(Hyperion, $26.99)
Giving products away for free has always been a useful marketing gimmick, says Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson. When American inventor King Gillette created the disposable razor-blade business in the early 20th century, he quickly discovered that customers would adopt his core product more quickly if he charged nothing for the relatively expensive razor that it snapped into. But the Internet has amplified the power of “Free.” As the costs associated with distributing information approach zero, competition forces the price of every product or service touched by web technology “down the path toward gratis.” Traditional media and many other industries may perish as this movement gains momentum, Anderson says, but there will still be plenty of money to be made when zero becomes the optimal price in most every line of business.
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