"You look at the tremendous success of Facebook. To my mind there is not a lot of commerce going on in these social networking sites. eBay is a community anchored in commerce. It is a commerce site that built a community around it. What has not been proven is if the reverse can happen and people will go to community sites to do commerce"

The quote by Meg Whitman highlights an essential distinction between 2 kinds of online platforms: social media network websites like Facebook and e-commerce sites like eBay. Whitman acknowledges Facebook's huge success in constructing a global community but questions its ability to drive significant commerce. She contrasts this with eBay, explaining it as a platform basically rooted in commerce, around which a neighborhood has naturally formed. This indicates eBay's core identity as a marketplace where the primary activity is purchasing and offering, and the sense of neighborhood is a secondary yet crucial byproduct that enhances user engagement and trust.

The crux of Whitman's argument is her uncertainty about the potential for social networking sites to pivot successfully into business areas. She recommends that while eBay has effectively leveraged commerce to develop neighborhood, it is uncertain whether the same can be attained in reverse-- whether a community-centric site like Facebook can progress to become a main destination for online commerce. This distinction highlights the difference between a website's main function and secondary benefits. Whitman suggests that a platform's fundamental function affects its capability for diversifying into other activities, such as commerce when it comes to social platforms.

Her insight supplies an important viewpoint on the progressing nature of the internet and digital business designs. It raises questions about user expectations and the core competencies of various kinds of platforms. While users might engage deeply with a community platform for social interaction, these platforms require to develop considerable trust and offer engaging worth proposals to shift users into often engaging in commercial activities. This quote stays appropriate as social media companies continue to check out income streams beyond marketing, triggering development in incorporating commerce without interrupting the necessary neighborhood elements that drive user commitment and engagement.