ERIC LUNDQUIST
U-turn in consumer space
B2B could drive consumer electronics, rather than vice versa
There were lots of sumer business, and those finances have all become
speeches to consum- ever-larger, more ubiquitous priority issues. Businesses
ers last week—and not handheld devices are due to have been dealing with those
only at International find a less welcoming recep- issues for years, but con-CES in Las Vegas. While tion in 2008 than in 2007. sumer electronics companies
consumers at that show And the consumer business have been more concerned
were being told to be ready that once led the technology about adding features,
to buy more gadgets, con- space will have to learn some- increasing screen size and
sumers in the ongoing pres- thing from B2B. being the hottest buzz item
idential campaigns—that is, Successful businesses are of the month.
voters—were being told to good at using technology The hottest consumer
choose the biggest advocate to further a business goal. offerings of the year could be
of change. My question is That goal might be increased services from organizations
this: Is there as big a change sales, better customer inter- such as www.maehc.org that
brewing in the consumer
electronics space as there
seems to be brewing in the
presidential sweepstakes? Consumer electronics
For years, consumer companies have focused
electronics has driven the
B2B marketplace. Amazon. on features and buzz.
com’s ability to track book
purchases trained the corporate world to expect more action or increased inventory address health care using
from its ERP systems. The control. The point is that technology; organizations such
development of sites such businesses have a need and as www.zigbee.org that allow
as MySpace and Facebook then make a technology deci- consumers to network and
is now leading companies sion to address that need. manage their appliances; and
to develop their own gated That relationship between banks and financial institu-social networks for custom- need and purchase has not tions that make it easier to
ers and suppliers. always been apparent in the monitor personal finances
But economic gauges are consumer space, where buzz rather than simply figure new
indicating a business slow- and astute marketing can go ways for consumers to take
down, and political indica- a long way in getting a con- on debt. Those would be use-tors are showing that the sumer to place an order. ful consumer products whose
candidates most vociferous This year, political pollsters heritage began on the B2B
about effecting change are are telling us that pocketbook side of the equation. ´
the ones likely to get the issues are high on voters’ lists
most votes. of concerns. The increase in Editorial Director Eric
I think that change man- health care and fuel costs and Lundquist can be reached at
date will reach to the con- the need to manage personal elundquist@eweek.com.
