The following general criteria needed to be achieved by the Internet business models researched:
Online business networks are professional networking sites for business people who can create a comprehensive profile in order to promote themselves online. The purpose of the network is to stay in contact with business partners as well as to establish new connections with experienced professionals. The required criteria for this business model definition include the possibility to search people and business opportunities as well as to view a list of second-degree connections (i.e. one’s contacts’ contacts). Web pages with a special focus on job portal services are excluded from the definition.
Social bookmarking websites provide the users a system to save, organize and search bookmarks of Web pages they are personally interested in with access from everywhere. Most pages organize their bookmarks in different categories as well as by tags and rankings added by the users. In order to fall under the business model definition, the bookmarks need to be shared publicly, i.e. viewable by anyone. Additional configurations which allow to only share with friends or keep certain bookmarks private are permitted as long as public sharing is given. As the focus of the Web page needs to be on social bookmarking, general sites, which also offer other services (such as Yahoo!MyWeb or social communities), do not fulfill the required criteria. Furthermore, neither meta-bookmarking sites nor bookmark manager programs (i.e. tools to download) are included in the definition. Web pages specialized on certain topics (e.g. social news portals) are excluded form the business model definition.
Student networks are networking sites for students who can create a profile in order to promote themselves online. The purpose of the network is to stay in contact with friends as well as to establish new connections with other students. The required criteria for this business model definition include the possibility to search people as well as to view a list of second-degree connections (i.e. one’s contacts’ contacts).
Video sharing platforms or video sharing services allow private users to upload, view and share video clips. In general, they are stored on the hosting website’s server free of charge. On most pages, users are able to comment on or rank the clips uploaded by others. Criteria required for this business model are the possibility to upload user generated content (UGC) videos and to share them publicly. The focus of the platform has to be on video sharing, which means that websites offering additional services (such as games or picture sharing) do not fall under the business model definition. Neither are sub domains of universal search services or social communities included in this category. Moreover, Web pages specialized on certain categories (e.g. pet videos, explain or teach videos) are excepted from this business model.
Automobile market portals are virtual market places where private individuals (and additionally dealers) can advertise their used cars for sale by owner (FSBO). Thus, the website can be categorized as broker. Many pages offer a wide range of additional services such as car financing and crash test results. Criteria required for this category are the possibility to upload one or more pictures as well as a description of the car and to contact the seller directly. Furthermore, the portal must not be specialized in one model or kind (e.g. Corvette or pickup trucks) or to one region (e.g. Florida). Neither do niche markets such as market places just for classic/old cars or hot rods fall under the definition. Additionally, the page’s main focus needs to be the automotive market and it must not be a sub domain of a general service provider (such as eBay Motors or Yahoo! Autos). However, no manufacturer websites (e.g. Ford or BMW) and neither pure auto dealership Web pages are included in this business model definition. Furthermore, pure information guides and directories are excepted.
Real estate portals are virtual market places where private individuals (and in addition also brokers) can list their property FSBO. The website can therefore be seen as broker. The upload of one or more photos and a description of the home as well as the owners contact information must be possible. Pure rental websites as well as foreclosure offers are, however, excluded from this business model definition. As the focus of the website has to be on real estate, general portals, which also offer other services (e.g. job searches or universal search engines), do not fulfill the required criteria. Moreover, neither specializations in certain kinds of realty (such as land, office buildings, holiday domiciles or luxury houses) nor regional restraints (e.g. Alabama) fall under the definition. Excluded from the definition are furthermore directories and information guides.
Price comparison sites are services, which allow private individuals to view lists of prices from different retailer for the product they wish to buy. The central criterion required to match this business model is the free access to the comparison service from everywhere, i.e. without downloading a program. The price comparison website must however, not sell products itself. Yet, they can provide links to the resellers. Furthermore, the portal is non-interactive, which means that the prices need to be detected independently by the comparison service; neither the retailers nor by the users post the prices themselves. To be included in the business model definition the price comparison must not be restricted to only one product category or niche (e.g. only software or only books). Moreover, sub domains of general service provider (such as froogle or Yahoo! Shopping) are excluded from this definition. Neither do social shopping communities, live shopping websites or smack shopping services fall under this category. Furthermore, pure shopping directories or shopping guides are excepted from the business model definition.
Service or craftsmen auctions describe online auction portals where customers list handcrafts jobs or services they want to have carried out and craftsmen or providers make their bids. This type of auction is characterized by decreasing prices, which is called Dutch auction. During a certain time horizon, the customer receives different bids for the service demanded and can choose the offer he is willing to pay for. As the business model definition is limited to service and craftsmen auctions, general online auction portals such as eBay are not considered. Furthermore, a website must not be restricted to one local region (e.g. Florida). Moreover, the websites are required to include auction features such as allowing several bidders for one offer; thus, ordinary classified ads do not fall under this definition.