Premise is that market evolves from commodity that charges for undifferentiated products to goods business that charges for tangible things

to service business that charges for activities performed to an experience business charges for the feeling customers get by engaging it.

I think some entities are truly selling "the experience", eg. Disney, STarbucks, etc.

For others, the experience of doing businewss with, or otherwise interacting with the comp-any,

it's product or service is an important element of the overall value proposition...but it would be a mistake for many firms...

to focus compl;etely "on nthe experience" at the excpense of other key elements of theat larger value proposition....

Actually, I think STarbuck's value prop has always been about the experience, not the product (the coffee) itself.

Always much better "bang for the buck" in terms of quality cofee elsewhere at lower prices...

but Starbuck's expereince sell was around the ambiance of the stores, as well as the pseudosophistication"of added customization/complexity

With the tightening of our collective belts during the economic downturn, some folks are rethinking the whole $4 for a cup of coffee notion

Number of potential possibilities - saturated market (both with SB stores and competitors such as Coffee Bean, etc...

Also potential change of consumer tastes/preferences and reduced disposable income.

grabs a beer....

and that's the crux of the issue I have with buying totally into the "experience economy" premise

we're in agreement on this.....

...absolutely......and whenh times get truly tough....these values can change....

that my condo has gone down 30% in value over past year....aerrrgh

that I really can't complain, when my ex and I split up we settled on "pre-bubble" value of our home....

she bought me out, so what I lost on opne end, I made on the other...

but ultimately, the economics of the breakup were not the hioghest of priorities...

very Zen of you.....<grin>

...the difference between theory & practice....