--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can sell nothing for a mark-up for a…" description: "\"You can sell nothing for a mark-up for a while, but only until something starts eating away at it. Now I can go home and click on Yahoo, call my sister..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/michael-k-powell-25621_away_you-can-sell-nothing-for-a-mark-up-for-a_2631756.png" --- # You can sell nothing for a mark-up for a while, but only… ![“You can sell nothing for a mark-up for a while, but only until something starts eating away at it. Now I can go home and click on Yahoo, call my sister and talk over a microphone for free.” quote by Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/michael-k-powell-25621_away_you-can-sell-nothing-for-a-mark-up-for-a_2631756.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/michael-k-powell-25621_away_you-can-sell-nothing-for-a-mark-up-for-a_2631756.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/michael-k-powell-25621_away_you-can-sell-nothing-for-a-mark-up-for-a_2631756.png) > “You can sell nothing for a mark-up for a while, but only until something starts eating away at it. Now I can go home and click on Yahoo, call my sister and talk over a microphone for free.” [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Profit margins erode over time; technology offers free alternatives, reducing value. **In simple terms:** Tech reduces profit value. Key Takeaway Adapt to tech change. Themes economics technology business Mood analytical pragmatic Type business economic When to use this quote - business strategy - pricing - product development Key Concepts market dynamics digital disruption consumer behavior Questions to Reflect On - How will you innovate before profits decline? - What free alternatives threaten your market? A Different Perspective Transition can be costly and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sister/) ## Related quotes > [While it is often true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, it seems like Yahoo's almost obsessive focus on Google is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/while-it-is-often-true-that-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-it/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [“You are a product to dragnet surveillance capitalists like Google, Facebook, Comcast and Verizon. Your ideas are rarely your own, rather you are little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-senior-fellow-institute-for-critical-infrastructure-technology/you-are-a-product-to-dragnet-surveillance-capitalists-like-google/) James Scott, Senior Fellow, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology > [Prior to email, our private correspondence was secured by a government institution called the postal service. Today, we trust AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/prior-to-email-our-private-correspondence-was-secured-by-a-government/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [At Yahoo, we were one of the early proponents of the power of content showcased through new media. SnagFilms, with its large library and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-semel/at-yahoo-we-were-one-of-the-early-proponents-of-the-power-of-content/) [Terry Semel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-semel/) > [The Internet is a powerful way to make lots of money... But we are not going to buy Yahoo!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumner-redstone/the-internet-is-a-powerful-way-to-make-lots-of-money-but-we-are-not/) [Sumner Redstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumner-redstone/) > [The time has come for me to pursue other interests outside of Yahoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-yang/the-time-has-come-for-me-to-pursue-other-interests-outside-of-yahoo/) [Jerry Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-yang/) > [As anyone who has covered the company for any length of time knows, Yahoo's record on major decision-making has been akin to a hippie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/as-anyone-who-has-covered-the-company-for-any-length-of-time-knows/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [Facebook, Google, Apple, Yahoo - there's a common theme. None of these companies ever sold. 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Independent sites are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/dependent-web-platforms-such-as-twitter-facebook-google-and-yahoo-are/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [I truly believe that Yahoo! is one of the most compelling and dominant companies in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-levinsohn/i-truly-believe-that-yahoo-is-one-of-the-most-compelling-and-dominant/) [Ross Levinsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-levinsohn/) > [I'm very grateful and proud of the progress Yahoo! has made over the past year. When I took the position as chairman, I told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-amoroso/i-m-very-grateful-and-proud-of-the-progress-yahoo-has-made-over-the/) [Alfred Amoroso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-amoroso/) > [My time at Yahoo, from its founding to the present, has encompassed some of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-yang/my-time-at-yahoo-from-its-founding-to-the-present-has-encompassed/) [Jerry Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-yang/) > [Yahoo! is committed to building the richest set of premium and personalized content experiences for our users.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-levinsohn/yahoo-is-committed-to-building-the-richest-set-of-premium-and/) [Ross Levinsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-levinsohn/) > [One of the blessings I've had, really, for my entire career, is working with founders of companies, whether it was Bill Ziff at Ziff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rosensweig/one-of-the-blessings-i-ve-had-really-for-my-entire-career-is-working/) [Dan Rosensweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rosensweig/) ## More by Michael K. Powell > [It saddens me when public officials and bureaucrats are criticized for ulterior motives, none of which I have ever found in a government bureaucrat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/it-saddens-me-when-public-officials-and-bureaucrats-are-criticized/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [So as I look at transitioning to the communication platforms of the future, I see that the beauty of Internet protocols is you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/so-as-i-look-at-transitioning-to-the-communication-platforms-of-the/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [Broadband access is the great equalizer, leveling the playing field so that every willing and able person, no matter their station in life, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/broadband-access-is-the-great-equalizer-leveling-the-playing-field-so/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [The industry must adhere to certain consumer protection norms if the Internet is to remain an open platform for innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/the-industry-must-adhere-to-certain-consumer-protection-norms-if-the/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [The U.S. has more broadband subscribers than any country other than China. Americans rank at the top in their use of the web, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/the-u-s-has-more-broadband-subscribers-than-any-country-other-than/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [I love my DSL, but I love my WiFi more. And I probably get on the Internet 40 percent to 50 percent more because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/i-love-my-dsl-but-i-love-my-wifi-more-and-i-probably-get-on-the/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [Behavioral psychologists have observed that wanting something has a much stronger emotional impact than the pleasure that comes once you have it, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/behavioral-psychologists-have-observed-that-wanting-something-has-a/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [The first thing I feel like we have the potential to do is to deliver to consumers more roots to their home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/the-first-thing-i-feel-like-we-have-the-potential-to-do-is-to-deliver/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [I have a vision that's about technology that empowers consumers over institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/i-have-a-vision-that-s-about-technology-that-empowers-consumers-over/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [The comparison to the old world is something to get excited about. We have the potential for more choice and innovation, and a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/the-comparison-to-the-old-world-is-something-to-get-excited-about-we/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [Cable is a dynamic and highly innovative industry, providing cutting edge services and content that Americans love. The broadband platform the industry has deployed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/cable-is-a-dynamic-and-highly-innovative-industry-providing-cutting/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [We're trying to fix this with the plan we've been floating. Now, the law says the transition ends in 2006 or - and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/we-re-trying-to-fix-this-with-the-plan-we-ve-been-floating-now-the/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [More and more, job listings are exclusively available online and as technology evolves nearly every occupation now requires a basic level of digital literacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/more-and-more-job-listings-are-exclusively-available-online-and-as/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [Giving consumers the choice of having it all in one big bite means different viewers are in many different places in the book, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/giving-consumers-the-choice-of-having-it-all-in-one-big-bite-means/) [Michael K. 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