Aw c'mon Mike!
<<<I think the popularization of the Internet will have an impact that is more like the fad of the CB radio than the railroad. <G> Seriously, it is folks talking, which is great, but still just folks talking, and catalogue sales cos. Whoopdedoo! <<<<
I think you seriously underestimate the impact of the internet (more on this later); however, like you, I cannot figure out how many of the players will ever make money. I agree on skipping the ads and I have no idea how Lycos or Infoseek or Yahoo or Amazon will make money. But for many real brick and mortar businesses, the internet will have a dramatic impact. Just two points (of the many which could be made):
1. My wife wants to vacation in Lake Chapala in Mexico. She can go on the net, look at pictures and read description of all of the B&Bs down there, make a reservation, pay them a deposit, ask the owners questions via e-mail, etc., etc. Much easier for her and these little B&Bs now can reach a huge audience at very little cost.
2. Assuming that most (95%? 99%?) of internet sales are being stolen from existing traditional channels, gonna be a whole lot of people laid off from the traditional channel. How many Travel Agents will lose their jobs because people can find out plenty of info from the net and book their own vacations or flights. How many sales clerks will lose their jobs because you used the YourUnderware program to buy your PC instead of interacting with those knowledgable fellows at BBY???
Now, behave yourself or Mike and Will will have you banned from the thread<G>.
Mike |
