Using web marketplaces to reach untapped markets
In competitive markets access to
customers is often controlled by retail monopolies. In those situations, small
and micro-businesses recurrently face great barriers to make their goods and
services visible to potential customers. The control exerted by intermediaries
is often due to customers’ lack of information about suppliers, or because of
excessive complexity of supply. At its core, retail monopolies are dependent on
information imbalances, and therefore, such situations can be addressed with
information-based solutions that improve info flow between suppliers and their
potential customers.
Recently, advances in information
and communication technologies (ICTs) have created innovations that can
moderate large and complex sets of product offerings and make them available to
customers in efficient ways. Often, these solutions have taken the form of web
marketplaces where micro-entrepreneurs can offer their services to desiring customers.
It is now possible to sell experiences in a city using Vayable; sell crafts and
art using Etsy; sell farm products using Local Harvest; sell gastronomic
experiences with Feastly; rent a house or a room using Airbnb; or sell genuine,
authentic experiences using web-to-cell technology through People-First Tourism. These marketplaces allow suppliers to showcase their goods or
services, and may help potential customers navigate offerings in more or less
facilitated ways.
However,
the phrase “digital divide” can be applied to the gap observed between
individuals with ready access to ICT, and those without such access. In this
case, some individuals will still be unable to reach the aforementioned
untapped markets if they have limited (or no) internet connectivity. Thus,
technologies do not in themselves solve social and economic discrepancies
within societies, but they can often exacerbate them. Conversely, a key feature
of the People-First Tourism software is that it embraces the advanced ICT
functionality of hyper-connected tourists while making the system accessible to
even the least ICT savvy micro-entrepreneurs.
Accordingly, we developed the Using web marketplaces to reach untapped markets tutorial with the objective to enhance micro-entrepreneurs’
knowledge and understanding on these emerging market opportunities, and to
prompt them to leverage these systems to enhance their businesses.
Currently, we are disseminating this
resource on-line to micro-entrepreneurs, extension agents, interested community
development partners and anyone else interested in providing feedback on the
resource and on desirable ways to disseminate it and implement it. We will incorporate all input diligently, so please
post your comments here, or email us directly to info@peoplefirsttourism.com.
Once we have considered your
input, we plan to publish a revised final document and deliver face-to-face
workshops using this tutorial in select locations in NC and
possibly beyond. Please do contact us if you think this kind of training would
be useful to you and/or to other entrepreneurs in your community.
By: Bruno Simões Ferreira
Master of Science student in Equitable and Sustainable Tourism
NC State
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ReplyDeleteHey Bruno,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your nice effort to benefit us of your nice endeavor. I just was pondering if there is a difference between airbnb and this website:
http://www.travelersfortravelers.com what is your opinion? which one do you see more handy, useful and accountable as per your knowledge.
Many thanks,
Shahab
Hi, Shahab! Thank you for your interest. I've just checked this website and it looks as though it is a similar concept to www.couchsurfing.org/, meaning that there is not a financial direct reward for services rendered. Their "crew", "ambassadors" and "explorers" are mostly avid travelers looking for good reviews that will enhance their chances to be hosted in the future by another member in another country. Conversely, Airbnb lists paid services, thus can be used by micro-entrepreneurs as an alternative source of income to improve their livelihoods. Another difference is that Airbnb only offers accommodation whereas TFT offers tours as well.
ReplyDeleteIf you are into the subject, take a look at this website http://www.airpnp.co/. It really is what it sounds like! Instead of accommodation people offer their bathroom to tourists in need, in exchange for an amount that varies from $3 to $5. I will certainly follow the development of this venture as I really believe it has a huge potential, especially in touristic city centers!
Best regards,
Bruno
Dear Bruno,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comprehensive reply. Your contrast between Airbnb, Couchsurfing and TFT completely makes sense and I want to draw your attention to the fact that in my class of Anthropology a discussion began about the tourism marketing and services on the Web, and most students knew about Couchsurfing and Airbnb! That was amazing as I could not guess that people are becoming to that extent tech-savvy and watchful of the ways how tourism are being served on the web. I suppose tourists have become more conscious about their potential experience of the place therefore more picky than before. Your comment of the Airpnp was a good idea of registering mine on the web! That would make a nice monthly revenue for me but remember that I will go for $10.
Turisum is the interesting article. i like travelling
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