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Amazon Local Register

localregister.amazon.com

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Re: Amazon Local Register

#191

Post by potatolicious »

jseip wrote: post #111

I don't get this. Seems like a late entry into a saturated and (at least in Square's case) not that lucrative market. Any insight into why you would do this?

Saturated but most players are unprofitable. Amazon has an infinite well of money to not only out-price the competition but sustain a loss for long enough that the competition might actually die.

Amazon also makes revenue off of attached services to merchants (Fulfillment by Amazon, the webstore, etc). This is part of the reason why Square has been trying to buy up merchant value-add companies.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#193

Post by ignostic »

voyou wrote: post #142
bambax wrote: post #30

This sounds a little like a joke. Amazon is the biggest competitor brick-and-mortar shops have ever seen; why would shops want to give that kind of information to Amazon, so that it knows in real time what people are buying outside of itself??? A coffeeshop, maybe, but for any other kind of business it sounds crazy.

"Amazon is the biggest competitor brick-and-mortar shops have ever seen" Is it? The sorts of brick and mortar shop Amazon is a competitor to are things like Walmart or Best Buy, or other shops that compete on price or range of stock. But these big stores already have payment systems in place, and obviously aren't the target for this. If your shop hasn't already been put out of business by Walmart, I don't see why it…

Amazon competes with small stores, too. Sure, they compete more often and usually more directly with larger stores, but looking at my purchase history shows dozens of products that I probably would have bought at smaller stores if not for Amazon.

The concerning thing is that Amazon could use the data from small retailers to increase their competitiveness on products they identify as targets, so I'd say the concern is valid.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#194

Post by ignostic »

bambax wrote: post #30

This sounds a little like a joke. Amazon is the biggest competitor brick-and-mortar shops have ever seen; why would shops want to give that kind of information to Amazon, so that it knows in real time what people are buying outside of itself??? A coffeeshop, maybe, but for any other kind of business it sounds crazy.

Yeah, even coffee shops shouldn't rush to embrace Amazon. Sure, I still get brewed coffee at my local coffee shop, but I might not buy a bag of coffee while I'm there because I bought a 2 lb bag of beans on Amazon.

Amazon is almost any store's competitor on some level. I'd be hesitant to use a payment system from even a small or indirect competitor.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#196

Post by bhahn »

chrisan wrote: post #29

Does anyone know the true bottom to transaction fees? Are they taking a loss at 1.75% to acquire user base?

I'd assume so because the 1.75% is available for a limited-time only. The fine print mentions that the standard rates (after the promotional period) are 2.5% and 2.75%.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#197

Post by rvn1045 »

tomasien wrote: post #170
twistedpair wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1.75% limited of time offer makes me want to vomit. So Amzn should offer a lower rate, free perhaps? Or are they hiding fees somewhere else? Please you explain your aversion more.

It's temporary - they're making it seem like it's lower than it is. They're going to lock people in and then jack up the rate - it's classic CC processing trick and it's BULLSHIT. Even if the real price is written somewhere, it's still horseshit.

Can you name a significant number of instances where Amazon has not lowered prices over a medium to long term period?

Amazon has consistently made things inexpensive for the consumer. Sometimes even taking losses to ensure that customers get a lower price.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#198

Post by silverbax88 »

jack-r-abbit wrote: post #189
B5geek wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Demolition Man not Judge Dredd. --Enhance your calm John Spartan.

Damn... how did I mess that up? My bad.

Well, if it makes you feel better, Wesley Snipes did an AMA on Reddit a few days ago, and someone asked him if there would be a Demolition Man sequel.

He responded politely, but basically said "people need to be allowed to forget that movie". So you are good.

Re: Amazon Local Register

#199

Post by silverbax88 »

weaksauce wrote: post #169
nicholassmith wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon might not be competing with them right now , but they could be in 5 years time (as ridiculous as that sounds for your examples), and businesses should take the long term view. When it was just books most businesses ignored Amazon, but they've grown to encompass many, many industries now.

You know how ridiculous it would have sounded if I told you 15 years ago that you could specify any address and get a local 360° street view of it... Even in rural austrailia or inside a business. And that comes from a search engine company... That mainly makes money off advertising. Who knows where amazon will go.

I don't know but Wal-Mart and Home Depot have tried muscling in on small shops multiple times and failed..meaning, opening mom-and-pop size stores. That doesn't mean Amazon will fail, just mentioning that very few people are aware that this is something the retail giants have been trying to do for some time.

The thing about Amazon is that every company who should be their competitor (Barnes & Noble, Borders, Wal-Mart) constantly botches it. They have the money to fend off Amazon. I guess that's what happens when bloated, dumb corporations get real, nimble competition.

It would be like if Amazon decided to take on Comcast selling cable TV. Comcast is huge, wealthy and established, but, and I don't think I would like this, but my money would be on Amazon because Comcast is rich but dumb.

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