Amazon denies reports it started a business just to spy on rivals

[yannus]

Even a blind man could see the abuse. Only those who don't want to see can't spot it.

"This law aims to promote fair competition and prevent unfair business practices that could harm consumers. It prohibits certain actions that might restrict competition, like tying agreements, predatory pricing, and mergers that could lessen competition."

The Antitrust Laws

www.justice.gov

Anyways justice has been replaced by bureaucratic laws a long time ago.

 

[yannus]

If you define any market narrowly enough, you get a "monopoly". Walmart is a larger retailer than Amazon. You have to add "online" for Amazon to win. Is that valid, when most of Amazon's products are available at local retailers?

Also, the original landmark antitrust cases were against true monopolies, like Standard Oil with 90% of the world oil market, Alcoa with 80% of aluminum, or GM with (then) 60% of autos. Amazon has less than 40% of the US market, and a negligible percentage worldwide.

More importantly, Amazon has literally tens of thousands of competitors, ranging in size from thousands of employees down to mom-and-pop websites. A basic axiom of antitrust law is that it doesn't exist to protect competitors, but competition in general. The online market is about as competitive as it gets ... and as large as Amazon is, firms like Alibaba and Temu could potentially topple it literally overnight.


Then point out that "abuse" that's harming consumers. Amazon is large because it literally single-handedly reinvited online sales to remove consumer's primary problems with it. Before Amazon, an online sale meant waiting two to six weeks for your goods, sometimes longer -- and for smaller products, the dreaded "shipping and handling" fees could double the price. But with Amazon, I often receive orders within two hours of placing the order. Two hours! Shipping is free ... and they have the best return policy in the business.

Amazon is large because they provide a better product selection at better prices, with superior shipping and return polices. That's good for consumers. Not bad.

I'm talking about online sale, not local retailers, but we both know that the trend is to go online.

Whatever kills competition is against the consumer in the long run, obvious. How is it that Amazon could succeed where everyone failed ? Are they geniuses, do they have access to alien tech ? It's all about practices and networks of people. I remember carrefour market in big european cities, installing a store on both side of a competitor and lowering the price until the competitor had to close its store. Once it was done carrefour would remove one of the two stores and rise its prices.

Chinese competition is another problem, probably worse.

 

[Endymio]

Whatever kills competition is against the consumer in the long run, obvious.

Obviously false. If you "kill competition" by continually and repeatedly offering a better product at a better price, the consumer benefits. Who wants to pay more for less? And in any case, your argument fails because there are literally hundreds of thousands of competitors to Amazon, from businesses with more revenue and employees than Amazon itself, all the way down to one-man websites.

How is it that Amazon could succeed where everyone failed ? Are they geniuses, do they have access to alien tech

Why not read and find out? Amazon looked at the reasons people resisted online purchasing, and addressed them. Did you even bother to read my post before replying? Who before Amazon would allow you to order an item at 5pm some evening, and have it delivered by 8pm that very same night. On a Sunday! For free!

 

[yannus]

Obviously false. If you "kill competition" by continually and repeatedly offering a better product at a better price, the consumer benefits. Who wants to pay more for less? And in any case, your argument fails because there are literally hundreds of thousands of competitors to Amazon, from businesses with more revenue and employees than Amazon itself, all the way down to one-man websites.

Obviously false, have you read my post ? I gave a clear example with carrefour.

Why not read and find out? Amazon looked at the reasons people resisted online purchasing, and addressed them. Did you even bother to read my post before replying? Who before Amazon would allow you to order an item at 5pm some evening, and have it delivered by 8pm that very same night. On a Sunday! For free!

Yes I read your post, yet the competition couldn't adapt and just copy Amazon, why? A little bit of good faith wouldn't harm.