·:[ roarweb dot com ]:·
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I’ve just read an article on InformationWeek.com, where they discussed the results of negative online experiences on shopping habits at brick and mortar stores belonging to the same company. Bottom line was that 33% of those asked said they might actually stop shopping at a brick and mortar store due to a negative online experience.

I had planned to link to the article, but just happened to read their “licence this article” announcement. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find the article yourself!

While the copyright section, managed by copyright.com, did not specify how I as a blogger should deal with linking, it had some other suggestions on what I could do:

• link from my corporate or academic web site: $2.50
• include a link in an e-mail with a distribuion of one (1): $5.00
• inlcude a link in an e-mail with a distribution of one hundred (100): $25.00

While a publisher must choose on how to make their money, I question the choice they have made. While they could have included a “blogging” option (free?!), they have chosen to try to get money for every little thing. They have chosen to try to get money from me for actually doing them a favour by linking to them.

I believe they have made a mistake! While I support their right to make money on their articles, I believe their current options are too limited. As a blogger, pro or not, I am helping them to get eyeballs to their site and I should not have to pay for that. (I wonder, if I paid for the right to link, should they have to pay me for the advertising exposure to “my guests”?)

The internet was made great by access to information. In a web 2.0 world, where being a part of the discussion is becoming more and more important, companies that choose to limit linking are also choosing to say on “the outside”.

While this migh matter little to the regular reader of InformationWeek, it matters to me. I’ve been a subscriber to some of the TechWeb newsletters for a long time. Now I have to ask myself - if I can’t comment or pass on a link to an article without paying for it - is it worth it for me to continue reading these e-mails?

I guess their research is right, your online experience really impacts how you view the overall brand!

roar at roarweb dot com