While the size of the tail in the long tail phenomenon is disputable, one fact that is critical to remain above this debate is that:
A) traditional brick and mortar retailers offer selections that cannot be rivaled by Internet pure-plays.
B) energy costs and worker wages drive up the costs of running stores like Netflix.
C) customers are primarily attracted to the stores which offer a larger selection of titles.
D) the turnover rate of obscure titles in traditional video rental stores is only slightly higher than those for Internet pure-plays.
E) the cost of store maintenance and real estate makes stores such as Netflix unattractive.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The critical fact mentioned in the question is that customers are primarily attracted to the stores which offer a larger selection of titles. This is what drives the long tail phenomenon - the availability of a vast selection of niche products that may not be readily accessible in traditional brick and mortar stores. None of the other options mentioned in the question correctly capture this key feature of the long tail.

While the Size of the Tail in the Long Tail