The Long Tail
A website by the name of Bokardo explains best at what “The Long Tail” is. The Long Tail is about focusing on the less popular content that previously couldn’t be accessed because of some physical limitation: most often shelf space. The classic examples that Chris Anderson uses are music and books. Book and CD stores can only hold so many albums and books, so the constraint of shelf space hinders their ability to provide an exhaustive selection.
At first this was hard to comprehend as this strategy is about selling more of something that isn’t popular or hasn’t reached public widespread. However, being a bit of a designer myself, I found something I can relate this strategy to and for this weeks Web 2.0 Application.
Zazzle Logo
Therefore this weeks application is Zazzle.com.au. According to Wikipedia, Zazzle is an online retailer that allows users to upload images and create their own merchandise (clothing, posters, etc), or buy merchandise created by other users, similar to CafePress.com or Propell.com, as well as use images from participating companies such as The Walt Disney Company. Users are allowed to open their own shop for free and set the profit they wish to make on each item.
Zazzle Shirts
Twilight Merchandise
But allowing users to upload images and create their own merchandise does come at a risk as Zazzle is currentlybeing sued by Summit Entertainment who own the rights to the Twilight movies. “Apparently, all those excited tweens have been making their own Twilight merchandise. Now, basic common sense would tell you that Zazzle is the tool provider, and not the actual infringer here. But, Summit is claiming trademark violations, and the official safe harbors cover things like copyright and defamation, but not trademark (hurray for legal loopholes). The only ones doing the actual infringement are the users, not Zazzle itself.” [Techdirt, 2009]
References:
The Long Tail and Web 2.0. 2005. Bokardo social web design. http://bokardo.com/archives/long-tail-web2/ (accessed May 2, 2010)
Zazzle. 2010. Custom T-Shirts, Personalised Gifts, Posters, Art and more. http://www.zazzle.com.au/ (accessed May 2, 2010)
Zazzle sued because Twilight Fans like making their own Merchandise. 2009. Zazzle. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20091030/0426236733.shtml (accessed May 2, 2010)
The Long Tail. 2010. Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_long_tail (accessed May 2, 2010)
Zazzle. 2010. Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazzle (accessed May 2, 2010)
May 6, 2010 at 7:02 am
Great example, Zazzle is a very interesting site and a good example of a site not only finding a niche but creating a niche market.
May 6, 2010 at 9:50 am
Very interested Brett …
You described the meaning for the Long Tail bushiness very well, and you consolidate that with providing good example like Zazzle.
Actually, Zazzale distribution and inventory costs are low, selling less popular goods over longer periods of time. Also, with Zazzale don’t have to retain a stock of products to be in business. You simply upload a digital image made with software like Corel (my favorite) or Adobe. You can also scan your original artwork as well.
May 9, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Hi Bret,
Do you think that selling a product like clothings and foods over the web are popular? The reason i ask is that i am sure there some minorities out there prefer to go out and have to try them on and smell it before having to buy them. Let’s say it’s kind of tangible rather than purchasing items that are intangible. Do you agree?