Reviews (61)

The Antithesis of Winner-Take-All
If you became hopelessly depressed after reading "The Winner-Take-All Society" by Frank and Cook, then "The Long Tail" will provide you with some solace. Nothing ever reaches its logical conclusion, and economic rewards will not aggregate to the top ad infinitum. The ability to make an infinite number of copies of the "best" song or movie or book contrasts with the infinite shelf space available on the internet. "The Long Tail" demonstrates why that shelf space will be a highly democratizing force. People are always looking for something new, and the traditional, monopolistic channels (or gatekeepers) are under siege, even now.

Pop-science goes marketing
The big thing these days seems to be science writers like Malcolm Gladwell coming up with best-sellers that, charitably put, are very light on facts and very long on sometimes outlandish assertion. Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired magazine, joins the parade with his silly - yes, silly - claim that businesses like music and movies are no longer driven by hits, but by the "long tail." That it is the thousands of titles that people buy or rent infrequently. Somehow, according to Anderson, the idea of web merchants making a zillion titles available and some of those titles being sold or rented once or twice will be the "transformation . . . coming to just about every industry imaginable." Uh, no it ain't. Nowhere in the book does Anderson factor in the reality that someone pays for the production of all those videos and music tracks that rent or sell infrequently. Nor does he account for the reality that not every web merchant can acheive the volume of an Amazon or eBay. In other words, Anderson has discovered the obvious: if you make 30,000 movies available for rental, let's say, through a Netflix, many of the cult titles and dogs will be rented. Anderson pounds on this "long tail" effec while glossing over the fact that the neighborhood video rental store won't carry 30,000 titles. The profits from the occasionl rental of the 30,000th item on the list won't match the cost of acquiring and keeping it in stock in a store, while it makes little difference to a Netflix.
Insights that influence Google's strategic thinking.
98 Rule: Netflix reckoned that 95 percent of its 25,000 DVDs rented at least once a quarter. Amazon using an independent academic research on its book sales suggested that 98 percent of its top 100,000 books sold at least once a quarter.Digital space cost per DVD is very cheap and represent almost no physical inventory space excepting magnetic medium storage.In the sale of one or two DVDs, the traditional retail runs out of steam because it can turn inventory fast enough to pay for physical space, but the economics of online retail keep going.Eventually, Amazon will localize and print digital media using high-speed printers producing a book in seconds from an electronic catalog, the birth of a book replication. DVDs will be replaced by wireless iPods, who are paying subscribers to iTunes, will increase the speed of distribution and volume of sales of the media they prefer. The 80/20 rules are changing.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Economic Conditions    6. Economics (General)    7. Economics - General    8. Internet marketing    9. Market segmentation    10. Marketing    11. Marketing - Research    12. Sales & Selling - General    13. Technological innovations    14. Business & Economics / Economic History   

Reviews (113)

Little more than a collection of anecdotes
Intrigued by the relative frequency of citation of this book in the new "web 2.0" universe, I was disappointed to find only a sequence of factoids on social experiments and little in the way of analysis.From the very beginning of the book the reader is invited to agree with the central thesis (that a crowd of independent individuals does better than a smaller elite group) and it very much feels like evidence is carefully selected to reinforce the author's argument.The book could have been twice as thin without losing much of its substance.I would qualify it as a light business read, entertaining but not quite convincing if you're not part of the choir.

Great book on human behavior!
If you want to know more about the importance of shedding all political alliegences and affiliations, read this book. What a wonderful body of knowledge with just the right stories to highlight the profound insights into the recesses of our heart.

Why do the Crowds buy this book if they are so Wise?
This book is basically a magazine article that has been expanded to fill out an entire book (this has been noted by others)
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Subjects:  1. Business/Economics    2. Common good    3. Consensus (Social sciences)    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Economic History    6. General    7. Group decision making    8. Social Science    9. Sociological Theory    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. Sociology - Social Theory    13. Business & Economics / Economic History   

Editorial Review

In an effort to determine why people buy, Paco Underhill and his detailed-oriented band of retail researchers have camped out in stores over the course of 20 years, dedicating their lives to the "science of shopping." Armed with an array of video equipment, store maps, and customer-profile sheets, Underhill and his consulting firm, Envirosell, have observed over 900 aspects of interaction between shopper and store. They've discovered that men who take jeans into fitting rooms are more likely to buy than females (65 percent vs. 25 percent). They've learned how the "butt-brush factor" (bumped from behind, shoppers become irritated and move elsewhere) makes women avoid narrow aisles. They've quantified the importance of shopping baskets; contact between employees and shoppers; the "transition zone" (the area just inside the store's entrance); and "circulation patterns" (how shoppers move throughout a store). And they've explored the relationship between a customer's amenability and profitability, learning how good stores capitalize on a shopper's unspoken inclinations and desires.Read more

Reviews (123)

Brilliant
If you are in retail or you distribute your products through retail, this is a MUST read.

