appropriate
> >database for "AUI transceivers", and I would get a listing of every
> >manufacturer who's serious about finding me. A database search like
> >that would be likely to generate a 90% hit rate for me. And, more to
> >the point, I would be a customer for one of those manufacturers.
>
> Yes, but how would you find out about this db in the first place, or
> find out that there's even a chance that something like you describe
> might be available on it?
A database of databases?
> You're also idealizing people's buying behavior. Some people will sit
> down and do work to find their best deal. Others (or all of us at some
> time) will just say ``looks reasonable, buy it'', it really depends on
> the product and what your time and trouble is worth to you in each
> individual case.
Consider that you'll be able to whip out your wireless PDA, query a
database, and find all the distributors of a particular product in
ten seconds.
> I don't think you've found any Holy Grail here, just various options.
Probably not, I'm just pointing out that advertising costs, even
"free" advertising.
--
-russ <nelson@crynwr.com> ftp.msen.com:pub/vendor/crynwr/crynwr.wav
Crynwr Software | Crynwr Software sells packet driver support.
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