Online Consumers Say: Don’t Know Me, Don’t Charge Me

On September 30, 2009

Online Consumers Say: Don’t Know Me, Don’t Charge Me

News that two-thirds of Americans object to advertisers tracking their online movements -- even if it is to provide more relevant product and service information - could jeopardize the use of target marketing to underwrite content costs. The result could be consumers paying for more of what they want. The new findings of a survey conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkley, suggesting consumers' heightened privacy concerns about behavioral advertising, could encourage some producers and distributors of professional content to begin charging users instead. A fierce debate is raging over emerging business models such as how to pay for the creation of television, film, newspaper and magazine content that shows up free online. There is...


On September 30, 2009

The Novartis-AstraZeneca Deal Worst-Case Scenario

AstraZeneca's stock is up on the speculation that it might be a takeover target for Novartis. It's not going to happen. Here's why. AZ and Novartis share only one thing in common: They have similar operating leverage, in that both get about $3 in revenues for every $1 they spend on reps and marketing. But the similarities end there.


On September 30, 2009

Are Mobile Apps A Business?

Mobile applications are critical to the strategies of Apple, Nokia, Palm, Google and Microsoft, but there are questions as to the business model for apps themselves.


On September 30, 2009

Hartford’s New CEO: Competent, But Not Covered in Glory

Hartford Financial, one of the most troubled of the major insurers, went out of the box today and hired former Bank of America consumer and small business banking president Liam McGee as its new CEO. McGee is an interesting choice for the 200-year old multi-line insurer, which got in trouble last year for wading into the variable annuities market, and getting both feet stuck in quicksand. Several top executives left after huge losses forced Hartford to take TARP money from the federal government's bailout program, and the rest were passed over by the board in favor of McGee, who is clearly an outsider to the insurance industry. That may not be a disadvantage. McGee, by all accounts, had a brilliant...


On September 30, 2009

eBay Motors and GM Partnership Ends, but WheelsTV/eBay Deal Launched

General Motors quietly ended its deal to sell new vehicles (in California only) through eBay Motors yesterday. Neither GM nor eBay will say how many cars were sold in the program, but GM said it wasn’t canceled because it was a failure. The company claims that 15 million people viewed its eBay offerings, but that doesn't say much of anything about actual sales. GM told Leftlane News that it has other marketing priorities, including a 60-day money back guarantee and the "May the Best Car Win" promotion. "The need to roll out eBay nationally isn't there as it was when we rolled out the pilot [back in August]," said spokesman John McDonald. But regardless of whether it will work to sell...
On September 30, 2009

Judge Absolves Microsoft in $388M Patent Saga

For six years, Uniloc and Microsoft have duked it out in the courts over charges that Microsoft infringed on Uniloc's patent. A jury said it did and awarded Uniloc what was purported to be the fifth largest patent verdict in history. However, in a 66-page decision, Rhode Island's District Judge William Smith overturned the $388 million verdict.
On September 30, 2009

What You Need To Know About Online Business Success: Part 2

If you want to read this in a PDF document you can do so here. Previous Lesson: Part 1 Having the Right, Healthy Mindset The success of any business both of the online variety as well as the off line variety require the right mindset from the get-go. A right and healthy mind set will not guarantee success but [...]
On September 30, 2009

AstraZeneca on Suicide Mission in Drug Pricing Litigation

AstraZeneca appears to be on a suicide mission in its average wholesale price litigation. Yesterday we saw how it lost a $13 million appeal of a Massachusetts federal court ruling that found AZ illegally marketed the spread between the actual price of Zoladex and its Medicare reimbursed rate. That turns out to be the tip of AZ's iceberg.
On September 30, 2009

Productivity Commission Report on Executive Pay | BTalk Australia

[podcast] The Productivity Commission has just released a draft discussion document on executive pay, as part of a government sponsored inquiry due for completion by Christmas. Their recommendations call for increased accountability, reduced conflict of interest and strengthened shareholder involvement in remuneration decisions.
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