THE LONG TAIL

By

AMANDEEP, MELUSIVALARIE,JANE

WEB 1.0 VS. WEB 2.0

An example of the Web 1.0 Lego website

graphics are less advance in turn making them blurry

Web 1.0 was more company based making it easier for the consumer

Copy write issues

Web 1.0 was more about owning your own website

An example of the web 2.0 Lego Website

Web 1.0 was operated via dial up

A vast improvement in graphics

Software is not always reliable and does not always work

There was less information to put on the page

WHAT IS A LONG TAIL?Products that are low demand or have low sales volume can collectively make up a market share that rivals or exceeds the relatively few current best sellers and block busters, if the store or distribution channel is large enough.

http://slymarketing.com/great-example-long-tail-marketing

HOW THE LONG TAIL WORKS IN PHYSICAL BUSINESSES

The long tail is in more simple terms the excess stock to a business due to its low demand and therefore low revenue generation . It will normally result in a loss because it costs more money to keep this stock on the shelves or warehouses than the capital that will come in once the stock is purchased.

Examples include non-promoted books, clothes in very small or large sizes or less popular mobile phone brands.

HOW THE LONG TAIL WORKS IN WEB 2.0

- The internet as we know hosts such web businesses such as Amazon, ITunes and websites such as Myspace.com where bands can promote and advertise themselves without physically performing in front of a crowd.

- The long tail was therefore revolutionised with the existence of Web 2.0, enabling a site such as Amazon.com to bring together small businesses and individuals selling a vast range of goods which would be a difficult mission to find in physical businesses – the long tail.

TOUCHING THE VOID In 1988 the British mountain climber Joe Simpson wrote a book called ‘Touching The Void’. This book is an account of a near death experience, which was not that successful at the time of its release.

About ten years later win 1998 another book was released called ‘Into Thin Air’ by John Krakauer. When this book was released the sales of its predecessor rose and out did the sales of its competition.

This is an prime example of the long tail model as the structure of the tail dominates the market.

EXAMPLE OF THE LONG TAILAs you are now aware the process of how the Long tail works is based on popularity. Therefore, many company’s and retailers who have a store would most likely have the most popular items in stock to fit their niche audiences. For example; shoe stores would only either sell or have specific shoe sizes in stock which are seen to be ‘normal’.

What shoe sizes are normal?

Men’s shoe sizes availability at Office: sizes 6-12 UK

Women's shoe sizes availability at Office: Sizes 3-9 UK

CONT… This website is targeted towards those who do not fit the average norm in society. As you can see these shoe sizes are much larger than what a typical store would have in stock.

This website will be then be placed on the Long tails chart as a niche audience as a vast majorities shoe size fall in the normal size ranges.

WATERSTONESWATERSTONES IS A WELL KNOWN BOOKSTORE. THEY PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF BOOKS ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH THE ONLINE WEBSITE.IT COVERS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES SUCH AS:•SPORT•HOME AND GARDENS•FOOD AND GAMES •CHILDREN’S

HOW THE LONG TAIL WORKS WITH WATERSTONES

FOR BOOKS THAT ARE NOT PROMOTED WELL, THEY WILL NOT SELL AS MUCH AND THEY WILL TAKE UP STOCK SPACE.THIS WILL RESULT IN A LOSS OF PROFIT AND IT WILL ALSO TAKE UP SPACE FOR WELL KNOWN AND PROMOTED BOOKS.

AMAZONAmazon is an online based store, it sells things such as:•electronics•Games•DIY tools•Books

With books, if you compare it to Waterstones, the long tail favors on Amazon’s side.As Amazon is an online based store, they have a factory where all books etc is held. There will be enough storage space for all books and other electronics.

Amazon will not have to worry about stock space, as gradually, all books eventually sale and are sold at a cheaper price.