Comments on: Bill Gurley on the “Free” Business Model http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/ ...focusing on the evolution and economics of high technology business and strategy. By day, I am a venture capitalist at Benchmark Capital. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:08:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Google Redefines Disruption: The “Less Than Free” Business Model - YEC - CLB Nhà kinh tế trẻ | YEC - CLB Nhà kinh tế trẻ http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-3305 Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:55:24 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-3305 [...] successful business movements like SAAS (Software as a Service), open source software, and a much-discussed Freemium Internet model.  And while any of these disruptions are considerable in their possess right, when I examination [...]

]]> By: adam http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-3294 Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:08:04 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-3294 Giving stuff away for can only succeed as a marketing tool. It’s simple – if you’re loosing money when giving stuff away, well, then you’ll soon be out of it.

For example, Google does not make money off search. But since it’s such a great tool, everyone uses it and hears the name “Google”. That’s what made them famous. Pure marketing. They make money off advertising other companies. Their prime targets are other companies, not consumers.

Facebook is free too. For the consumer. Companies love paying for adds on Facebook because it’s so popular.

No one gives away free products and lives if it’s not for marketing.

]]> By: Jason http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-3068 Tue, 17 May 2011 17:45:55 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-3068 Also, I am not talking about promotional items, key chains, coffee cups etc…. I am talking about our actual product…….

]]> By: Jason http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-3067 Tue, 17 May 2011 17:43:04 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-3067 What are the legalities of this, as we would like to try giving away our product……. I keep coming up with the predatory pricing laws????

I have a product that I want to give away free, the customer just pays shipping, next to this free item we will offer different sizes/colors etc. The “FREE” we hope will drive traffic virally, saving us the PPC $$$$ and overall the cost to do this will be less than a PPC campaign…..

So, what legal issues may keep me from trying this???

Thanks for any advise!

Jason

]]> By: Ken Underwood http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-3062 Wed, 11 May 2011 11:41:50 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-3062 The key to free is value. Water is free; but put it in a bottle and it becomes something of real value. If your free product or service can be improved upon or provide improvements to another product or service – whether its a better distribution channel or something as simple as perception – then people will pay.

]]> By: Lawyer in Miami http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-2507 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:51:50 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-2507 In the fraught atmosphere surrounding the Arizona State Legislature’s consideration of Senate Bill 1070 in early 2010, two incidents occurred in Prescott

]]> By: Jessy Lim http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-1939 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:12:30 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-1939 Nothing is free nowadays.

]]> By: Grant Hammond http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-1666 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:46:24 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-1666 What’s the saying about “Free” again? Seems to me like the free business model is the one learned from the Internet which isn’t really that free anymore.

]]> By: Disruptive Pricing | Stand and Stare http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-1385 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:37:14 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-1385 [...] Gurley has some intriguing arguments about the Free Pricing Model. Share/Save blog comments powered by Disqus var disqus_url = [...]

]]> By: kylereinson http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/07/15/bill-gurley-on-the-free-business-model/#comment-1155 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:41:21 +0000 http://abovethecrowd.com/?p=350#comment-1155 Really enjoyed this post. Something I think about often and plan to do some scholarly work on soon. All the best.

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