Definitely worth the full read. The bot cuts out too much of the story.
Big agree. Glad I actually read through the whole thing. Looks like a decent case against Amazon. Let’s hope the FTC wins.
So worth the read. We all knew they were shitty (Fuck you Bezos for setting up a charity to pay your workers during the height of COVD) but they managed to exceed the bottom barrel expectations and descend even lower.
Do Walmart next.
No, Google.
Google is a far bigger threat than Waltons could ever be in their wildest dreams.
I don't know about that, Walmart has done a lot of damage to our towns, cities and urban fabric by destroying small businesses and getting subsidized huge properties with more parking lot than productive business and residential space, and almost single-handedly creating a poor class of working people who still have to rely on welfare.
Not to mention, Walmart is the largest employer in the world with 2.3 Million "Associates." I bet they would treat them like contractors if the Federal Government let them, all the while spreading bullshit claims like "we don't need unions, because we are already like a family".
I don't even think that counts their unofficial sites like sweatshops.
The Google one has already been going on for three years.
Edit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-monopolist-google-violating-antitrust-laws
Different sphere. Google doesn't own the consumer relationship or point of transaction to buy any or all goods.
Google does a lot of things worth scrutiny to break up, but it's not the same sphere.
They're already going after Google which is mentioned in the article. The real next target (at least in the tech space, don't know a ton outside of that) is Microsoft imo.
Walmart is the largest employer in half the states in the union. And almost all of those employees are still on government assistance so we’re subsidizing their staff wages. That part at the least needs to stop
Glad to see it. At least take the swing.
This is amazing
Of course the shipping isn't free. But probably, the shipping to a handful of more localized facilities and then to the home directly is cheaper than the cost of shipping one case of that product to each of 4000 brick and mortar locations, where it might sit, tying up capital at each one for weeks before selling.
The article uses a 40% split too - I seriously doubt that the cost to ship a $6 item is $4, especially for Amazon running their own logistics network to lower costs even further. I don't quite understand why unbundling the shipping cost would be somehow better, meanwhile my local grocery store or Best Buy doesn't separately charge me for their transportation costs to get the item to the store location.
None of this is to defend the obviously undefendable Amazon - sounds like the FBA program is extremely predatory. And their selling ad placement on search pages has slowly ruined the shopping experience. I hope Amazon gets broken up for the good of the consumer and the market.
we already have a federal shipping service, and it would be better if republicans didn't try and destroy it every chance they get, like scrapping the sorting machines to stop mail in voters
What's crappy is that's the only reason they are killing it. Cause it allows MORE people to vote easier. Which means LESS votes for Republicans. That's why they keep trying to kill it and it sucks.
it's actually not the only reason, there is the second of wanting to destroy the post service to be able to privatize it or make it so bad that it stops being an option, and they can push a private post office.
Hands up, who thinks Jeff Bezos is still CEO?
No one. But the masterclass in enshittification was pioneered by Bezos, not the current CEO. That's why the FTC quotes him.
Jeff Bezos handed the CEO position to Jassy or whatever the fuck their name is prior to the rocket launch so if it went catastrophically wrong the stock price wouldn’t absolutely tank. Jeff is still a big shaker and mover with the board and effectively is still the CEO, even if not on paper.
As a side note, that was the trip they hyped up as “getting new perspectives from artists” and sent Shatner up there. When they came back down shatner was SHOOK and basking in the afterglow that a new perspective of the insignificance of their self brings and starts trying to articulate such a mind altering experience. Bezos met that energy by pulling out booth babes to champagne shower himself.
Was super tone deaf.
If you want to see it yourself just google “Bezos Interrupts Shatner Champagne”.
“Let's say a product today is sold for $10 on Amazon with 'free shipping'. If Amazon is forced to unbundle the FBA fee from the product price then it would cost $6 + $4 shipping.
In the short term, this is going to bring Amazon even more money. They'll just accept both until a competitor comes along.
I think most customers can figure out the bottom line price including shipping and compare that with other places, eg comparing Amazon to Ebay. What this will mean though is that websites will no longer bundle the price together, shipping and the item will be separated and prices will go up.
Lol FTC is a fucking joke in this country. Nothings going to happen
Amazon is just gonna drag it out until they get a favorable administration to give them a sweetheart settlement.
Like Microsoft did.
Cory Doctorow says this is the best FTC we’ve had in 40 years, and Lisa Khan is “doing the Lord’s work”. I trust him implicitly on such matters.
Is it the FTC's fault at all? Lina Khan is doing great work, and the US has fought against Microsoft's monopoly before. The real problem is the judicial system has no interest in joining this fight.
I wanted to read the whole article, but when I tap on continue reading when this pop up came up, nothing's happening. The pop up will not go away, who coded this website? Why won't this pop up disappear? I am not going to make an account just to read this one news article
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