October 19, 2006
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Ecommerce 2.0
People are saying that ecommerce 2.0 is web 2.0 technologies applied to ecommerce. I think that totally ignores the driving force behind web 2.0, which is the social contributions behind it. Youtube is the poster child for web 2.0 (so is myspace but I think its ugly and we wont really address it). The content is contributed by individual users and individual users determine which videos are popular, based on what’s most viewed (We’re ignoring manipulation for now).
Of course, when you talk about web 2.0, you have to pay homage to flickr, delicious and digg. Flickr and delicious popularized tagging and digg popularized user submitted content.
Ecommerce 2.0 will not just be ecommerce with flash whiz bang interfaces (ajax). Also ecommerce 2.0 will go beyond just user’s recommendation on a product, like Amazon reviews. Ecommerce 2.0 will have customization of products to the users.
One clear example is purchasing clothes. If I’m buying a new pair of shoes, I shouldn’t have to browse through selections that are not my size. I don’t care browse through the new Nike Airs if they don’t have them in 12 wide. An ecommerce 2.0 site should show me what I can wear because that’s what I’m going to buy. This is idea is just the tip of the iceberg and I think there’s quite the opportunity here.
*edit* Another good thought:
ckcheng: your shopping analogy should be expanded
ckcheng: to use community usage to offer suggestions
ckcheng: “similar patrons were interested in _____”
ckcheng: then have products that rise and fall in popularity displayed
Comments (2)
i think wikis can be a part of establishing community in this. the differentiation between a wiki and a simple user review is that visitors have free reign to edit and customize their content. users can police themselves and remove bogus entries and otherwise build up on good ones. >>howard
Yea, I agree. I think collaborative editing is also just starting. There’s a big market there.