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Fw: [cluetrain] pattern of causes of ebusiness failure	Chris Macrae
	Jan 14, 2002 01:34 PST

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----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Goodson
To: wcbn-@easynet.co.uk
Sent: 14 January 2002 8:11 AM
Subject: RE: [cluetrain] pattern of causes of ebusiness failure

Chris,

I've been thinking about "the pattern of causes of ebusiness failure.

I'm not an expert on it, and my initial reaction was as expected, cash-flow, revenue model, promotion/advertising, market testing of the need for the product, profit on the product.

In one paragraph the things I'd add to the list and the potential for the future is:

· Trust in paying over the Internet has to be increased. Most people don't trust paying over the Internet.

· Buying over the Internet in general. People are hesitant.

· Cost of advertising something that no-one knows about is exorbitant. Use "Tipping Point" epidemics to promote products. December copy

· Micropayments I realise is the future. So many businesses and customers would appreciate a reliable and low cost form of Micropayments (being able to pay 1p or 1c for something)

· Products sold over the Internet have to be either be a service, or something that can be posted (like a book or a CD, hence Amazon's success), or a low cost method of deliver to home and work or collection centres/shops/points which are a pleasant experience rather than a degrading experience (a warehouse with a bell, a glass window and a rude guy) to pick up goods ordered (and returned)

· Returned Goods, That's one of the biggest problems about Internet business.

At the end of the day we will continue to use shampoo, drive cars, have haircuts, eat food. Actually this is more profound than you think, because not many things have substantially changed in 10, 20, 50 100 years. Technology wise, the car is 100 years old, airplanes 100 years old and jet engines 50+ years old. TV is 50+. The only bit of technology I can see that is new is the microwave and maybe the VCR and Cellphone. (I'm coming on to the PC). We all sleep, get up, go to the toilet, wear clothes, have baths and showers, use transport, watch TV or Cable or Radio or Surf the Internet, but really our lives aren't that different, and I speak for the developed (ha ha) countries. So all this debate about voice and clued is just scratching at the surface, unless the big Globals are going to change, and observing the lack of answers and triviality of the Cluetrain list I doubt anything is and will change.

Ok so a gem like Amazon will come along and be part of the corporate horizon, but so what?

The one thing that has changed for me is I work from home. I use a PC and peripherals at home, I don't buy a newspaper and I don't watch the TV as much as I used to. Having said that I'd be exaggerating if I said 3 in 100 family friends and colleagues use the Internet that much other than for email and to book a holiday. And Christ I can't get most of them (including yourself) to respond to emails I send. People love buying brands and most love being sold to, even though they deny it.

For E-business failure go back to the items at the top of this email. The internet is currently just an enabler like the telephone. Yes the potential is huge, but then when did technological capability have anything to do with change. We sent a man to the moon in 1969 and we haven't done much since. Our drugs kill us as much as they cure us, and we could have Magnetic Levitating trains at twice the speed, and a fraction of the maintenance, but we don't.

If there's one thing I'd sort out it would be Micropayments. That would resolve many of the problems so far with the Internet. It would become a very exciting place with a direct and fast relationship between supplier and consumer, and low risk for everyone.

Regards

Tony Goodson

to-@tgtips.com

www.tgtips.com

m+61 409 423 237

w +61 3 9572 0593

h +61 3 9572 4334

Unit 1 10 Mernda Avenue

Carnegie, Melbourne

Victoria 3163

Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Macrae [mailto:wcbn-@easynet.co.uk]
Sent: Saturday, 5 January 2002 7:21 PM
To: efailures-p-@topica.com
Subject: [cluetrain] pattern of causes of ebusiness failure

To efailures egroup cc friends

Over the nearly 2 years we've been together sharing observations of failed

dotcoms at http://www.topica.com/lists/efailures , we have built a unique

resource, with a tone far more mature than some of the sensationalist dotcom

postmortem webs .

I would like to ask you for a favour. Over the next fortnight , could you

file a one para listing on what you feel we have learnt were the causes of

efailures. My reason for asking is that almost every week someone

corresponds with me saying that the only lesson anyone needs to remeber is

to have a revenue model that's profitable from day 1 or within a measurable

deadline. I accept that's a moral goal of any sincere business plan. But I

think there were many other root causes of dotbombing. To say the only

lesson is to have a revenue model would be a betrayal of many of the new

economy productivity possibilities that true fans of the internet feel and

around which many people worked very long hours. So if you believe there

were any other lessons than having a revenue model please help me compile

this communal register.

sincerely

chris macrae ,

http://www.normanmacrae.com home of the first new economist



 http://www.cluetrain.com

 http://www.topica.com/lists/cluetrain

 To subscribe, send a blank email to:

 cluetrain--@topica.com

 To unsubscribe, send a blank email to:

