Kibu.com

{{Short description|American website for teenagers}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox website | name = Kibu.com | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | screenshot = | screenshot_size = | screenshot_alt = | caption = | type = [[Online community]] | language = English | area_served = Worldwide | founded = {{start date and age|1999|4}} | dissolved = {{start date and age|2000|10|2}} | location_city = [[Redwood City]] | location_country = United States | country_of_origin = United States | founder = | CEO = Judy Macdonald | editor = [[Lori Gottlieb]] | parent = | num_employees = 65 | url = | commercial = Yes | registration = Optional (required for message board) | launch_date = {{start date and age|2000|8|17}}{{efn|name=launch|Kibu.com went online on May 1, 2000,<ref name="time 2000-05-15"/> but celebrated its official launch on August 17, 2000.<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/>}} | current_status = Defunct | native_clients = [[Web browser]] | issn =  | eissn =  | oclc =  | footnotes = }} '''Kibu.com''' was an American website for teenage girls that was created in 1999 and launched in 2000. The website was founded as an [[online community]] for girls to discuss and exchange advice.

Kibu.com secured a US$22 million investment from high-profile figures in the tech industry, including [[James H. Clark|Jim Clark]]. However, following the [[dot-com bubble]] burst, Kibu.com shut down on October 2, 2000, in only 46 days after launch.{{efn|name=launch}} The company's leaders disclosed that the decision to shut down Kibu.com was made because of concerns in securing revenue in the future.

== History ==

Kibu.com was created in April 1999 as an [[online community]] for teenage girls.<ref name="bj 2000-10-13">{{cite news | first=Dan | last=McMilian | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2000/10/16/story7.html | title=Kibu's web site for girls is no more | work=[[The Business Journal]] | date=2000-10-13 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021218130438/http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2000/10/16/story7.html | archivedate=December 18, 2002 }}</ref><ref name="zdnet 2000-10-03">{{cite news | first=Ben | last=Charny | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/productopia-kibu-latest-dot-com-fizzles/ | title=Productopia, Kibu latest dot-com fizzles | work=[[ZDNet]] | date=2000-10-03 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212412/https://www.zdnet.com/article/productopia-kibu-latest-dot-com-fizzles/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="cnet 2000"/> The name "Kibu" was derived from the Japanese word for "foundation" ({{lang|ja|基部}}).<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17">{{cite news | first=Linda | last=Harrison | url=https://www.forbes.com/2000/08/17/mu2.html?sh=242330a77544 | title=Kibu Thanks Heaven For Teenage Girls | work=[[Forbes]] | date=2000-08-17 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212325/https://www.forbes.com/2000/08/17/mu2.html?sh=242330a77544 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="time 2000-05-15"/> Judy Macdonald, the founder of the art [[CD-ROM]] PrintPak, was brought into staff as its CEO in September 1999.<ref name="bj 2000-10-13"/> Molly Lynch, a former employee of [[@Home Network]] was also added as a staff member.<ref name="reuters 2000-05-31">{{cite news | first=Michelle V. | last=Rafter | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/142912649/ | title=How a teen site bucked start-up odds | agency=[[Reuters]] | via=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]], [[Newspapers.com]] | date=2000-05-31 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | page=C7 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717221744/https://www.newspapers.com/image/142912649/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In February 2000, Kibu.com received an investment of US$22 million from high-profile figures in [[Silicon Valley]], such as [[Netscape]] co-founder [[James H. Clark|Jim Clark]], former @Home Network chairman Tom Jermoluk, the [[venture capital firm]] [[Kleiner Perkins|Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers]], and [[CNET]] chairman Shelby Bonnie.<ref name="zdnet 2000-10-03"/><ref name="cnet 2000"/> Unlike other websites struggling from the [[dot-com bubble]] burst, the investors believed Kibu.com had the advantage in its demographic, as there had been a growth in teenage users online.<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/> Kibu.com predicted the investment would sustain the website up to Q2 2001 and hoped to make a profit by late 2001,<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/> with plans to have their own branded retail products and its own center in [[Ghirardelli Square]] located in San Francisco, California.<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/> In addition, [[ChickClick]] founder Heidi Swanson and her sister, Heather, were hired to work on the website.<ref>{{cite news | first=Steven M. | last=Zeitchik | url=http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/10/18/teen.portals.idg/ | title=Analysis: Teen portals proving unfruitful | work=[[CNN]] | date=2000-10-18 | accessdate=2021-07-10 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010411004107/http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/10/18/teen.portals.idg/ | archivedate=April 11, 2001 }}</ref>

