h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Long Tail - A20127935
Author: Woodpigeon - U30129

Hi all, it's been a long while since I submitted an entry to Peer Review! Here goes - all about an interesting business and cultural phenomenon. Let me know what you think!

Woodpigeon

Hello Woodie

Good to see you in PR again.

I like your reference about onsies and twosies, our local store is just crammed full of 'popular' authors and their extra long serials. Now I know why

lil xx

An excellent job of simplifiying a complicated retail phenomenon without losing the major factors.

Perhaps worth mentioning in terms of best-sellers the old maxim that profit= margin x turnover, so is it better to sell 100,000 and make 2p a sale or 1,000 and make £2 a sale, and how margins can be shaved, if things become popular.

This is interesting - for one thing, it beats the hell out of the "personalise your very own boring mass-produced item" style of selling. It's good to see that some websites try and offer bestselling items from the subgenre people are interested in, instead of just providing Harry Potter if they are a bookshop or some bland high-budget blockbuster if they sell films. Good work

This is very interesting, and I've never heard it explained quite like this before - very nicely written.

Thanks for your comments everyone. I very much appreciate them.

McKay, I'm reluctant to add formulas to the entry. The 1/x power-law would be the most likely one to go in, but even then it might lose readers.

You are right there, as anything with too many numbers, gives me mind freeze....

Very interesting article.

Good stuff

sprout

Hi - very interesting read - good work


Here's some comments/nit-picks:

>>describes how markets and culture is developing now<<
suggest: *are* developing

In the paragraph under 'Little Shop with Everything', 'vast array of shelves', 'array of choice' and 'array of choice' all appear - I'd suggest something like keeping 'vast array', changing the first 'array of choice' to 'array' and changing the second 'array of choice' to 'huge selection' or something. (nit-picky, I know)

>>What is most interesting from this new phenomenon<<
suggest: *about* this

I found the 'What does the Long Tail mean?' section slightly cryptic - but I see that the problem, for me, is that it isn't until 'Chasing the Long Tail' that you mention the Head. I'd suggest moving that piece of information from the latter to the former section:
>>because while the number of products selling well is very short<<
to
->because while the number of products selling well (the Head) is very short<-
and remove '(the high-selling items)' from the latter section.

The section 'Bricks, Mortar and the 80/20 Rule' is really well done (well, the whole entry is, really)

>>broad mass of people but are not suited<<
suggest *people, but*

And back to 'Chasing the Long tail':
>>What happens as a result of this is that<<
suggest remove *of this* - it's not really needed.

>>when a wide array of choice is<<
suggest either 'wide array of choices' or 'wide choice'

>>Data exists to indicate<<
*exist*

>>organisation centric<<
suggest *organisation-centric*

Very enjoyable. Thanks

Fantastic review pailaway, many thanks for taking the time to pick through my entry. I agree with all of your comments and suggestions.

Good, I'm glad I wasn't being too obtrusive - I worry about that.

Excellent entry

Well written and succinct.

Would it be too much of a plug to include the ISBN of Anderson's very thought-provoking book? (978-1401302375 incidentally. I've got one right here)

I think you might also describe the 80/20 rule as the Pareto Principle, an equally well-known name that avoids tautology.

Excellent piece!

Just spotted a tiny flaw:

We're not in Kansas anymore penultimate sentence: [It becomes more difficult, therefore, to use the tools of mass-marketing]

How's this coming along, Woodpigeon?

I've just implemented Elf's suggested change (well spotted!)

Other than that I'm still just waiting to see if there are any more comments or suggestions.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Very nice indeed.