PopSockets CEO calls out Amazon's tactics before House committee

Re:PopSockets CEO calls out Amazon's tactics before House co... by ectqmbe on Friday January 17, 2020 @05:51PM (#22080418)

This is not new behaviour out of Amazon. I mean... look at what happened with Diapers.com (Quidsi) and Zappos back in the earlier days. Amazon approaches most deals with "Play our game our way in our stadium or we'll ruin you. Oh, by the way, you have to pay rent on the stadium and if you make too much money we may just ruin you anyway."

One of the most compelling reasons to not use AWS is every time a company does something novel and has any business relationship with Amazon, they start a competing business. From that perspective, they're a huge IP risk. If they can't win at the competition they try to buy the company. If they can't buy the company, they use their deep coffers and dominant e-retail position to apply unethical (if not illegal) screws.

They're pretty much the modern equivalent of Standard Oil or U.S. Steel.

I don't really believe that it will happen, but I really hope that Congress gets off their butt and does something about it.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:PopSockets CEO calls out Amazon's tactics before House co... by blazespin on Friday January 17, 2020 @06:02PM (#22080536)

Yeah, AWS needs to be split out. But, alas, amazon can't afford to do that because those profits are funding the rest of the company. They are extremely vulnerable as a company here and is a strategic opportunity for other cloud vendors. Just push down cloud margins and Amazon will slowly be out priced.

Without having some kind of control over prices, you are not a very viable business. Amazon is in a very fragile position.

Honestly, I have no idea why government is getting involved here. Let the market eat them.

[ Parent | on HN ]