Free content vs. quality?

Folker Michaelsen and Raimund Wildner

Publishing high-quality information on the Internet is expensive. The lingering economic difficulties of considerable parts of the Internet sector and the signs of weakness of the advertising industry have given new impetus to the search for new financing sources.

Free Content vs. Quality

About consumers' willingness to pay for Web content

Folker MichaelsenGfK Ad Hoc research andRaimund WildnerGfKNrnberg e.V.

BACKGROUND

Following the Internethype period in 1999 and 2000, a more depressing atmosphere can be observed nowadays among most suppliers of Internet services. Despite rapidly rising numbers of Internet users throughout Europe, decreasing stock rates and insufficient advertising revenues have caused a lack of cash flow in many Internet companies. In 2001 headlines were hit by news of an increasing number of online service providers who were forced to close down or cut their workforce.

The...

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