Everyone loves Amazon. Mostly, everyone. We all feed at the Amazon trough. I bought twice from them yesterday. Once, only to find out the non-Prime product would be delivered in close to a month — which I then cancelled — and a second time a few minutes later when the same product popped up with free delivery in 2 days.
Amazon is loveable, but beginning to make some enemies. With its launch yesterday of Amazon Handmade, direct competitor of Etsy, it made some unfriends. I once accused Google of a “culture of technological obesity.” Amazon, seems to on track for a culture of retail obesity. Why? Because it can. In March Amazon added Amazon Home Services, to compete with Angie’s List and others. Amazon Business, nee Amazon Supply, is an effort to compete with MSC Direct, Grainger and Global Supply. More unfriends.
And let’s not even get into margins. If you sell a product on Etsy to give them 3.5% of sales, plus a minimal listing charge. If you sell on Amazon Handmade you give up 12%.
These new business segments will indeed make extra m/billions for Amazon. But it’s a technology play. Etsy owns the heart. Angie’s List owns the heart. Amazon needs to stay away from retail gluttony. Remember Amazon, business people are consumers when they go home. Don’t go overboard on your overdog status.
Peace.