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)

Should be required reading for every Econ 101

Fascinating subject matter with a strong amount of data to back up his claims. Anderson does a great job of encouraging the reader to explore the edges of their imagination with how the "free" model could actually create profit. While Anderson is a good reader, this is a book crammed full of information that you may need to listen to multiple times to fully work through all that is presented.

FREE!!!

Any additional comments?

A very interesting look at free media on the Internet and how this can actually help to stimulate economic growth. All interested in the Internet, economics and business should read it.

An exceptional explanation of Free and the psyche

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, excellent narration and content directly from the author.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Chris Anderson does an exceptional job drawing connections between very abstract things that we take for granted in our day to day lives. Things that we don't dedicate a second thought towards are pointed out and you start to see the marketing motives behind these things. It's eye-opening.

What about Chris Anderson’s performance did you like?

Being the author he obviously has a vested interest in the narrative and as such, the reading is direct and impactful.

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

He picks on himself for making the book free but charging for speeches to explain a concept. It's amusing he takes things lightly but drives home the point.

Free was more than I thought it would be.

I learned a lot for nothing a got a book. I would pay for.
This review needs six more words.

So much Free you don't notice it all

A great look at all the different markets built around free offerings. Be ahead of the curve if you want to stay in business against free

awesome

I would have gladly paid for this audiobook but I'm not complaining about it being free

Chris does great narrating and very informative!

Chris reflects with his own site building and marketing experiences.
Utopian, informative and free, what can you ask for?

Explains the world.

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It explains where the world is going with the Internet and how free affects us all.

Excellent view on the value and power of FREE

The author provides a compelling story about the power of "free" as a marketing and promotional game-changer. His coverage of the the "evolution of Free" is especially interesting and insightful, and his suggestions on the generational expectations for "digital free" certainly create a compelling argument for changing the way we view the value of digital assets. Of greatest interest to business readers will be the examples and suggestions on leveraging Free to create profits and market supremacy. An interesting "listen" and highly recommended.

Interesting Concept

This stuff is right in front of us but we take it for granted. Having it laid out in a clear way was very helpful. Great information for anyone looking at starting an online business.