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Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: llamaphlegm who wrote (31646)	12/29/1998 8:26:00 PM
From: Webfoot	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

Well, as long as we're into definitions, let's look at "Browse" browse n 1: reading superficially or at random [syn: browsing] 2: the act of feeding by continual nibbling [syn: browsing] v 1: shop around; not necessarily buying [syn: shop] 2: feed as in a meadow or pasture; "the herd was grazing" [syn: crop, graze, range, pasture] 3: look around casually and randomly, as through files and directories on a computer The established online brands become known in the minds of users as the source for the information and services the user wants. When you need a gallon of milk, you KNOW where to go to get it -- you don't waste time looking up "Groceries" in the Yellow Pages (assuming you are aware of the fact that you won't find "Milk" in the Yellow Pages and waste more time establishing that it is really indexed under "Groceries".) Similarly, I don't waste time with Portal sites unless I am looking for something unique -- about 1 in 25 visits to the web. I KNOW where I find the financial information I want. I KNOW where to buy books and music (AMZN), I KNOW where I want to place an add to sell that Nikon Camera I no longer use, and I don't waste my time searching for alternatives all the time. The value of this imprinted, implicit knowledge in the minds of millions of users is one significant "barrier to entry" and the yet to be measurable value of the leading brands. Most web brands like this spent quite a bit of money to get there! Once people get past the wandering newbie, "blow a whole afternoon browsing" phase of online useage, they will go directly to the sites that are well known to deliver the goods. They seek "directed interaction" with the web so a single click brings them to the information they need. Using a search engine/portal site is a ticket to lots of wasted time "browsing" -- not my thing, and not the way most repetitive e-commerce transactions will be made. (Groceries, books, music, software, drugstore items etc. -- we will know where our favorite stores are..) How do we measure the value of that? Can the big boy media companies (Disney, NBC, et. al) BUY their way into the minds of the online public? Maybe, but it won't be cheap. There really is a financial barrier to entry that has grown very significant, no matter how simple the technology (YHOO), or how focused the service (EBAY).