Kibu.com went online on May 1, 2000.<ref name="time 2000-05-15"/> The website ran on revenue from sponsorship deals with [[Skechers]], [[Barnes & Noble]],<ref name="reuters 2000-05-31"/> and [[The Princeton Review]], as well as attracting advertisements from [[Kmart (United States)|Kmart]].<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/> Unlike other websites, which used banner ads, Kibu.com offered product samples from its sponsors every month to 10,000 girls who completed their surveys.<ref name="reuters 2000-05-31"/> Kibu.com was also advertised by schoolgirls patronizing school clubs, gyms, and malls with the product samples, one example being lip gloss.<ref name="cram 2001">{{cite book |first=Tony | last=Cram | date=2001-07-18 | title=Customers that Count: How to Build Living Relationships with Your Most Valuable Customers | url= |location=Ithaca |publisher=[[Cornell University]] |page=162 |isbn=9780273654315 }}</ref>

Kibu.com officially celebrated its launch on August 17, 2000, with a [[dot-com party]].<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/> On October 2, 2000,<ref name="bj 2000-10-13"/> Kibu.com shut down, laying off all of its 65 staff members.<ref name="zdnet 2000-10-03"/><ref name="cnet 2000">{{cite news | first=Steven | last=Musil | url=https://www.cnet.com/news/kibu-com-to-shut-down/ | title=Kibu.com to shut down | work=[[CNET]] | date=2000 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=November 26, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126185048/https://www.cnet.com/news/kibu-com-to-shut-down/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Carrie | last=Kirby | url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Dot-Com-Downfall-Takes-New-Victims-Kibu-com-2703395.php | title=Dot-Com Downfall Takes New Victims / Kibu.com shuts down, More.com lays off 70 | work=[[SF Gate]] | date=2000-10-03 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212341/https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Dot-Com-Downfall-Takes-New-Victims-Kibu-com-2703395.php | url-status=live }}</ref> The website had only been open for 46 days at the time of closure.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/website-for-teen-girls-with-big-funding-shuts-down-after-less-than-two-months-online/article_f27ecd56-ba91-5515-8f3b-5e96c6cbbfff.html | title=Website for teen girls with big funding shuts down after less than two months online | work=[[The Associated Press]] | via=[[San Mateo Daily Journal]] | date=2000-10-03 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=November 28, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128192827/https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/website-for-teen-girls-with-big-funding-shuts-down-after-less-than-two-months-online/article_f27ecd56-ba91-5515-8f3b-5e96c6cbbfff.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="register 2000-10-14">{{cite news | first=Linda | last=Harrison | url=https://www.theregister.com/2000/10/14/girly_teen_site_dies_after/ | title=Girly teen site dies after 46 days | work=[[The Register]] | date=2000-10-14 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=January 22, 2005 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050122210212/http://www.theregister.com/2000/10/14/girly_teen_site_dies_after/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Jim Clark cited the [[dot-com bubble]] burst as its reason, stating that the timing of the website launch had occurred when financial markets were doing poorly.<ref name="register 2000-10-14"/> Vice president of marketing Katherine Phillips clarified that Kibu.com did not run out of funds, but she stated that the leaders of the company felt that Kibu.com would have trouble raising money in the near future.<ref name="bj 2000-10-13"/> Furthermore, the market at the time lacked interest in websites with advertising-based business models.<ref>{{cite news | first=Robert | last=Mullins | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2000/10/16/smallb2.html | title=Kibu's demise underscores the need to milk more out of ads | work=[[The Business Journal]] | date=2000-10-13 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001027190936/https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2000/10/16/smallb2.html | archivedate=2000-10-27 }}</ref> The money from the investors was returned.<ref name="cnet 2000"/> Afterwards, the staff members launched Kibupeople.com to post their resumes.<ref name="cnet 2000"/>

