Citation
(2009), "What’s on the web", Strategic Direction, Vol. 25 No. 11. https://doi.org/10.1108/sd.2009.05625kag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
What’s on the web
Article Type: What’s on the web From: Strategic Direction, Volume 25, Issue 11
Ya who?
The world’s largest global online network of integrated services now offers a comprehensive finance service. This covers the latest company news and company profiles, excellent charts, key statistics, financial statements, current and historical stock quotes going back to 1986, top ten competitors and SEC filings. It also provides 51 broad industry research reports comparing the top ten companies in each category.
Unsurprisingly the main focus is on the US market but there is considerable exposure for the worldwide picture as well. The site is a little cluttered – perhaps they try to pack too much onto the home page – but judicious use of color helps to negate this.
The personal finance section is particularly good.
Blooming good
Bloomberg is a New York-based company with over 10,000 people in over 135 offices around the world. Bloomberg is one of the top business information sources claiming to access, report, analyze and distribute information “faster and more accurately than any other organization”.
Not only is this a good site for finance-related news and information however, it also has a striking design that is a far cry from most business and money sites – and a refreshing change. Well worth a visit (but do skip the front page advert).
Soaking up the calls
We liked the straightforward approach offered on this site. Sponge New Business is a new business agency (surprise) specializing in finding clients for marketing companies. However they also offer a service in many other fields.
The site is bright, brash and simple. In some ways it is perhaps too simple – we wanted a bit more information on what they do – but as they specialize in telephone work the incentive to call them is strengthened. If you are in the world of marketing (especially in the UK) take a look.
Dropped dead
Drop-shipping is one of the new buzz words on the net so we looked at what claimed to be the top site in its field. Sadly, at the end of a long and frustrating trawl, we were none the wiser. Here is a sample of the gibberish that passes for copy on the above site: “With the advance of the internet that allows drop ship trend to mature since 2000. Dropshipping service has become a practice for deployment of new e-commerce businesses faster then before and lower the cost of starting new businesses.”
OK, so this is an Asian site and perhaps aimed predominantly at the Asian market. But the pictorial elements show smiling westerners and there are constant references to the big American players such as E-Bay and Amazon. I wouldn’t buy from or use a site that was so lazy in its use of language – you might expect the products and service to be equally shoddy. If the organization behind the site spent a fraction of the design cost on a simple copy-writing and editing service then the ship would not have been completely spoiled for the proverbial ha’penny worth of tar. End of rant (for now).
Scoot over
Scoot is a UK business finder service (directory) that helps to find to find suppliers of products and services in any local area.
They do seem to provide quite a comprehensive service, certainly more than just a name and address. Many of the businesses listed include useful additional information like facilities, opening times, payment methods, maps, directions, website links, photos, videos and special offers.
There is also a specific page on the website, the Special Offers Browser, that enables you to browse special offers, coupons and discount vouchers.
As with any directory site it is only as good as its component parts. It is a long way from being the new yell.com but it has made a good start.
The site is quite interesting design-wise. With very quick loading and a good search facility, it is worth a look.
And finally
There is an old joke about the French that involves a government minister ordering one of his aides to draw up a report on how best to tackle looming business crisis. When, some days later, the aide presents his work, the minister gives it a cursory read and remarks, in tones of some alarm, “Magnifique, Jean-Claude. Très bon travail. I’m sure this will work perfectly in practice. But my question is: will it work in theory?”
Thanks to the Guardian business section for this.
Best of all
For a particularly interesting and useful site you could always try the Emerald one!
If you have any favorite (or otherwise) sites that you would like us to review on these pages, or wish us to consider your own site, please drop us an e-mail and we will ask our reviewers to check them out.