This is interesting, Rick F. We're at the question of "What's a bot?"
I haven't yet studied the first one, but it may, in fact, be a bot.
The other three (Expedia, Travelocity and Onsale) are, in my mind, definitely *not* bots. Don't know exactly what Steve Harmon's saying, but I think we have to define "bot" as a disinterested *utility*--in contrast to any sort of e-tailer. A bot should have no interest in the outcome of any transaction. (This is a tall order, as even search engines (portals, not say, INKT) tend to play "favorites.")
When you get to Expedia and Travelocity, I say you're dealing with travel agents. Maybe more convenient or more enlightened ones, but travel agents nonetheless. And Onsale is certainly an e-tailer, although you may find what you want at a good price with either of its shopping metaphors. Now, having said that, what's Priceline.com? Is it a bot or an e-tailer? What may give it a claim to bot status is that the user controls the price. But still, it's in the business of completing transactions. Tough call. You decide.
So there's quite a lot of "wiggle room" to this shopping bot business. And I've been amused at the recent tempest in a teapot over AMZN's acceptance of co-op or market development funds. What, you're supposed to assume Bezos reads the books and decides which ones to recommend? The only ones I want him to read are "green."
Comments, anyone?
Regards,
BAM
(Long MSFT, ONSL)
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