Merchandising practical lessons for US culture
A compelling book,loaded with insightful comments of the way customers responses at the retail world, ideas gathered in many years ofexperience the author and his team had expended watching people behave naturaly in a retail enviroment. A good book for business people interested in learning consumer behavior in a practical sense.
Flash of the obvious
An awesome new business book I read was Why we Buy- The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill.This one is a business book primarily of interest to retailers (although I see similarities in retail and online habits).Paco (and his researchers) followed and recorded the behavior of tens of thousands of shoppers.From this he is able to run a consulting business that makes recommendations to retailers on minor changes they can make to increase their sales.
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Subjects:  1. Marketing - Research    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Marketing research    4. Anthropology - Cultural    5. Behavioural theory (Behaviourism)    6. Business & Economics / Consumer Behavior    7. Consumer Behavior - General    8. Shopping    9. Business/Economics    10. Business & Economics    11. Consumer behavior   

Reviews (19)

Disappointing generalities
A colleague thought I would enjoy this book, and I understand why.Cultural relativism is usually intersting.It is not uncommon for pop business books to feel like overextended magazine articles...that's not all bad.But I must say, this book seems to me to be an overextended chart of cultural differences...and the author didn't even provide a chart; instead he provides meandering prose.I realize I'm in the minority in terms of reviews, but this book is at best mediocre.It is superficial and not informative.But please note: I have only read 100 pages of this 200 page tome.I didn't want to waste anymore time so I recycled the book.

Marketing Genius!
Read this book and unlock the secret door to the rest of your life! Clotaire Rapaille will give you insights into your own desires and help you understand the world in which you live with uncommon clarity.

Good marketing is knowing what you audience really desires
Clotaire Rapaille writes an original work in that you should discover what your audience really desires.Marketing your product with the natural desires of the population is they key in marketing that will return high yields.Rapaille suggests that we must dig and discover what the primal desire is for any particular product for a marketing campaign to be a success.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Cognition and culture    3. Consumer Behavior    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. General    6. National characteristics    7. Social Science    8. Social perception    9. Sociology    10. Sociology (Specific Aspects)    11. Sociology - General    12. Workplace Culture    13. Business & Economics / General   

Reviews (79)

Well written!
The problem with most books dealing with Economics is that they are poorly presented and not enjoyable to read, being stuffed with incomprehensible graphs and technical jargon. This book avoids those pitfalls and is both entertaining and informative. Alfred Marshall would be proud.

Cogent rundown on why the economy matters to you personally
In this brief, cogent book, author Tim Harford provides an accessible, entertaining introduction to economic thinking. This deftly written report belongs on the shelf of anyone with an interest in economic matters - and as the author makes clear, everyone has an interest in economic matters. He deftly punctures the balloons of those who advocate fair trade coffee, protectionism, government-underwritten medical care and other such policies. These tactics may seem humane on the surface, but he contends that they often merely advance the selfish goals of the few at the expense of the many. If the book has a weakness, it is Harford's tendency to take certain points of political opinion for granted and to state them as moral choices without qualification or proof. For instance, he puts forth the admirable - though some would say questionable - notion that governments are obliged to cushion the shock of unemployment. That, however, is a quibble. We highly recommend this concise, comprehensive book.

Fascinating discovery of the interconnectiveness of everything
It is entirely possibly if I had had access to book like this when I was growing up, I would have become an economist. Harford takes apart many of the conundrums in our modern world and shows how trends, political and corporate decisions have all shaped the world in which we live in.
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Subjects:  1. 1990-    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Consumer education    7. Economic History    8. Economics    9. Economics - General    10. General    11. Business & Economics / Economics / General    12. Economics | Social   

Editorial Review

"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's Read more

Features

• Abridged
• Audiobook

Reviews (701)

Excellent book that describes how to create a trend
I was fascinated by the original perspective in this thought provoking book about the evolution of an idea into a trend.Using easy to understand examples, Malcolm Gladwell explains the mechanics of the process, and enlightens us about the the various people involved.I strongly recommend this book.I also recommend Robert Cialdini's book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.These books complement each other and should be read together.