===Aftermath===

Following Kibu.com's closure, former editor-in-chief [[Lori Gottlieb]] co-authored the book ''Inside the Cult of Kibu: And Other Tales of the Millennial Gold Rush'', with Jesse Jacobs, the former head of iFilm.com. In the book, Gottlieb discussed her experiences with working on Kibu.com.<ref>{{cite magazine | first=Ana | last=Donahue | url=https://variety.com/2002/more/reviews/inside-the-cult-of-kibu-and-other-tales-of-the-millennial-gold-rush-1200545664/ | title=Inside the Cult of Kibu: And Other Tales of the Millennial Gold Rush | magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | date=2002-10-04 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212412/https://variety.com/2002/more/reviews/inside-the-cult-of-kibu-and-other-tales-of-the-millennial-gold-rush-1200545664/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7382-0691-2 | title=Inside the Cult of Kibu: And Other Tales of the Millennial Gold Rush | work=[[Publishers Weekly]] | date=2002-07-01 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=June 16, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616025009/https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7382-0691-2 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Content==

Kibu.com had offered an online [[chat room]] and tips on fashion, beauty, and romance.<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/><ref name="register 2000-10-14"/> The staff worked with 20 different channels to produce content for its topics.<ref name="reuters 2000-05-31"/> The sections were represented by "faces", a term referring to mentors consisting of women around 20 years old.<ref name="forbes 2000-08-17"/><ref name="reuters 2000-05-31"/>

==Analysis==

In a study conducted by [[Media Metrix]] and Jupiter Communications in 2000, there was a 125% growth of girls aged 12–17 years old using the Internet, which was partially credited to Kibu.com.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.wired.com/2000/08/the-web-its-a-womens-thing/ | title=The Web: It's a Women's Thing | magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | date=2000-08-09 | accessdate=2021-06-26 | archive-date=July 6, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706220555/https://www.wired.com/2000/08/the-web-its-a-womens-thing/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Several reviewers have suggested Kibu.com was unable to find an audience because they failed to understand their target demographic. Anita Hamilton from ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' interviewed several female high school students in Manhattan, New York, about Kibu.com; she noted that girls loved the name of the website and some of the articles, but found the website's format and the {{Transliteration|ja|[[haiku]]}} design "dull".<ref name="time 2000-05-15">{{cite magazine | first=Anita | last=Hamilton | url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,996913,00.html | title=Chicks That Click | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | volume=155 | page=92 | date=2000-05-15 | access-date=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212333/https://assets.time.com/tgx/tgx.js | url-status=live }}</ref> Other girls found several of the articles and interviews boring and unnecessary.<ref name="time 2000-05-15"/> Several editors at [[Salon.com]] also criticized Kibu.com's marketing strategy, with some suggesting them to research what girls like or employ them as interns.<ref>{{cite web | first=Ruth | last=Shalit | url=https://www.salon.com/2000/06/28/clowns_2/ | title=Branding consultants' games make asses out of clients | work=[[Salon.com]] | date=2000-06-21 | accessdate=2021-07-17 | archive-date=July 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717212334/https://www.salon.com/2000/06/28/clowns_2/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Ranjay Gulati, Anthony Mayo, and Nitin Nohria suggested that Kibu.com's failure is attributed to having no viable revenues.<ref name="gulati et all 2013">{{cite book |first1=Ranjay | last1=Gulati | first2=Anthony J. | last2=Mayo | first3=Nitin | last3=Nohria | date=2013-06-19 | title=Management | url= |location=Boston |publisher=[[Cengage]] |page=28 |isbn=9780538478465 }}</ref>

==Notes==

== References ==

[[Category:American women's websites]] [[Category:Community websites]] [[Category:Defunct American websites]] [[Category:Defunct online companies of the United States]] [[Category:Dot-com bubble]] [[Category:English-language websites]] [[Category:Internet forums]] [[Category:Internet properties established in 1999]] [[Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2000]] [[Category:Online companies]]