Episode 1139 • • 1:46:54 - 1:50:38
1139: Mooch and Stoll
Cliff Stoll's Failed Prediction About E-Commerce
Cliff Stoll analyzes his famous 1995 prediction that e-commerce would fail, admitting he was wrong because he overvalued the "richness" of the physical shopping experience. He acknowledges that economic efficiency is a powerful engine and that most people are happy to sacrifice personal interaction for the convenience of home delivery. Stoll reflects on how Jeff Bezos and Amazon proved that the desire for acquisition outweighs the desire for community-based retail.