This book primarily discusses the origin and the continuous evolution of the invincible price $0.00 or “Free”.

To start with, Free as a marketing concept has always been a tool of at least considerable effect.

Material gain without parting with one’s wealth is always attractive.

From the seller’s point of view, Free can either :

From the buyer’s point of view, it is the reason or incentive to go for a particular brand.

It is one of the oldest marketing tools, always been in use, since the time of strategizing of the business activities.

Every economic model has used Free in some form or the other.

Along with being a business builder, it has been a goodwill hunter as well.

Chris Anderson, in this book titled – “Free : The Future of a Radical Price” – has done a detailed study of all the aspects that the price $0.00 touches in a business. Moreover, he shares with us how this price influences the economy(and the global economy) with degrees that vary from time-to-time.

He highlights that Free of the 20^th century has always been a marketing gimmick (one has to pay one way or the other).

However, Free of the 21^st century can be termed as “gratis” in the real sense of the word.

This revolution in the global economic model has been attributed to the technological developments of this century. The advent of computers and then the internet and then the two put together has built the knowledge economy. Access to this knowledge economy and making use of its various components for satisfying the specific requirements is mainly free.And the access to this information is simplified as well as extensive.

This model works because the factor input required for the production and distribution of information is primarily intellectual capital which is extensively available in various distinct arenas.

The new business economy is based on the web and on the web the distribution cost can be zero. This makes the marginal cost of production zero as well and hence, distribution can be stretched as much as one wants to.

The evolution of the reputation economy and the attention economy have also made the Free economic model functional.

In the present day scenario, many models of Free are operating simultaneously catering to different markets and consumers.

“Gratis is the gift of the bit”.

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This work is licensed by Shishir Kant under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.

Last edited by Shishir Kant on Mar 19, 2010 3:02 am GMT-5.