Oct 11 2010
Framing again.
It’s crazy watching the way the Internet continually changes the producer to consumer cycle. I remember first getting online and how cool it was, but how hesitant my mom was to let me order anything. Only a few sites seemed safe enough to give up your information at the time, and even then it seemed like a big deal. Now we do it all the time without even THINKING. I know there have been a few times where the convenience of buying online has caused me to spend money. If not for the Internet, I would definitely have a little more change in my bank account. Ah well.
Anyway, the whole idea of Internet commerce and information distribution brings up this week’s questions. Here we go:
1. Competition is what keeps retail alive. To me, the craziest thing in this field is seeing two neighboring gas stations with prices differing by a fraction of a CENT. How do online retailers keep up with these kinds of price changes, and is it harder for them to stay afloat if they can’t keep up with their competitor’s changes?
2. Besides advertising, how do certain websites and Internet companies survive and draw revenue?
3. What have the big-time news and broadcast corporations done to step into the online world? And how do you think this affects their revenue?