Net Worth: Shaping Markets When Customers Make the Rules

Most of the books on the subject like customer.com, webnomoics etc. is like a statistical survey of the CURRENT successful companies and summaries their successful charateristics. The reason that I like this book is that it starts from asking fundamental questions of what is the internet capable and hence how does it affect the fundamental relationship between the vendors and consumers? Given that arise the new business model conceptualized as "infomediaries" and hence its step to succeed, its economical, social, legal impacts. With this approach, the reader can gain insight to the future and not just the successful factors of the CURRENT status. What I dont like about this book is that its assumption are over-simplified and not well discussed. How would changes in such assumptions affect the informediaries? Besides, this business model focused on the information flow between consumer and vendors and hence its results. What about the the implication to say goods, materials, capital flows as a result? While I like the approach of the authors, I also questions the limitation of the book as the authors also admitted that there are many other valid business models.

This book takes the reader down a road few have traveled. (and from the looks of these reviews few will go) These authors have taken a macro-economic approace to customer service utilizing the e-tools of the present and the future. Their summaries of current marketing tactics, and vendor relationships is well done. The review of high friction businesses that would welcome infomediation is also extremely important to on-line marketers. The business model assumptions are made only by those who have a broad view of business and not a narrow mind on e-commerce. The only fault that I can find is that they were not creative enough to see that this message could itself have been marketed in another way, that did not alienate so many so quickly. This message is a good one for all who exist in the next 10 years. My advice is do not scoff too loudly from a narrow point of view.

Whatever you may think about the infomediary business model -- and I've got my own reservations -- the real value of this book lies in its approach to thinking about the challenges and opportunities of serious e-commerce. This isn't a simple formula for overnight success or (god help us) yet another instance of high-tech boosterism. Instead, it offers deep insight into the dynamics which businesses must grasp in order to survive and prosper in a networked economy. Following on Hagel's previous work, Net Gain, this book will richly repay the attentive reader. Even if your ultimate response is a critique of its axioms and assumptions, you'll come away smarter from having engaged in the exercise. Highly recommended.