A Typology of Digital Offerings

Abstract

This paper develops a typology of digital offerings to shed light on the distinct characteristics of this emerging digital phenomenon. Drawing on Roman contract law, the typology focuses on digital rights offered (selling, leasing, partnering, and agencing) and digital assets involved (tangible and intangible). These two dimensions lead to eight archetypes that we illustrate through the diverse Amazon portfolio of digital offerings. The typology sets out to shape the scholarly discourse around digital offering research and practice and to provide a foundation from which the characteristics and mechanisms of digital offering value appropriation can be further understood and operationalized. Ultimately, by rejecting the traditional service vs. product distinction and instead accounting for offering variations based on the intrinsic merits of digital offerings, we are embracing a digital terminology rather than attempting to transfer the terminology of the physical world to the digital realm.