It needs to provide product information and be visible when a customer is engaging in price comparison.

FORBES: Why Best Buy Is Still Worth $25

Mostly these page provide just product information, but that is likely to change.

ECONOMIST: Death of a salesman

"The more information you have about the person who has purchased that product the easier it will be to provide critical information about the safety of the product, " he added.

BBC: Safety experts call for new guidelines on appliances

Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Groupon, YouTube, Google and many other tool providers allow Colgate to spend far, far less than traditional advertising to provide specific brand promotions, product information, purchase incentives (such as coupons) and product variations targeted at various niches.

FORBES: Compete to Win, Don't Play "Catch Up" - Colgate's Big Opportunity

We can provide information relevant to the product right in front of you.

CNN: The growing push to track your location indoors

Digital Equipment uses it to provide an on-line catalogue of product information.

ECONOMIST: From the archive

They provide information you can use to make a purchase decision about a tech product.

FORBES: AOL Sees Big Money In Gadgets, Buys gdgt

Its most-visible product: the MyMoney.gov website, which was launched in 2004 to provide a central spot for government financial information.

WSJ: Getting Going: Is There a Cure for Financial Illiteracy?

It also allows them to provide consumers with photos and video information about the coffee they are buying, better ensuring the true sustainability of the product.

FORBES: The Untapped Potential of the Mobile Phone