| I. Introduction. This article identifies several websites that I have found that provide cost data. By cost data, I am primarily referring to the current costs of products and services needed by companies. Obliviously, the Internet is a revolutionary effective and efficient source of data, but not all data needed by companies are easily found, or are not available at all. One data type of huge interest and vital importance to companies, it seems to me, is cost data. Data here does mean numbers. Numbers represent dollar costs. And, as numbers (data), the Internet might be expected to be especially capable of handling the transfer to the user, who needs the data, in unique, timely, and innovative ways, providing exactly what is needed, and therefore providing high benefit and value to the user. So, then how well is the Internet in being an effective and efficient source of cost data? Answering this question correctly has been a high priority of my effects over the last several years. These efforts have sought to better understand and identify how the Internet can be more useful to businesses. In this article, I identify sources of cost data I have found on the Internet. Generally speaking, cost data on the Internet is omnipresent. Go to many service and product providers, and you will likely find some cost data. You may have to look hard, for example, go through the check-out procedure until the final commitment to pay, but the cost data will eventually show up. So, if your interest lies in the costs of a specific vendor’s service or product, with some effort of searching and time at the vendor’s website you are likely to find cost data. But, this specific vendor cost data may not be all that is available of value to you, the company decision maker. Other useful cost data sources, if you know about them, may, also be useful. This article attempts to describe for you what cost data I have found to be available. Part of the information provided includes links to the content pages on my website, the Management Accounting Information Center (MAIC), which have the links to the actual cost data that I am describing. Sources of cost data described will not just be websites where cost data reside. But, sources will also be RSS feeds and Yahoo Pipes mash up products. Because this is data (numbers) and numbers lend themselves to unique programmatic manipulation, I am looking ahead, optimistically and hopefully, to where RSS feeds and mash up technology, such as Yahoo Pipes, will, one day, lead to new levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the use by companies of cast data. But, one conclusion of this article is that day is not yet here. II. Descriptions of Cost Data I Have Found Available on the Internet. 1. Price comparison Websites. Price comparison sites are packed full of cost data. Many of the costs are for services and products intended for individual purchase, but business-related products and services are also available. Many price comparison sites seemingly are successful, meaning they are used, so presumably useful cost data is being provided. And, because of this success, activity continues in developing the usefulness of these sites. Companies can benefit from these sites, by identifying the best prices. These sites can be an important tool for a robust, value-added company procurement program. Service and product price comparisons of interest to companies include: industrial equipment; office supplies; electronics products; transportation (vehicle) products; travel purchases; and telecommunications. Price comparison sites can also eliminate the tedious work of going to individual vendor sites for pricing data. Price comparison sites can do this for you. The use of and dependence on price comparison sites is likely to grow. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to price comparison websites, and to providing recent news related to price comparisons and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Price_Comparisons.html. Manipulation of cost data feeds from price comparison sites, in order to obtain cost data with associated attributes, using mash up technology, offer potential. An example would be finding all available products of a certain type and characteristics, including falling within a price range. An example of such mash up manipulation, for an eBay feed, is at the content page link just provided. 2. Price Quote Websites. Like price comparisons websites, price quote sites are common. Using price quote sites usually require providing some information such as an email address, to which quotes from service providers can be sent. So, price quote sites are more intrusive into the identity of who is requesting the cost data. A downside of this is you may receive marketing messages that you do not want. An upside is the process required to complete the request for quotes seems simple and quick. And, data is sent to you. So, using Internet price quote sites might be an efficient and effective way of obtaining the necessary cost data. Generally, price quote sites are for services. And, services for which quotes can be obtained are many. But, quotes can also be obtained for software, point of sales systems, industrial equipment, and other products. One service area where vendors seem to be especially active in creating price quote websites is for providing quotes for insurance coverage. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to price quote websites, and to providing recent news related to price quotes and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Price_Quotes.html. 3. Auctions. The importance of auctions as a contributor to a country’s economic engine and commerce certainly seems to have greatly increased in recent years. And, the reason for this seems to be the Internet, where technology greatly increases the efficiently and effectiveness of the auction process, and bringing value to all concerned. One clear evidence of this, it seems to me, is eBay. And, if increased value is brought to auction participants (sellers and buyers), then business purchasing, it would seem, would be participating in auctions. EBay runs an auction system for business and industrial products, as do other websites. The US government runs an auction website, for items it wants to sell. Many websites exist that focus on one type of item for auction, such as heavy equipment, industrial food equipment, and oilfield equipment. Using an auction site to sell or buy items requires some study of the site’s procedures. One reason is that not all auctions are conducted in the same way. New approaches to conducting an auction on a website do appear. And, since money is being transferred from buyer to seller, over the Internet, proper safeguards need to be assured that the transaction is legitimate (lawful). MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to auction websites, and to providing recent news related to auctions and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Auctions.html. 4. Logistics, Supply, and Transportation Costs. Several good websites for online magazines covering the logistics of supply and distribution exist. Often these online magazines have articles and other content that will have cost data in the content. And, usually these websites will also have a search application at the site. Much of this content may not be indexed in major search engines, and can only be found by going to the websites and searching. Another source of logistics cost data is the research studies done to analyze component costs of logistics and transportation systems. Because of the recent increases in fuel costs, more of these studies are being conducted. And, companies are releasing some of the results publicly. Often, the release of this data is by news wire. News wires are a major source of RSS feeds coming from Internet business news websites such as Google News and Yahoo News. One of the important sources of information that appears on the MAIC cost data content pages is filtered RSS news feeds. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to logistics cost websites, and to providing recent news related to logistics costs and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Logistics_Costs.html. 5. Energy Costs. Current unit energy costs for several energy types can be found on the Internet. Often, the websites that provide these costs are government websites. Websites that provide relative comparisons and suggestions about costs of various energy-use related practices are also on the Internet. This includes energy costs associated with buildings and facilities. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to energy costs websites, and to providing recent news related to energy costs and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Energy_Costs.html. 6. Construction and Project Costs. Some very excellent websites provide, for a fee, access to current cost data related to most, if not all, construction activities. Because cost estimates play such a critical role in construction companies obtaining construction jobs, reliable cost data is something apparently construction companies will pay for. This may be why excellent fee requiring cost data resource websites are available. Some construction-related online magazines exist, at which searches could result in some cost data. Portals also exist that provide dozens of links to websites with construction information including cost data. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to construction costs websites, and to providing recent news related to construction costs and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Project_Costs.html. 7. Agriculture Costs. The agriculture industry has historically received the benefits of much government support. Some of this support has gone towards researching and analyzing cost-related topics in the industry. And, this has resulted in a lot of studies with cost data, produced by entities who have been recipients of government grants to perform the studies. Some of the results of these studies may not be unique to the agriculture industry, for example studies related to costs of maintaining equipment. So, the use of these publicly-available studies, where relevant also to other industries, may be an opportunity to these other industries, otherwise not available. MAIC’s content page that is devoted to linking to agriculture costs websites, and to providing recent news related to agriculture costs and the Internet are at this link, http://www.informationforaccountants.com/Agriculture_Costs.html. The agriculture cost content page linked to in the above paragraph has on it US government RSS feeds and press releases with agriculture-related cost data. to continue to the next page click here |
| Finding Cost Data on the Internet By Richard Torian September 23, 2008 |