the long tail

the long tail

A statistical distribution in which the start of the curve (the "head") offers fewer opportunities for gain than the longer "tail." This concept focuses on the ability to profit by offering something that is specific and harder to find elsewhere, rather than just offering a large number of broader options. Amazon is often cited as a company that has capitalized on this model, as it initially found success by offering books that were difficult to find in traditional bookstores. The term was popularized by author Chris Anderson in 2004. Our business stands to profit more if we focus on the long tail and try to meet the needs of a more specific market.
See also: long, tail
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • on (one's) tail
  • on somebody's tail
  • on someone’s tail
  • on tail
  • on your tail
  • sit on (one's) tail
  • sit on someone's tail
  • turn tail
  • turn tail, to
  • coming-of-age
References in periodicals archive
The question is, how can you take advantage of the long tail? Here's how.
The Long Tail shows how the Internet will radically change our habits and behaviour.
However, here's the long tail at action: not all faculty use e-reserves.
According to traditional economic theory, lowering the price from RMB2500 to RMB688, (USD300 to USD100), is nothing less than business suicide, but the actual market response has proved otherwise; as the scale created by rapid new membership demonstrates the long tail well, BusyTrade has hit the nail on the head.
Storey says, "Libraries need to embrace the new digitization and networking capabilities inherent in The Long Tail, which create some intriguing possibilities." He believes that future of libraries will be found within the long tail network.
At the March 2007 MEIEA Conference in Los Angeles/Pomona the author presented a paper (later published in the MEIEA Journal) entitled Current Sales Data and What the "Long Tail" Might Be Doing which contained a description of the Long Tail theory and its relationship to Nielsen SoundScan statistics.
If we believe in the long tail theory as it applies to digital content, then why is it so hard for online video companies to make money today?
Washington, Mar 13 (ANI): The long tails sported by male birds in the tropics are often considered a distinct disadvantage because they lead to as much as a 50 percent greater energy loss when flying.
Even though the online world offers consumers astounding diversity, Elberse writes, it also opens "a flood of products all competing for consumers' attention." In such a volatile marketplace, it's always going to be easier for better-known products to rise to the top, a truism illustrated by a decision Hyperion Books made in 2006 to back a new title trumpeting a red-hot Internet phenomenon: Chris Anderson's The Long Tail.
The Long Tail concept works well for e-retailers and such subscription-based services as Netflix and iTunes, where shelf space is unlimited and the distribution costs for individual items are the same.
Chris Anderson, author of the book, "The Long Tail," was a DIMA 2007 keynote speaker.
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More, Chris Anderson, New York, N.Y., Hyperion, 2006.
Chris Anderson and Nick Gillespie seemed to hit a wall when it came to contemplating the impact of the Long Tail on politics ("Welcome to Niche Nation," November).
Chris Anderson is the editor of Wired Magazine and author of business bestseller, "The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less For More." The phrase The Long Tail itself reflects a graphical image.
*** 1/2 The Long Tail Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More By Chris Anderson