Hubris. There are other channels and consumers will surely find them.
And -- oops -- waddaya know, my kindle app just crashed :)
Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
141–150 of 545 posts
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#142Earlier quoted context omitted.
Within 3 minutes of reading this, I canceled my Amazon Prime account. The fact they require sideloading APKs for streaming video on Android devices, and even then only support SD quality was annoying. This just tells me they have no intention whatsoever of improving the situation. I guess I'll use Google Express now.
Just out of curiosity, was streaming video your primary use case for Prime? I'm a huge fan of Amazon Prime (for purchasing goods with free two-day shipping), but I've never used the Prime streaming services at all.
No, I've primarily used Amazon for purchasing physical items when I need them yesterday. That said, I'm no stranger to Amazon's streaming product -- prior to the release of the Chromecast, Amazon was my primary source for purchased video content via PS3 (Currently I have 38 movies and ~8 seasons of television episodes in the account). This also meant I'd frequently use Amazon Prime video to avoid having to switch over to the Netflix app.
I'm far less concerned with the availability of the streaming product itself, and more upset about the corporate mindset this behavior demonstrates.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#143Earlier quoted context omitted.
Within 3 minutes of reading this, I canceled my Amazon Prime account. The fact they require sideloading APKs for streaming video on Android devices, and even then only support SD quality was annoying. This just tells me they have no intention whatsoever of improving the situation. I guess I'll use Google Express now.
Just out of curiosity, was streaming video your primary use case for Prime? I'm a huge fan of Amazon Prime (for purchasing goods with free two-day shipping), but I've never used the Prime streaming services at all.
Same here, shipping is probably my biggest benefit, prime's video offerings are about the same as Netflix's
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#144Earlier quoted context omitted.
Totally agree. They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). I have Prime and prefer Netflix, because Prime Video still doesn't have a great selection.
> They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). This is why it almost seems like Amazon's Google+ moment: one underperforming product area somehow manages to convince leadership to change the company's underlying principles in its advantage to the long-term detriment of overall brand perception. Edit: 32 points in 19 mins for this comment. I really hope som…
That's an interesting point. When Google started pushing G+ social networks in general was all the tech media were talking about. Now it's the death of cable and the rise of streaming services. And just like Google wanted it's piece of the buzz-worthy social media space, Amazon wants a piece of the growing streaming market.
It's certainly not a good precedent to set banning competitor's products from their store. I could come up with a dozen different slippery-slope scenarios.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#145Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have found them to be constantly more expensive on tools vs Home Depot and Lowes. I used to think that Amazon would pretty much aways give me the best price (+/- random sites that may or may not be shady), but when it comes to any type of tools that has not been the case. I have also found Costco to be often times cheaper for household supplies such as paper towel, etc. Amazon's main benefit is convenience, but the…
Amazon has never been able to keep up with physical store prices on loss leaders- items that stores frequently mark down below inventory costs to get people in the door in the hopes they will also buy enough marked up merchandise to make up for the loss. I did compare Bounty paper towels and Charmin Ultra about a month ago between Costco and Amazon and found that the dollar savings I got at Costco didn't make up for…
Even on just middle-of-the-road household goods, ignoring weekly sales, Amazon doesn't seem very competitive with brick-and-mortar stores for staple goods, or at least those I buy. I occasionally run down a list of stuff I typically buy at Walmart (shampoo, detergent, OTC drugs, sponges, that kind of thing) to see if any of it has gotten competitive on Amazon, and it usually ends up being way more, not just 5% more or something but more like 50%+.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#146What are they thinking? Surely this must do more damage to seller goodwill than any supposed customer benefit?
I don't know.
You have to cast your lot with one of the 3 when you start leasing digital material. I went with Amazon for the belief they would be neutral when it came to hardware. Over the last year they have chosen to be protective.
I won't cancel prime since I enjoy the benefits, but it is a pita. What it really comes down to is less digitial video leased for me.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#147Isn't this anti-competitive?
Sure, but you're allowed to be anti-competitive as long you're not in a monopoly position in the marketplace.
No. The only requirement is a "dominant" player. https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/anticompetitive-practices
This is the reason why Microsoft and Google have both been investigated for anti-competitive behavior even though neither one of them was a monopoly.
The Sherman Act prohibits using a dominant position in one area as leverage to exclude competitors in the same or different area.
In other words, a dominant player has to play (more than) fair in any new markets.
I say "more than" because if Amazon was not so dominate in ecommerce this behavior would be perfectly fine.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#148Because Apple will not have difficulty fulfilling orders for its products on the Internet itself, I doubt anyone could claim Amazon is in violation of the rule of reason: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_antitrust_law#Ru...
That said, this is only true of companies like Apple, who already have access to favorable terms to resources like UPS, etc. I think the much more important question is whether Amazon will assume this privilege with other companies and markets that will be adversely affected by such policies.
I think Amazon has little to gain in trying to boost its sales by reducing the competition of Apple on its own web site store. What they have to loose is the faith that people have invested in Amazon in being a market creation and fair access vehicle.
If companies cannot help keep the Internet open and available to all, then they're going to have to shut up later when they are riddled with regulations, tort and legal bills. Not to mention the obvious ire of their loyal customers (myself among them).
I sure hope Amazon's web analytics pick up this comment :-) I won't give them the benefit of sending it to them directly. They obviously are more interested in their interests, not my interest in comparing devices directly on their web site.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#149Interesting. So lets think this through. If they want to make money on prime and streaming, selling competitors products that offer this should be no problem. Yet THEY refuse to put PrimeVideo on chromecast.
Seems like they are more interested in keeping their current customers of competitors platforms, than expanding their reach.
Seems dumb to me.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#150I worked at Amazon for a while, and I was in a number of meetings with a number of senior executives, and I heard them ask, "What's better for the customer?". This move makes me think they've gotten out of the habit of asking that question.
That's all I could think of here. Google and Apple have sufficient brand awareness that those who want to purchase these devices will be able to buy them just fine.
Unfortunately, those who want to purchase them through Amazon or would not have known about them outside of Amazon are now the ones that lose.
Seems very contrary to that leadership principle.