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Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

bigtechnology.substack.com

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Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#131

Post by bogwog »

tschellenbach wrote: post #48

I spoke to a commission of congressman about this topic. (they wanted to talk to small startups). It seems really difficult to effectively regulate this. - acquisitions are part of what make the startup ecosystem work. It's not at all clear which acquisitions you should block - the bundling approach that google uses makes things like android free - you dont want apps on iOS and android running their own payment infra…

> acquisitions are part of what make the startup ecosystem work.

That's such BS. A startup whose only business plan is to get acquired doesn't deserve to succeed in a competitive market. If that route becomes nonviable and a bunch of silicon valley startups go under, then good riddance.

The US economy needs startups with sustainable business practices and highly competitive products and services. Not acquihire schemes.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#132

Post by lotsofpulp »

virtue3 wrote: post #127
dantheman wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These aren't anti-competitive, they increase competition. The help the consumer get better prices.

I see it the other way; What's the point of designing something that is affordable and usable by everyone if Amazon is just going to rip off the design and market theirs over me? Whats the point in making a budget ketchup brand if Safeway has their own? I can't compete with their margins there especially with that level of competition. I give a bit of a pass here to kirkland stuff cuz it never feels like a race to th…

Patents and trademarks exist to give designers the ability to reap profits from their creations. If you are not able to patent your design, then either the patent system is not working or whatever was designed or trademarked is not very valuable.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#133

Post by lotsofpulp »

what_ever wrote: post #113
N1H1L wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Costco does too - Kirkland is their own brand. Same with Kroger's - Private Reserve

I think Kirkland is just Costco making a bulk deal with one of the manufacturers and slapping Kirkland brand on it.

It’s the same with the other retailers. They do not own their own factories.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#134

Post by dhosek »

what_ever wrote: post #113
N1H1L wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Costco does too - Kirkland is their own brand. Same with Kroger's - Private Reserve

I think Kirkland is just Costco making a bulk deal with one of the manufacturers and slapping Kirkland brand on it.

Same with Trader Joe's store brands, or at least that was the case in the past as I recall reading in The Fearless Flyer.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#135

Post by lotsofpulp »

Jaygles wrote: post #104
officialjunk wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there is an analogous experience at physical stores, though. the proximity of items to entryways, cashiers, etc matters for sales. also, which height shelf a product is put on also matters. some at eye level, for example, and others at children's eye level, make certain products more prominent. if you are trying to place a product at a store, how much it would cost you depends greatly on where in the store it is plac…

Sure, but I would argue that that is more of an analogy to the first page of products only. Things that are beyond the third or fourth page may as well be in the back of the store, and not on the shelves.

Things that are on the third or fourth page would not be in the store period as it would be too costly to carry all that inventory in a retail environment.

The analogy is useless. Consumers are lucky that the internet even gives them a 3rd or 4th page.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#136

Post by lotsofpulp »

schnable wrote: post #24
fhrow4484 wrote: post #4

> Jeff Bezos, this one’s for you. This provision aims at Amazon’s practice of using data it collects from third-party merchants to enhance its own private label offerings. If it passes, the practice would be blatantly illegal. Would it equally apply to physical stores like Safeway, Kroger, Costco's private labels like "Private Selection", "Simple Truth", "Kirkland", ... What makes Amazon different in this regard? Is…

They don't operate a marketplace for third party merchants.

Walmart and Target do.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#138

Post by TchoBeer »

what_ever wrote: post #113
N1H1L wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Costco does too - Kirkland is their own brand. Same with Kroger's - Private Reserve

I think Kirkland is just Costco making a bulk deal with one of the manufacturers and slapping Kirkland brand on it.

I think Trader Joes does that too?

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#139

Post by dhosek »

mindslight wrote: post #94
Cerium wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trader Joe's is the closest to Amazon in this regard. They introduce new products as the name brand, the best sellers are cloned and then replaced with the store brands.

But Trader Joe's doesn't sell anything that is name brand? The whole store is store brand.

There are a handful of non TJs brand items. Not many, but some.

Re: Congress is going to throw the kitchen sink at big tech

#140

Post by dantheman »

akiselev wrote: post #96
dave5104 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe this is true in all cases. Maybe for some products, but at least other commenters here are confirming that some manufacturers refund the grocer for any unsold product. (So, Safeway only pays for the inventory that gets sold.) Seems risk-free for grocers on the products they have those sorts of deals with.

Yep they do that too but it's not risk free for physical stores because they take up shelf space. Anything that isn't moving off storefront shelves isn't making them any revenue - unlike Amazon they can't present every product through a paginated digital catalog while charging for warehouse storage.

You don't think page space matters? How many people go page 30 of results?
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