Consumer to consumer transactions used to be a wash. They stayed inside country borders for the most part.
But today, consumer to consumer transactions are changing the world. Consumers are transacting serious business across country borders in ways that just didn't happen before.
Ebay, etsy lulu, shopify, etc.
Digital technologies mean that we can reach people further away.
Digital intermediaries mean we can effectively transact online.
9 year old Rhain Davies knows the power. His grandfather posted a youtube video of his son's football highlights. Never expecting his grandson to be found and signed by a major football club, but that's exactly what has happened.
Doc Searls is focusing a variety of these phenomenon at the Harvard University project VRM. It's worth checking out.
"VRM, or Vendor Relationship Management, is the reciprocal of CRM or Customer Relationship Management. It provides customers with tools for engaging with vendors in ways that work for both parties."
The principles are very familiar to all of us involved in this age of conversation: User-centricity, "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Reciprocity, Network Effect, Relationships... What is different is their initiatives. This is not just talking about things. It's engaging people to grow VRM.
"[one initiative] is making it easy for listeners and viewers of public broadcasting to pay for the goods they get on the radio or over the Net. Right now only 10% of those listeners contribute to their public stations..."
Image Source: Nicobobinus
this is pure semantics and doesn't detract from your point, but the grandfather was pimping Rhain's talent around Europe for a while. I believe he posted the video to YouTube to save on the cost of posting DVDs to all the clubs he was approaching (who would've needed to see him in the flesh before they could sign him up anyway...)
Ed
Posted by: Ed Lee | August 29, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Great post Sean. I heartily agree.
Posted by: Charles Frith | August 29, 2007 at 01:35 PM
@Ed: Thanks dude. Love pimping grandfathers. They are the best kind. ;) ;)
@Charles: Thanks man!!
Posted by: Sean Howard | September 03, 2007 at 11:34 PM