1) Long tail theory refers to the idea that a variety of less common products could be sold more than the most common product in the same category. This is of course only possible through the use of the Internet since people didn't have a way to reach alternative products before the Internet.
The best example of long tail theory applied to my life is online book shopping. Personally, I don't really like to read popular books in Turkey. Online book stores provide a huge variety of books and the ease of finding them with one click. Instead of going to the book store, and judging the books according to if they are best sellers, I can read comments made by the ones who have already read the book. That's why the chance that I could be disappointed by my shopping is lower. In this way, I have created my own taste - which puts me in a niche-, so instead of simply clicking on best sellers, I search for more specific categories which creates the long tail.
Compared to best sellers, the online book store I usually shop has millions of niche products. So, when the demand is divided into many small parts, it leads that the demand for the best seller books could actually be lower than the total number of buyers of niche products. This is such a good opportunity for alternative styles to reach readers and for people to have an easy access to different kind of products.
2) I would generally describe myself as a surfer because I like shopping online more than actually going to stores, so I don't always have a purpose to look at things on web. Sometimes I just look at online shopping websites for fun and if I like something, I think about buying it. However, when it comes to traveling, I'm definitely a bargainer. I don't purchase or book anything without comparing the prices with other websites. Lastly, for some of my specific hobbies, I shop like sportsters. For example, I like using analog cameras, and there is only one website - Lomography- where I always buy my films no matter what the prices are in other online stores.
That is a great example of the long tail theory. I think it is neat that you are able to read comments about books before actually purchasing them. Sometimes you want another person's opinion before reading a book because the book description won't give enough detail. I also said I was a surfer because I spend a lot of time browsing and not a lot of time actually purchasing items.
ReplyDeleteAs with the previous comment, I think it really speaks to your niche market as you review your options before deciding on which book(s) to get. With any item your on the fence with, the other users reviews can really sway your decision. I know when I browse and find an item I feel is worth purchasing, I look up reviews, video and any articles on the item. The more information you have, the better decision you make. I also said I was a surfer but with an entertainment aspect as I don't spend endless amounts of time online without a goal or assignment in mind.
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