Comments on: How Do I Compete With Free? http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/ Exploring The Intersections Of Technology and Society Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:41:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: noroadzone http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-26010 noroadzone Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:37:47 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-26010 free is not always good, for they are doing this just to gain market... it's really good to buy something that's really worth it. as for your example (comparing cars) it's really good to compare both cars or any other cars of the buyer's liking before making a purchase. i think this also goes to other products as well. free is not always good, for they are doing this just to gain market… it's really good to buy something that's really worth it. as for your example (comparing cars) it's really good to compare both cars or any other cars of the buyer's liking before making a purchase. i think this also goes to other products as well.

]]> By: sbspalding http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22498 sbspalding Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:31:40 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22498 That it would. How are things going these days by the by Jonas? That it would. How are things going these days by the by Jonas?

]]> By: Jonas http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22497 Jonas Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:50:32 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22497 Pricing is an interesting subject matter. While it is true too many entrepreneurs base pricing on their marginal cost of production (read: under price) and ignore value based pricing to their detriment. I think the question you posed is even more subtle. How to price in a competitive market or even a subsidized market. How Zoho competes with Google Apps would make an interesting case study. Pricing is an interesting subject matter. While it is true too many entrepreneurs base pricing on their marginal cost of production (read: under price) and ignore value based pricing to their detriment. I think the question you posed is even more subtle. How to price in a competitive market or even a subsidized market. How Zoho competes with Google Apps would make an interesting case study.

]]> By: sbspalding http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22494 sbspalding Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:27:03 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22494 That's exactly right Maggy. Artwork is one of those things that have never translated well to to digital. That's exactly right Maggy. Artwork is one of those things that have never translated well to to digital.

]]> By: sbspalding http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22496 sbspalding Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:25:34 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22496 That does help just a little bit, good one Mike! :) That does help just a little bit, good one Mike! :)

]]> By: mike http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22495 mike Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:47:21 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22495 And real estate. The price to *build* a house in say, San Jose CA and Lincoln NE is very rougly the same, given comparatively small differences in the cost of materials and labor. But oh, what a difference in price, because a house in San Jose has a much higher *perceived* value than one in Lincoln, namely the famous number one real-estate factor: location.<br><br>Or, um, the value of Google stock. :-) And real estate. The price to *build* a house in say, San Jose CA and Lincoln NE is very rougly the same, given comparatively small differences in the cost of materials and labor. But oh, what a difference in price, because a house in San Jose has a much higher *perceived* value than one in Lincoln, namely the famous number one real-estate factor: location.

Or, um, the value of Google stock. :-)

]]> By: Maggy Young http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22493 Maggy Young Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:06:11 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22493 The final para. reminded me that I read somewhere that Nike don't sell shoes - they sell an image. Probably true enough of most things & especially when you get to the upper price levels.<br>And the music industry ? It might do worse by adding value by scrapping the pathetic hard to read little cd. boxes & selling recordings in the old style album covers, where the artwork on the cover was often a treat & inside were pages with readable lyrics, ancilliary notes & photographs. That might be something more worth paying for. The final para. reminded me that I read somewhere that Nike don't sell shoes – they sell an image. Probably true enough of most things & especially when you get to the upper price levels.
And the music industry ? It might do worse by adding value by scrapping the pathetic hard to read little cd. boxes & selling recordings in the old style album covers, where the artwork on the cover was often a treat & inside were pages with readable lyrics, ancilliary notes & photographs. That might be something more worth paying for.

]]> By: Ugly American http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22492 Ugly American Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:56:23 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22492 Oh nooos!!!!<br><br>Free software and internet will kill the economy just like free programs on radio and TV killed the economy in the 50s and 60s!<br><br>Oh yeah, that's right, free radio and TV helped the US economy boom. Oh nooos!!!!

Free software and internet will kill the economy just like free programs on radio and TV killed the economy in the 50s and 60s!

Oh yeah, that's right, free radio and TV helped the US economy boom.

]]> By: Tarky7 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22491 Tarky7 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:54:30 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22491 "So the next time someone says "you can't compete with free" ask them why? Every company that's in business today competes with those who aim to undercut the price of their product -- and the situation is absolutely no different when it's free. It's just that people get blinded by the zero and forget that the absolute price is meaningless compared to the marginal cost."<br><br>From Tech Dirt, which riffs on this subject quite a bit, and I would have to agree with your statement. This issue of the concept of 'scarcity' in a digital content age is somewhat of a misnomer.<br><br>The RIAA and the MPAA have been suing the customer base in a ridiculous attempt to protect an old and dying business model. I believe it is time to start creating product (music, movies) in which people want to buy, that the value comes from the quality of content delivered in a format that the customer desires. Nuff said. “So the next time someone says “you can't compete with free” ask them why? Every company that's in business today competes with those who aim to undercut the price of their product — and the situation is absolutely no different when it's free. It's just that people get blinded by the zero and forget that the absolute price is meaningless compared to the marginal cost.”

From Tech Dirt, which riffs on this subject quite a bit, and I would have to agree with your statement. This issue of the concept of 'scarcity' in a digital content age is somewhat of a misnomer.

The RIAA and the MPAA have been suing the customer base in a ridiculous attempt to protect an old and dying business model. I believe it is time to start creating product (music, movies) in which people want to buy, that the value comes from the quality of content delivered in a format that the customer desires. Nuff said.

]]> By: Houston Web Design http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/comment-page-1/#comment-22490 Houston Web Design Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:04:19 +0000 http://howtosplitanatom.com/questions/how-do-i-compete-with-free/#comment-22490 Well I always believe that you get what you paid for. Although free might be good for the pockets, sometimes free is not always the best way to go. Well I always believe that you get what you paid for. Although free might be good for the pockets, sometimes free is not always the best way to go.

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