03/26/2003 11:47:00 AM 
In this consumer climate, traditional PR may be forced to shift toward actual accountability (gasp) as corporate messages continue to lose potency and believability. Not just a guarantee clause or a 1-800 number for complaints, but concrete, documented proof that one's customers are satisfied, presented in an arena that the customer trusts.
That's what's happening on the internet marketplace where small, unknown retailers are gaining significant market share without budgeting a penny for marketing. The research has showed us that, these days, people are willing to pay more and more for reputation and they trust legitimate, unadulterated customer feedback a lot more than the ubiquitous testimonials or quality pledges on company websites.
http://www.news.harvard.edu/
The difference with Ebay is that customers know that the third party collecting the feedback information is unbiased and wouldn't hide negative feedback.
Out of this, we see a growing need not being met, an opportunity arising for those brands and companies that will go beyond traditional PR, into straightforward, public accountability. In so many industries, this empty niche is just waiting to be filled.
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