There is a great post today on Marketing Web (see here). Its about the experience economy I was talking about earlier (see here).
NapsterRather than owning things, many people are moving towards experiences, rentals, trading, and the virtual. The old world of purchase, prestige and property rights is being replaced by a world where ownership is not necessary or assumed, and may even be violated.
The rise of Napster was testament to that. The question of who owned the music was not as important as the attraction of discovering and sharing great music.
This kind of consumption goes well beyond the idea of ownership and includes some new segments of consumers, one of which is termed the “light lifer”.
The light lifer literally travels light, preferring instead to borrow, filch or share possessions. They will be more willing to lease a car than to buy it (which car companies fear will reduce the value of their cars), are happy to visit an internet café rather than deal with the hazards of technology at home, and design their own impromptu holidays. For them, ownership is merely a burden.

I’m not sure I agree with all his examples, but this certainly is a trend we are seeing, too.

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