FREE: The Future of a Radical Price

By: Chris Anderson

Narrated by: Chris Anderson

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best-selling author heralds the future of business in Free. In his revolutionary best seller, The Long Tail, Chris Anderson demonstrated how the online marketplace creates niche markets, allowing products and consumers to connect in a way that has never been possible before. Now, in Free, he makes the compelling case that, in many instances, businesses can profit more from giving things away than they can by charging for them.

Far more than a promotional gimmick, Free is a business strategy that may well be essential to a company's survival. The costs associated with the growing online economy are trending toward zero at an incredible rate. Never in the course of human history have the primary inputs to an industrial economy fallen in price so fast and for so long.

Just think that in 1961 a single transistor cost $10; now Intel's latest chip has two billion transistors and sells for $300 (or 0.000015 cents per transistor - effectively too cheap to price). The traditional economics of scarcity just don't apply to bandwidth, processing power, and hard-drive storage. Yet this is just one engine behind the new Free, a reality that goes beyond a marketing gimmick or a cross-subsidy.

Anderson also points to the growth of the reputation economy; explains different models for unleashing the power of Free; and shows how to compete when your competitors are giving away what you're trying to sell.

In Free, Chris Anderson explores this radical idea for the new global economy and demonstrates how this revolutionary price can be harnessed for the benefit of consumers and businesses alike.

©2009 Chris Anderson (P)2009 Hyperion

Critic reviews

"As in Anderson's previous book, the thought-provoking material is matched by a delivery that is nothing short of scintillating." ( Publishers Weekly)

Very Informative and Good Read

Would you listen to FREE again? Why?

Yes. There is a lot to consume in this work.

What other book might you compare FREE to and why?

None

What about Chris Anderson’s performance did you like?

Easy to listen to and kept my attention

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Too many to name just one

Excellent Book comprehensive Free wake up pill

Overall the book is excellent, it answer anything you would have liked to know about the subject and even more. Narration is pretty fast though, ended up suspecting that is actually a technique so you go and buy the paper edition to be able to think back and review some of the concepts, maybe application of Freemium itself. Very good book overall most recomendable!

Good Book Great Examples Better Biz Practices

Would you listen to FREE again? Why?

I would listen to thus book again as I reference it from time to time for my own online business.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Online businesses elk not survive without applying these simole concepts that investors may not understand.

Which character – as performed by Chris Anderson – was your favorite?

I can't remember any particular characters but the google chapter was great.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No... Although the book as a collective whole was fantastic.

Any additional comments?

Great Book Good listen. Some of the cgapters can be redundant but the author has a story for every chapter that adds a twist and keeps it interesting. Every college student regardless of their major should read this book.

I love FREE and that adds value

Chris did an excellent job writing this book. I hope he finds a way to get paid for both the writing and the narration. All was perfect. I've learnt a huge deal about FREE on every aspects of our economy.
"There is no such thing as free lunch" might be true but this lunch fed me with knowledge too.
Well done Chris and thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.

Vhhc

Chugging :) but :) bjvhbkbhnkbhnib y2k mob job njjihuvuvhvnkhuvhvgctc tv night uhh backrub u CD gugyfyd

Free sales

Love the fact that free can drive so much traffic to make money, the author did a good job on explaining how free "really" works

Great Book

Excellent history lesson on the development of pricing and free offers. The information is fresh and timely and delivered in a very enjoyable manner. Chris is a very witty and engaging writer. Loved it!

Pointless

This was a pretty good book detailing a business method to increase profits; as much of an oxymoron as it seems, to increase business profits, give some products away for free (but only small amounts or some loss making products). This was obviously an example, as this audiobook was free on Audible.
That being said, this is a well known tactic so devoting an entire book to explaining it seemed pretty pointless.

trey

Degreaser t-shirt high in chic hi :) jh Babcock hihvuycihvojb poo Jimi civgihvutcutc uhh job u yt? Ugihv

Great

I think the higher your IQ, the more you will enjoy. Very interesting.
Craig