 cluetrain-u-@topica.com

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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black">From: <A
title-@tgtips.com href="mailto:to-@tgtips.com">Tony Goodson</A> </DIV>
<DIV>To: <A title=w-@easynet.co.uk
href="mailto:wcbn-@easynet.co.uk">wcbn-@easynet.co.uk</A> </DIV>
<DIV>Sent: 14 January 2002 8:11 AM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: RE: [cluetrain] pattern of causes of ebusiness
failure</DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
Chris,<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
I've been thinking about "the pattern of causes of
ebusiness failure.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
I'm not an expert on it, and my initial reaction was as
expected, cash-flow, revenue model, promotion/advertising, market testing of the
need for the product, profit on the product.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
In one paragraph the things I'd add to the list and the
potential for the future is:<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Trust in paying
over the Internet has to be increased.
Most people don't trust paying over the Internet.<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Buying over the
Internet in general. People are
hesitant.<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Cost of
advertising something that no-one knows about is exorbitant. Use "Tipping Point" epidemics to promote
products. December copy<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Micropayments I
realise is the future. So many
businesses and customers would appreciate a reliable and low cost form of
Micropayments (being able to pay 1p or 1c for something)<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Products sold over
the Internet have to be either be a service, or something that can be posted
(like a book or a CD, hence Amazon's success), or a low cost method of deliver
to home and work or collection centres/shops/points which are a pleasant
experience rather than a degrading experience (a warehouse with a bell, a glass
window and a rude guy) to pick up goods ordered (and
returned)<o:p></o:p>
<![if !supportLists]>·
<![endif]>Returned
Goods, That's one of the biggest
problems about Internet business. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
At the end of the day we will continue to use shampoo,
drive cars, have haircuts, eat food.
Actually this is more profound than you think, because not many things
have substantially changed in 10, 20, 50 100 years. Technology wise, the car is 100 years
old, airplanes 100 years old and jet engines 50+ years old. TV is 50+. The only bit of technology I can see
that is new is the microwave and maybe the VCR and Cellphone. (I'm coming on to the PC). We all sleep, get up, go to the toilet,
wear clothes, have baths and showers, use transport, watch TV or Cable or Radio
or Surf the Internet, but really our lives aren't that different, and I speak
for the developed (ha ha) countries.
So all this debate about voice and clued is just scratching at the
surface, unless the big Globals are going to change, and observing the lack of
answers and triviality of the Cluetrain list I doubt anything is and will
change.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Ok so a gem like Amazon will come along and be part of
the corporate horizon, but so what?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The one thing that has changed for me is I work from
home. I use a PC and peripherals at
home, I don't buy a newspaper and I don't watch the TV as much as I used
to. Having said that I'd be
exaggerating if I said 3 in 100 family friends and colleagues use the Internet
that much other than for email and to book a holiday. And Christ I can't get most of them
(including yourself) to respond to emails I send. People love buying brands and most love
being sold to, even though they deny it.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
For E-business failure go back to the items at the top
of this email. The internet is
currently just an enabler like the telephone. Yes the potential is huge, but then when
did technological capability have anything to do with change. We sent a man to the moon in 1969 and we
haven’t done much since. Our drugs
kill us as much as they cure us, and we could have Magnetic Levitating trains at
twice the speed, and a fraction of the maintenance, but we
don’t.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
If there’s one thing I’d sort out it would be
Micropayments. That would resolve
many of the problems so far with the Internet. It would become a very exciting place
with a direct and fast relationship between supplier and consumer, and low risk
for everyone.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Regards<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Tony Goodson<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
to-@tgtips.com<o:p></o:p>
www.tgtips.com<o:p></o:p>
m+61 409 423
237<o:p></o:p>
w +61 3 9572
0593<o:p></o:p>
h +61 3 9572
4334<o:p></o:p>
 <o:p></o:p>
Unit 1 10 Mernda
Avenue<o:p></o:p>
Carnegie,
Melbourne<o:p></o:p>
Victoria
3163<o:p></o:p>
Australia<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
-----Original
Message----- From: Chris Macrae [mailto:wcbn-@easynet.co.uk] Sent:
Saturday, 5 January 2002 7:21 PM To:
efailures-p-@topica.com Subject: [cluetrain] pattern of causes of
ebusiness failure<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
To efailures egroup cc
friends<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Over the nearly 2 years we've been together sharing
observations of failed<o:p></o:p>
dotcoms at http://www.topica.com/lists/efailures , we have built a
unique<o:p></o:p>
resource, with a tone far more mature than some of the
sensationalist dotcom<o:p></o:p>
postmortem webs .<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
I would like to ask you for a favour. Over the next
fortnight , could you<o:p></o:p>
file a one para listing on what you feel we have learnt
were the causes of<o:p></o:p>
efailures. My reason for asking is that almost every
week someone<o:p></o:p>
corresponds with me saying that the only lesson anyone
needs to remeber is<o:p></o:p>
to have a revenue model that's profitable from day 1 or
within a measurable<o:p></o:p>
deadline. I accept that's a moral goal of any sincere
business plan. But I<o:p></o:p>
think there were many other root causes of dotbombing.
To say the only<o:p></o:p>
lesson is to have a revenue model would be a betrayal of
many of the new<o:p></o:p>
economy productivity possibilities that true fans of the
internet feel and<o:p></o:p>
around which many people worked very long hours. So if
you believe there<o:p></o:p>
were any other lessons than having a revenue model
please help me compile<o:p></o:p>
this communal register.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
sincerely<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
chris macrae
, <o:p></o:p>
http://www.normanmacrae.com home of the first new
economist<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

http://www.cluetrain.com<o:p></o:p>

http://www.topica.com/lists/cluetrain<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>

To subscribe, send a blank email to:<o:p></o:p>

cluetrain--@topica.com<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>

To unsubscribe, send a blank email to:<o:p></o:p>

cluetrain-u-@topica.com<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
==^================================================================<o:p></o:p>
This email was sent to:
to-@tgtips.com<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here:
http://topica.com/help/unsub.html<o:p></o:p>
Or send an email to:
cluetrain-u-@topica.com<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your
mail!<o:p></o:p>
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register<o:p></o:p>
==^================================================================<o:p></o:p>
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