The Tipping Point
Staff writer for The New York Post, Malcolm Gladwell, explains what causes a concept, idea or item to become an epidemic in The Tipping Point.Using case studies the reader will relate to (Sesame Street, Blues Clues, Crime in New York City in the 90's, Hush Puppies, Paul Revere's famous ride North), Gladwell discusses how and why people react the way they do in certain situations and to certain ideas/items.You'll look at your friends, co-workers and family in a different way as you consider who is a Connector, Maven or salesperson, you'll consider the context in which something happens as opposed to just the action, you'll think about everyday happenings in a different way after you read this book.
It had quite an unusual effect
I was looking for an original and valuable present for my boyfriend. I am very pleased with my decision to buy this book. It draws from several areas of knowledge and Malcolm Gladwell is a very skillful writer. He knows how to engage you from the first page till the last one and keeps you wondering what more you will learn from this incredible book. My boyfriend said that the tipping point and scientifically guaranteed male multiple orgasms and ultimate sex are the best, most valuable and eye-opening books he has ever received as a present. Well, I don't hear such compliment every day. It was such a small thing for me to give him a present and yet it turned so important for him. What better proof for Gladwell's thesis. I also agree that we all should start paying more attention to the small, small things and details from our daily lives and the result may astound us. It takes so little to even change someone's life for better. This is one of the books, which I definitely recommend. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Misc. Nonfiction    2. Causation    3. Cognitive Psychology    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Contagion (Social psychology)    6. Marketing - General    7. Psychology    8. Social Psychology    9. Cultural studies    10. Current Events / General   

Reviews (38)

Any in sales or marketing should consider the many tips herein.
The initial premise here is that customers have always behaved more like cats than Pavlov's dogs - and emerging media has undermined mass marketing efforts by using the wrong models. Return the opportunity where it belongs with WAITING FOR YOUR CAT TO BARK?, a guide which introduces the idea of 'Persuasian Architecture' as a model for retooling marketing approaches. This allows businesses to measure and optimize the return on investment, and to better anticipate and understand customer reactions and predicting. Any in sales or marketing should consider the many tips herein.
A great book with limitations.
This book basically brings forth two strong notions.The first one is, Become your own customer and go through your own company's buy process.Pretend that you're a prospect just at the beginning of a purchase, searching for information and solutions.You don't enough know enough to fully articulate the problem; you know only that you have a need.What search terms would you use?What stores would you visit?What questions would you ask the salesperson?Then, how does your business line up to this?
Great title, disappointing book
I found the book another rehash of the same theme: customers aren't all the same, so you can't just push advertising at them anymore. Okay, okay, we know that already.
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Subjects:  1. Advertising    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Consumer behavior    7. Marketing - General    8. Marketing - Research    9. Marketing Management    10. On-demand advertising    11. On-demand marketing    12. Business & Economics / General    13. Customer services   

Reviews (1)

Worst Marketing Book Ever Read
This is by far the worst marketing book, i have ever read. The wording is quite complex and not easy to understand. lacks clarity, layout and good examples. The only reason i gave it a 2 not a 1 cause of nice colourful ads Solomon has choosen.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Customer Service    7. Marketing - Research    8. Business & Economics / Customer Service    9. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (5)

Mostly good but badly edited
A very good read with rich statistical factoids on an increasingly popular topic.Only problem is bad editing or sloppy fact-checking.Example:page 3, "Three major factors impact...", followed by only two factors.Pages 55 and 75, hailing both Gen X and Gen Y mothers as "...the most ethnically diverse population in the history of the United States".

Packed with Knowledge!
If men are from Mars, mothers are from Venus and advertisers are from another galaxy altogether. Fortunately, authors Maria T. Bailey and Bonnie W. Ulman have a hot ticket for corporations that hope to rocket to the new frontiers of mother-focused sales. Backed by credible marketing data, real-life case studies and their own experiences as mothers in the world of marketing, Bailey and Ulman decipher the consumer motivations of modern moms and New Age grandmothers. They include excellent examples of successful corporate strategies and of some misdirected advertising campaigns as well, plus easy-to-understand charts, sidebars and graphics. This makes the book repetitious in parts, but still strong. We warmly recommend it to marketing, public relations, advertising and business development professionals.

