Open Source Products

While looking through the updated blogs under the 'required blogs' list, I came upon an article titled Upping the Hackability. I immediately thought the article was about some software or website that was losing its edge against hackers, but what it really talked about was a new wave of "open source" products that are hitting the market. The article highlighted two products, Open Cola and Free Beer, whose producers have made the ingredients and recipes available to the public, allowing consumers to manufacture the beverages themselves. This may be counter intuitive for most marketing oriented people, as the companies are essentially creating their own competition. However, the consumer involvement that the products generate is something buyers are flocking to.

This concept of consumer involvement is something that we explored in BUAD 473, Consumer Behavior. Today's consumer is more informed than ever before (thanks in large part to the Internet). As a result of this information control, consumers are looking to become more involved in their product consumption, whether this means pumping their own gas, ringing up their own groceries, or any other range of activities. "Open source" products offer a new level of participation that involves the consumer from start to finish. While this does not mean McDonald's is going to start telling customers how to make their own Big Mac or Whirlpool is going to instructing buyers on how to build their own washing machine, certain companies have found a niche in making the consumer a part of the value chain.