Intangible good explained

An intangible good is something that provides utility which does not have a physical nature, as opposed to a physical good (an object).^[1] Intangible goods do not have a physical presence, but "ownership rights exist for them (established with patents and copyrights), they can be stored, and their ownership transferred."^[2]

Digital goods such as downloadable music, mobile apps or virtual goods used in virtual economies are proposed to be examples of intangible goods.^[3] Other examples of intangible goods include "scientific inventions, and "originals" such as the words in a book manuscript or the images stored on a film master." ^[4] Another example of a category of intangible goods is intellectual property.^[5]

In contrast, tangible goods have a physical presence. Examples include "newspapers, music CD's, and movie DVD's." These are the "physical expression of intangible goods that can be copyrighted."^[6]

See also

• Service-goods continuum

Further reading

• Bannock, Graham et al.. (1997). Dictionary of Economics, Penguin Books.
• Hill, Peter 1999. "Tangibles, intangibles and services: a new taxonomy for the classification of output." Canadian Journal of Economics. Vol. 32, no. 2. April. p. 426-447.
• Milgate, Murray (1987), "goods and commodities," , v. 2, pp. 546–48. Includes historical and contemporary uses of the terms in economics.

Notes and References

1. Web site: What are intangible goods? . 2025-02-16 . JWP . en-US.
2. Web site: . North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) Canada [Provisional Version 0.1] – Introduction]. https://www.statcan.gc.ca . Statistics Canada. 20 January 2026.
3. Web site: Intangible product . Collins Dictionary.
4. Web site: . North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) Canada [Provisional Version 0.1] – Introduction]. https://www.statcan.gc.ca . Statistics Canada. 20 January 2026.
5. Web site: . North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) Canada [Provisional Version 0.1] – Introduction]. https://www.statcan.gc.ca . Statistics Canada. 20 January 2026.
6. Web site: . North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) Canada [Provisional Version 0.1] – Introduction]. https://www.statcan.gc.ca . Statistics Canada. 20 January 2026.