Comments on: Open Innovation at Tesco

By: Andrea Meyer

Andrea Meyer — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:33:28 +0000

Thanks for your well-wishes and kind comment, Larry. You pose a good question. I know that many technology companies have APIs for their products (for example, Microsoft, Apple, Google Android, Twitter, Amazon, etc.), but currently I think it’s still unusual for non-technology companies to offer an APIs because companies fear having someone between them and the customer. Yet, as the world’s first and largest online grocery retailer, Tesco is naturally on the forefront of expanding its leadership. The idea of letting a third party use your company’s technology through an API becomes justified when your company thinks there are others out there who know about non-customers’ needs and have a way to facilitate making those non-customers become your customers. Second, I also think that the need for speed and constraints on internal resources may make this more of a trend. With an API you can encourage other really smart folk to invest in developing some cool new applications at almost no cost to your company that create new business for both parties.

By: larry berezin

larry berezin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:53:02 +0000

Andrea
Well wishes for the New Year. I hope things are going great for you.
Excellent, thought-provoking post, as usual. Does this seem to be a business trend embraced by larger companies; or is Testco forging some new frontier?

By: Andrea Meyer

Andrea Meyer — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:50:47 +0000

That’s a great point, thanks Josh!

By: Josh Gluckman

Josh Gluckman — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:44:36 +0000

This is a great development, and great open innovation example.
I can already envisage some handy applications for Halal/Kashrut certifications…