Yahoo Invests in Plaxo

[Brett_Tabke]

[siliconvalley.com...]

Plaxo integrates Yahoo's search engine directly into the Outlook e-mail program. Under the deal with Yahoo, Plaxo will get paid for channeling people to Yahoo's search engine. The search box will be placed beside a Plaxo icon that sits atop Outlook.

[gopi]

I always wondered why Michael Moritz and Ram Shriram liked this company . Ya , its an interesting product , but it have no obvious way to monetize . IMHO they cannot monetize much even if they release a enterprise version with more bells and whistles! .

I dont think a search box in outlook (that too with just 2 million members) will bring in loads of money .

This goes in venture history with Friendster and Napster as an interesting product but without an viable business model :)

[Shak]

This goes in venture history with Friendster and Napster as an interesting product but without an viable business model :)

never rule these things out, never.

[gopi]

>>never rule these things out, never.

Lets see what future brings Shak :) .

One viable exit i may think of is MS buying this product and integrating with outlook ... hmm could happen!

[dougs]

2 million people using plaxo....I'd invest in it.....without any obvious way of making money.

[gopi]

2 million users in three long years for a free mass appeal product and that too with generous funding (meaning can spend well in promotion) is average performance IMHO ...

Free P2P VoIP product Skype is downloaded 10 million times in 6 months with no paid promotion - Now this is performance :)

[Mr Bo Jangles]

and say what you like about Plazo's methodology etc. it's a beautifully made web product.

[gopi]

>> it's a beautifully made web product

No Question about that

[wifi on the fly]

2 million users? Thats a lot of clicks for any PPC.

If they have the money, another 2 million users is just more revenue in the long run.

[born2drv]

Their database would be worth a small fortune for people designing anti-spam email software... imagine pagerank for email addresses.

[KeywordROI]

They can multiply faster...it's difficult to grow, but once you have a base like this, you multiply. :)

[electro]

Plaxo is a privicy nightmare. Y ahoo are fools to get involved. I will have nothing whatsoever to do with Plaxo, and will tell anyone that sends me one of those stupid cards why I won't be using it.