TRILLION-DOLLAR READING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
This book is brilliant. If you're in any type of business, you've got to understand what your customers want. And since women make 80% of the major purchasing decisions, you need to think about what your company can do to meet women's needs. Especially savvy mom shoppers. Their pocketbooks represent a $1.7 trillion market.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Industries - Retailing    6. Marketing    7. Marketing - General    8. Marketing - Research    9. Mothers    10. New Age consumers    11. United States    12. Women consumers    13. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    14. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (16)

Quite an interesting read on the attitudes of the new middle market consumer
Most of us believe we are pretty much like everyone else because we are pretty much like else everyone we know.However, this is almost certainly a false view of the world because of our very limited view of the world.Everyone we know is pretty much like us because we hang out with people pretty much like us.Statisticians call this a truncated sample.It is the goal of researchers in marketing to either look deeply into narrow samples of the market or to broaden the view much beyond what any one of us would likely to experience directly in our lives.
Easy read, but nothing amazing
Treasure Hunt is a very easy to read book. It's not dry and boring like some finance/business books. I was able to see myself in the situations described. I definitely bargain hunt in certain areas, yet splurge in others. I don't shop the middle very often. It was neat to see myself, but there was very little information that was new to me. It's mostly common sense and the author basically just applied labels and gives a name to stuff we all do. I wasn't overly impressed by the book, but it wasn't a complete waste either. Just ok for me.

Easy Read, Useful Info, & Relatable
I think most of us can relate to the case studies in this book...the case studies are almost like looking in a mirror.You see yourself spending frugally on certain products and saving up to afford higher end products just like they did.While I think the book is useful for businesses trying to capture a bigger share of the consumer market, I believe individuals will enjoy the book as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Marketing - Research    7. Middle class    8. Business & Economics / Consumer Behavior    9. Business & Management    10. Consumer issues   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Marketing - General    7. Marketing Research    8. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    9. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (6)

Biased, but a good primer on business ethics
This book is a good primer on business ethics, and it would be even better if the writer / editors hadn't shown their bias with their selections of included material.
A Critical Compendium
This book is a critical reader, and it's probably the most highly used text in business ethics today. Those who reviewed this book negatively sound like people looking for a fun, non-academic overview of the field. If so, this book isn't it. These are articles published in top academic journals, edited for readability, by scholars who are addressing the fundamental issues in a wide range of topics. It's meant to expose the span of the field and still give students (not light readers) exposure to contemporary literature that touches on the most salient points. It's meant to be a starting point to deeper research in any given topic. As such, the book is a complete success. B & B do a great job (here as in other ethics compendiums) of providing a framework that makes it easy for a professor to expose her students to the field in one swoop. They do a fine editorial job, stripping the articles of padding, and they work hard to keep the offerings up to date (passing on older articles that are superceded by fresh insights that touch on contemporary challenges and technologies; look for something relating to the corporate scandals of this last year in the next edition). If you are a student looking for an overview on business ethics, this book is the correct starting point. If you are someone looking for light reading about corporate corruption, with illustrations and full-color photos, stick to People magazine.

A Good Anthology
I really enjoyed this anthology, especially the section on sexual harassment.Some of the subjects were hard going, but, it was a good introduction to business ethics. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Ethics    4. Business/Economics    5. Case studies    6. Consumer Behavior - General    7. Consumer Protection    8. General    9. Industries    10. Social aspects    11. United States    12. Ethics & moral philosophy    13. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Marketing - Research    7. Business & Economics / Customer Service    8. Market research   

Reviews (29)

Retail Marketing 101
This well written book basically outlines the consumer market as it is today: that most consumers, while buying basic necessities at discount retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, don't mind paying a little extra for luxury goods they feel are worth it in some way. It's a fascinating read for anybody interested in the retail business or in marketing. As somebody who is currently in marketing and who worked at Bath & Body Works for a number of years (of which one of the book's authors, Neil Fiske, is the CEO), it was interesting to learn why the store went from a country, home-spun theme in the 1990's to the upscale, urban "apothecary" it is today. Though Bath & Body Works was never used as a case study in the book, the concept of trading up is certainly applied to the store (thanks to Fiske's leadership).
Trading Up
Did you ever wonder why it is becoming so much more difficult to find products that either aren't luxury or low-end?The authors explain how consumers are selectively trading up for products that they value and trading down in other areas, leaving the middle.The authors use case studies to make their case.For example, some consumers are willing to shell out $2000 for a washer and dryer.Not any washer and dryer but the latest side load offering from Whirlpool.Considering that you can get a washer and dryer for $400 to $600 this is quite a premium.The authors explain how companies if they can provide a ladder of value for a product can entice consumers to trade-up, even for something as humdrum as a washer and dryer.The authors back up their concepts with marketplace facts as well as socioeconomic factors such as the increased number of women in the workforce and the state of the family.

