Quote:
Originally Posted by DuckieTigger
You are bringing up the different administration again, as if the current one would have done different. Go ahead, doubt as much as you want.
Thanks of reminding me of the new low some authors scooped down to. That was quite embarrassing, for the authors at least. In the quoted article from you I still fail to see where Amazon removed the buy option of released books. It was business as usual. Normal contract negotiations. Both sides are big, both sides pushed, both sides came to an agreeable contract in the end. Everybody else learned from Hachette by not doing the same mistake and let the contract expire.
|
Every time a network and a cable/satellite company get into a catfight over contract renewal, the distributor pulls the plug on the channels in dispute. It is standard practice not to distribute something you are not contracted to distribute. It happens every time:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/10-deg...43146-mlb.html
https://coxcommitment.com/what-others-are-saying/
https://www.latimes.com/business/hol...102-story.html
Amazon *didn't* stop distributing Hachette; they merely stopped warehousing the books for free and they stopped taking orders for books they had no assurance they would be able to sell. After all, with no contract, Hachette could refuse an order or choose to "window" Amazon the way TOR is blocking library ebooks today. If anytging, Amazon showed enormous patience and restraint with Hachette's stonewalling.
It should be noted that the DOJ did take note of the dispute: they asked all the BPHs for copies of any communications they had during the negotiation period, reminding them they couldn't coordinate negotiations again and that dragging their feet to synchronize their negotiation periods would be cause for deeper inquiry. S&S got the message real fast.
If squeezing suppliers is bad, suppliers squeezing retailers is far worse, especially when they collude to raise prices. Hachette dragging their feet was really an attempt at collusion 2.0 that the feds nipped in the bud.
All available evidence shows the DOJ is more concerned about illegal behavior by the BPHs than about anything Amazon has done.
As for the public hostility of the current administration it should be noted they haven't actually changed anything except, maybe, Amazon boosting their own delivery services.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/amaz...by-embark.html
Which started before 2016 and is already boosting their revenues:
https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2019/...n-q4-earnings/
Quote:
There remains much speculation about Amazon competing with shipping carriers. Asked about Amazon delivery and Amazon logistics, the company said it has great partners in place, and said it would continue to build out its programs such as Amazon DSP (Delivery Service Partner), Amazon Flex, and Ship with Amazon programs.
During the quarter, Amazon self-delivery was a much bigger presence year-over-year, “so we’re happy with that both from a performance standpoint. The delivery estimate accuracy, as we call it, was very strong on our self-delivered products, and also the cost profile is very good as well.”
Amazon explained that it adds capacity where it feels is needed to speed up service or ensure demand, particularly at peak. (Geekwire has more info on Amazon fourth-quarter shipping costs in this piece. https://www.geekwire.com/2019/amazon...edium=webfeeds)
The company continues to expand its Amazon logistics and delivery capability and it also matches up with the faster ship speed for Prime members. “We have over 100 million items that customers could get within two days, but there’s now over 3 million that will be delivered within one day or faster in 10,000 cities and town.”
Amazon deliveries are a big part of that. Often it costs the same or less as using its outside shipping partners. Amazon invests selectively because it has more perfect information about where demand is and how it’s moving items – “by not involving third parties all the time, we can find that we can extend our order cut offs.”
|
As it stands, Amazon's biggest challenge isn't the feds, it's Microsoft:
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/bus...-spine-n966046