We go on 1-2 family trips a year. One is kind of big, often overseas. The other usually involves visiting family. We are about to buy a new car to replace a 12-year old (car). I have a need for a steady supply of a certain make of black jeans.
These are just a few of the purchases I will make this year where I would really appreciate a reverse-market like Offermeatrip (thanks Springwise!). Just as the name suggests, Offermeatrip, is essentially a reverse marketplace where I can state my intended plans and travel agents can bid me a solution. Now, the service is only dialed in for UK airports for now so not so useful yet. It is essentially what I am after. I want to simply state my needs and let those far more experienced that I suggest a solution.
When I am ready to purchase a car, I will essentially do that - go to my brand's Web site and key in my zipcode and the make and model I am after. I assume I will be contacted (remember, I haven't bought a car in a number of years).
But what about my jeans? Okay, so I buy Hugo Boss jeans. I have been buying them for 10 years now. I wish the company pretended to care but regardless, I should be able to state my need and have a merchant offer to supply me. I could then evaluate a couple of offers. I am likely to not choose on price when it is close and to rather select the merchant who offers the great service.
The reverse paradigm of consumer/provider relationships - where a pull model substitues a push model and all participants in the food chains are rewarded, is gaining more awareness, from initiatives such as project VRM http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/projectvrm/Main_Page or the icentered paradigm in www.icentered.com that sets a vision of a user centered - or icentered web where active control over user data, sharing, interactions is in the hands of the user, all interacctions are harmonized in a unified profile owned and managed by the user, substituing consumer captivity as the relationship power balance is turned upside down - resulting in a more transparent and trusted web.
Posted by: Ayala Rahav | May 05, 2010 at 03:14 AM