Great Infrormation! Great Tools to put in play!
Outlines a pragmatic way to understand why we pay more money for the brands that we love. Provides a compelling breakdown of the human emotional rung on the product development ladder. I won't spoil it here by telling you what it is but your collegues will be impressed when you tell them about it yourself! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Cost and standard of living    6. Economics - Macroeconomics    7. General    8. Luxury    9. Quality of products    10. United States    11. Business & Economics / Marketing / General   

Reviews (1)

Saved $75!!!
I cannot believe the bargain I got! I saved $75 by buying this book through Amazon that at the school bookstore. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior    5. Consumer Behavior - General    6. Marketing - Research    7. United States    8. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    9. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (4)

One of the Bests
I read this book from the library, but as it is a book to be kept in the personal library, bought it. Now I make my pals near to me read this book and the series.

A Solid Effort!
Think Coca-Cola and what comes to mind? That's brand power. Author David A. Aaker illustrates how such powerful brands connect with customers. Unfortunately, Aaker doesn't show you how to build up your name or how to make the most of your ad dollars. But he does provide compelling, insider case studies, going back to the launch of Procter & Gamble's Ivory soap in 1881. Aaker sets three goals and just about achieves them: 1) Show managers how brand equity provides value, 2) Showcase examples of good and bad marketing and 3) Discuss how to manage brand equity. But, while Aaker explains brand equity by listing its components, the correlation between the parts and the whole is not clear - even with the ever-present flow chart. Regardless, being as well-known as IBM would make you tingle, and if you are looking for interesting historical perspective more than practical managerial advice, we [...] recommend this book, particularly to advertising and marketing executives.
MARKETING EQUALS MANAGING BRAND EQUITY
tHIS BOOK GIVES YOU THE INSIGHT ALL MARKETERS NEED. IT`S WRITTEN IN A WAY SO WE CAN IMPLEMENT OR BASE STRATEGIES, WHERE TO DIRECT THE EFFORTS AND HOW TO SUCCESFULLY RATE THE IMPACT. ANYONE IN A MANAGING POSITION SHOULD READTHIS BOOK. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brand name products    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Intangible property    6. Management    7. Management - General    8. Marketing    9. Marketing - General    10. United States    11. Valuation    12. Advertising    13. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    14. Business strategy   

Reviews (3)

Excellent, well worth the money
This books covers every aspect that you can think of in terms of setting up the business. The sample forms came in very handy.

Best Job to have!
This book is incredible - it is packed full of how to information that would have taken me a long time to find elsewhere (and I think I am shrewd when it comes to tracking down information).
Excellent resource
I had been searching for detailed information on how to become a personal shopper without success, so it was exciting to finally find this book. I love all the expert tips, and am especially grateful for the CD-ROM with all the samples I can use to start my own business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Careers - General    4. Careers / Job Opportunities    5. Consumer Behavior - Consumer Guides    6. Consumer Behavior - General   

Editorial Review

Though Read more

Reviews (167)

I maintain that this book, comprising three books in one huge volume, is definitely worth exploring!
I am pleasantly surprised that the book form of the 'Tightwad Gazette' newsletters, which first appeared inthe very early nineties, is still available. I acquired my first consolidated book issue of 'Tightwad Gazette' also in the early nineties, & the remaining two consolidated book issues, i.e. Tightwad Gazette II & III, during the mid-nineties. I came to know about it probably from 'Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money & Achieving Financial Independence' by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin.
Bottom Line -- It Works!I am living proof.
I first read the Tightwad Gazette series in about 1995, at a time when I was living hand to mouth in a small and noisyapartment, wasoverwhelmed with my own foolishly-racked-up credit card debt, was afraid to go to the dentist because I could not afford one more bill.
Worth Every Penny
A few years ago I found myself with a new baby, tons of debt, a limited income and a (now ex) husband who had no money sense at all.I was rocketing towards bankruptcy, so I got a few books out of the library on saving money.This book changed how I looked at spending money.It got me thinking of how I could use, reuse, recycle, or find new uses for absolutely everything.I made it through a terribly tough financial time by the "skin of my teeth" and if it werent for reading this book, I doubt it would have happened. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Consumer Beh