Companies need “new” today more than ever because all the older products are “used” and resold again and again on e-Bay and other sites.

“Innovation” and “new” keep companies fresh with something to sell that consumers can’t get anywhere else. It’s no wonder that we’re licensing so many new products nowadays.

Several friends of mine own large companies who have been juggling the impact of the Internet on the products they sell. One such company sells paintball guns. They’re the highest quality guns in the world, and yet sales have been declining because so many people are trading their paintball guns instead of buying new ones.

In an effort to have something to market, they’ve come out with their own line of less expensive paintball guns with variations on the same technology that is in more expensive guns – it has led to an expansion of their company’s business in the lower priced market.

The key is to come up with something new and better, so consumers demand it. And while there will always be a trader’s market for people who don’t mind buying used and dealing with the problems that come with used items, by focusing on innovation and new products, you protect your company’s vitality in the marketplace.