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>1) The day Amazon feel threatened they can become the cheapest in the market quickly again. Only if they're being vigilant. Usually the threats to a company's
by naravara 8y ago
>1) The day Amazon feel threatened they can become the cheapest in the market quickly again.
Only if they're being vigilant. Usually the threats to a company's business model come from places they don't expect, so by the time they feel squeezed it's already too late. Consider the examples of RIM and Microsoft.
> 2.) Given purchasing power scale and people like fast delivery there will only be a handful of companies that can complete with Amazon ever, so it seems unlikely there will be a 'started in the garage' business compete with them now the market is maturing.
Again, consider RIM and Microsoft. Apple + Google gobbled up much of their core markets. RIM just withered and Microsoft had to completely redo its business strategy. They're not the Borg anymore as a result.
Amazon's big gains come from taking advantage of low-hanging fruit in technology. It's something most other retailers just didn't have the internal expertise to do. But the Wally Worlds and Targets of the world can catch up eventually. The first mover advantage only lasts for so long.
At this point, the main thing that makes me go to Amazon is one-click ordering. But if things like Apple or Android Pay take off, that would kill much of the advantage Amazon has over other small retailers. I already don't really care for my Prime membership anymore.
And there is always the possibility that our government wises up and starts enforcing anti-trust la. . .no never mind. That's just ridiculous.
- emodendroket 8y agoCall me unimaginative, but I find it unlikely that online retail can be supplanted by some completely different product the way that Blackberries could.
- Drdrdrq 8y agoVR / AR? Or just a better business model that caters customers' needs better...
- emodendroket 8y agoWell, I can only speak for myself, but every time I've used VR I've become nauseated, so I'd rather drive to the store if that's how shopping is done in the future.
- AlexandrB 8y agoSomeone just has to follow the Amazon model and sell to an under-serviced niche market before expanding into different product categories. There are plenty of product categories that are poorly served by modern Amazon[1]. A small competitor specializing in one of these could eventually supplant them. [1] Books, ironically, being one of them. Amazon has gotten lazy with book shipping - often using simple envelopes - and they now arrive damaged more often than not.