I asked Feng Shui teachers/ practitioners (representing the whole gambit of Feng Shui related organizations, schools or businesses), whose e-mail addresses are listed on web sites, several questions regarding the impact the Internet has had on Feng Shui, and on their practices/business. The questionnaire I sent them is as below:

Questionnaire

Dear Sir/Madam,
        I am a senior at the University of California, Berkeley. I am currently doing a study on the impact of the Internet on Feng Shui, and its industry, as my project for my class, Geography 251: Religions in Cyberspace.
      I would very much appreciate if you could answer a few of my questions, or forward this e-mail to somebody who can.

1) How have you used the Internet as a tool for Feng Shui?

2) How many people have gotten in touch with you re: Feng Shui via your website or via e-mail?

3) How have your practices (e.g. business, dissemination of information etc.) been affected or benefited from the Internet?

4) How many members are on your mailing list (if applicable)?
 
 

Summary of Responses (31.25% response rate – 30 of the 96 people e-mailed replied)

1) The most popular ways in which the Internet is used as a tool are (in order of prominence):

- to educate people about Feng Shui
- to introduce people to other qualified Feng Shui practitioners, teachers, and information sites
- to let people know of one's services and classes
- to keep in touch with other Feng Shui practitioners, mentors, teachers and students
- submission of Feng Shui articles via e-mail
- fully on-line consultation - submission of house/room/construction etc. plans via e-mail, examination by consultant, and then recommendations given via e-mail.
 

2) Many consultants and teachers claim that “many” of their clients today hear about them and are introduced to them via the Internet – it has become an invaluable new marketing machine for many, allowing for much more business.

1 gets 30-100 e-mails a day.
1 gets 50 mails a day.

3) The ability to easily and instantaneously communicate with people from all over the world has been sited as one of the greatest benefits the Internet has brought. Many consultants marvel at the way they can now examine and explore not only the impact Feng Shui has on cultures ALL over the world, but the  different interpretations of Feng Shui worldwide.

Another benefit cited is that since the Internet provides this wealth of information on what Feng Shui is, each consultant does not have to spend as much time explaining its basics to potential clients, something they did regularly in the pre-Internet days. Some consultants even piggy-back on the success of other good Feng Shui sites, using them to promote Feng Shui, and hence their own practice!

Internet directories (e.g.The Feng Shui Directory of Consultants) and Organization membership lists (e.g.Feng Shui Association) have given the consultants far greater market penetration, as potential clients have a central place to look for them.

Some schools/institutes have full on-line Feng Shui courses (e.g. The American Feng Shui Institute), which allows students to learn about, and become certified in Feng Shui from behind their computer screens. Similarly, it gives the school a worldwide reach.

On the flipside, some consultants deplored the fact that many "Internet shoppers" are just concerned about the price of the good (i.e. Feng Shui consultation), and just hunt for the cheapest consultant, without realizing the significant differences that skill/experience etc. make.

The fact that the Internet allows furniture/ lighting/ interior decoration etc. businesses to advertise their wares easily (on-line catalogs) is also a boon for many. Feng Shui consultants said that this allows them to quickly view these products, which they may then use or recommend when advising clients.

Several consultants even give their Feng Shui analysis via e-mail – e.g. first requesting house-plans from the client, and then making recommendations. This is particularly helpful when one seeks the advice of a Feng Shui master based geographically far away, like in Southeast Asia. The Internet therefore allows for pure B2C (Business-to-Consumer) consultation, although several consultants also strongly stressed the importance of visiting the site in person, before making recommendations.

Some websites (e.g. www.fengshuitimes.com) even benefit financially from the Internet advertising on their site.
 
 

4)

Of the practitioners' mailing lists,

2 mailing lists had 3000 subscribers
1 mailing list had 2000 subscribers
1 mailing list had 1800 subscribers
1 mailing list had 600 subscribers
1 mailing list had 550 subscribers
1 mailing list had "thousands" of subscribers
2 mailing lists had "several hundred" subscribers
 

Of the Yahoo groups mailing lists,

Yahoo Chinese Astrology - 517 subscribers
Yahoo Four Pillars-Feng Shui - 306 subscribers
Yahoo astrofengshui – 435 subscribers
Yahoo Basic Feng Shui – 397 subscribers
Yahoo IChing_YiJing – 162 subscribers
Yahoo NineStarKi - 179 subscribers

(as of 04/29/01)