C2C

Screw B2B. Hell, screw B2C. It’s C2C – customer to customer – that’s actually making the difference.

Oh, I forgot that you know that already.

In case you’re looking for examples to show to your thick-as-a-board boss who’s insisting that you put up a site that trumpets your company’s wonderfulness in a blare that causes users to run away with their hands over their ears, here are some sites that are doing at least something right.

VolvoSpy is disappointing only because there’s no real spying going on there. Instead, Volvo owners (prospective and self-actualized) post questions and answers. Some of these folks know a whole lot about Volvos. At least one of them is a dealer who is willing to the tell the truth about everything including prices. And when one owner reports an odd burning smell, you can be sure that if it’s a problem of any girth, other owners will come forward also, thus turning a discussion group into a political action committee.

If you’re thinking of buying an appliance, garden tool or sofa, check in at ThatHomeSite where you will find out – from other customers – exactly why frontloaders produce less lint and how long it takes the particle board in IKEA furniture to chip.

Is it permitted to say a good word about Microsoft? Their online forums are really sort of great. You are very likely to get an honest answer to your flaming email about “WHY WORD SUXXXXXX!!!!!!!” It helps that the answers come from experts from outside of Microsoft, Inc. Many of them are “Microsoft MVPs“, a group of volunteers not officially associated with Microsoft. The frankness of their answers bears this out.

These C2C sites are everything the typical corporate site is not: honest, friendly, helpful, truly one-to-one.

Categories: Uncategorized dw