Amazon scooped up data from its own sellers to launch competing products

Post by baddox » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:03 PM UTC

beagle3 wrote: post #96

chairmanwow1 wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What really is the issue? That Amazon is leveraging its success to be successful? It's unfair that Amazon is able to see that a product category is doing well so it invests its own money into manufacturing a product to sell through its site? Do you really think that if Amazon couldn't use the data from its own site that it wouldn't procure it elsewhere? Before any product is developed there is extensive market resear…

It is not illegal to have a monopoly; but it is illegal to use a monopoly you have in one area to get an unfair advantage in another. Amazon may or may not legally be a retail monopoly - I do not know the answer. But your question can be rephrased for any monopoly and the answer would be “monopolies should be punished for leveraging their monopoly power in other markets, because that ruins the market for everyone els…

Post by SlowRobotAhead » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:05 PM UTC

mywittyname wrote: post #45

jadeddrag wrote: post #7

Is this any different than what other stores do with their own store brands?

Because it amounts to IP theft. It's one thing to see that unbleached toilet paper is selling well, and getting a supplier to sell you a store brand version. But it's completely different to see that a particular office stand is selling very well, determine that it has a 20% margin, and have someone build an identical product which you sell 5% margin. If you look at many Amazon Basics products, they are clear ripoffs…

Post by repiret » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:06 PM UTC

stronglikedan wrote: post #89

repiret wrote: post #81

every major retailer has store brands, and I fully expect they all use their sales data to inform their generic products business, and all of their suppliers expect that too. As a consumer, I like that Amazon is upfront about what products come from their brand. Good luck browsing through the plumbing and electrical fixtures at Home Depot or Lowes and figuring out what crappy store brand stuff and whats not.

> figuring out what crappy store brand stuff and whats not. Don't they usually have only one store brand? Or maybe two, if there's a premium option? I don't think I've ever questioned which is the store brand. I know I've questioned which non-store brands are of dubious origin though (e.g., knockoffs)

Post by corpMaverick » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:06 PM UTC

hlmencken wrote: post #57

whoisjuan wrote: post #17

Stating the obvious I guess. All retailers do this and create their own white-label brands to squeeze profit from well-performing categories. Target, for instance, is very upfront about it and they have like a gazillion white-label brands that compete in hundreds of categories, which makes it very gray for the customer. Does anyone really think that any retailer launches a competing product in a category without look…

I really don't think Target is that upfront. How am I supposed to know Mossimo and Goodfellow are Target brands. I do however understand that Kroger groceries are made by the kroger store.

Post by Cactus2018 » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:07 PM UTC