Is the internet a "good" place to do business?

From: Terrell.Mitchell <Terrell.Mitchell_at_bigfoot.com>
Date: Fri 30 Nov 2001 12:11:46 -0500

I have monitored this list for awhile, and made a few
posts as responses. This time I am looking to start the
debate on a topic.

First, I am not in advertising. I don't buy or sell ads.
I do software. I have worked on web sites. I have been
involved in overall layout and a backend software to
drive it.

I have run a business. I founded and ran a successful
software business, but I am no longer affiliated with
it. It is became CuSeeMe Networks and I think
is now First Virtual Communications.

We got on the net early. When BBN started providing an
ISP service, we were the trial run. We were the first
company to use them as access to the net (the WEB didn't
exist). At that time the acceptable use policies expressly
forbade any commercial activity. We had to be careful when
communicating with customers that we didn't try to "sell"
anything. You could lose your connectivity. We were there
when they first worked out the arrangements for doing
commercial postings by doing connections between what are
the Tier 1 providers along private routes and not over NSF
funded lines. The NSF is who really prevented the
commercial stuff, not the ISPs.

I am not one of these who feel commercialism ruined the
internet. I see nothing wrong with commerce over it. It is
a medium. I believe in opportunity, free speech yada yada
yada.

That brings me to my point (finally).

I have seen discussions about CPC vs. CPM vs. CPx.
I have seen people talk about the "culture of expecting
things for free".

Basically lots of discussions about how to get people in
my store, how to sell things in my store, how to get
people to pay for things in my store.

But no one every asks the basic question that any business
having problems should ask. That is "Is my store in the
right location."

In business location is crucial. In malls, stores turnover
a lot, until the right mix is there. And even then, after
a couple years the demographics may change which requires
a new mix.

Around malls lots of restaurants come and go.

In general businesses come and go all the time. It is the
nature of small business that most will fail. 90% the first
year. 90% of the remaining in the next couple years. Why
should the internet be any different?

Personally I find it amusing when I see people making
comments about changing the "free" attitude of surfers.
Like the internet is there for them to make money and these
people better get with the program. Kind of like setting up
an apparel shop in a nudist colony and them wondering how
they are going to convince people they should be buying
clothes. Going around naked is not natural. I know it's not
the best analogy. But, the point is, before you start and
locate a business you should believe the customers are
there. Not start the business and then try to change the
people's behavior so they will be customers.

I don't think it is written that the internet MUST succeed
as a commercial venue. Would the world crumble if most of
the commerce stopped and it went back to being a large flea
market or "speaker's corner". I am not saying it
SHOULD happen, I just don't think the economy would die if
it did happen. A lot of people don't agree with me.

The country was doing ok without it before. The internet
was doing ok without commercialism. It wasn't better in
either case, just different.

I am just saying, do we have a lot of people trying to mold
the environment to their wishes instead of going to the
proper place to get their wish fulfilled.

Just looking for opinions.
Terrell Mitchell





Received on Fri Nov 30 2001 - 11:11:46 CST