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This is true of basically all platforms, including every major cloud provider. AWS's playbook can be described as: 1. Provide low level infra 2. Observe what c

This is true of basically all platforms, including every major cloud provider. AWS's playbook can be described as: 1. Provide low level infra 2. Observe what customers build on it 3. Create a general solution and charge a premium for it 4. Repeat, moving higher up the stack. Not to mention Amazon.com's "Basics" playbook of finding what sells, then knocking it off, releasing their own version (and ranking it higher for search).

djtriptych 5y ago
To be a little fairer to AMZN, they didn't invent store brands. Every major big box retailer/supermarket does this.
- psalminen 5y ago
  There's a 99% Invisible podcast related to the development of store brands[0]. Very interesting listen. [0] https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/podcast-episode/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/podcast-episode/
loceng 5y ago
The issue there needs to be a mechanism, say an added/increased tax, to extract more value from the companies covering more services or industries due to the economies of scale and other advantages - and then that money funneled into smaller, new(er) entrants so there are competitors that can exist as a fallback/failsafe.
- URSpider94 5y ago
  Im not sure I follow. You’re suggesting that the government should somehow get involved to levy taxes on companies based on subjective criteria, like how big they are, and then … fund startups to compete with them? We already have a Small Business Administration that gives loans to small businesses, including start-ups. There’s also an extremely vibrant venture funding industry out there just waiting to write checks. Additionally, it would be hard to argue that Stripe has anything like a payment processing monopoly. If you don’t like their products, use one of the myriad other companies offering payment processing solutions.
  - loceng 5y ago
    It's more complex than this but yes, allow smaller competitors to exist long enough to compete by offering similar enough products as a large, evolved ecosystem/platform provides, as to eventually have competition in place to keep fees/how much they extract from society in check. I didn't argue Stripe has a monopoly but even ogilopolies once mature enough are problematic. Also of you're trying to argue VCs make investments in companies that ultimately make good decisions for society vs. self-interested - then I disagree.

djtriptych 5y ago

To be a little fairer to AMZN, they didn't invent store brands. Every major big box retailer/supermarket does this.

psalminen 5y ago
There's a 99% Invisible podcast related to the development of store brands[0]. Very interesting listen. [0] https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/podcast-episode/ https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/podcast-episode/

loceng 5y ago

The issue there needs to be a mechanism, say an added/increased tax, to extract more value from the companies covering more services or industries due to the economies of scale and other advantages - and then that money funneled into smaller, new(er) entrants so there are competitors that can exist as a fallback/failsafe.

URSpider94 5y ago
Im not sure I follow. You’re suggesting that the government should somehow get involved to levy taxes on companies based on subjective criteria, like how big they are, and then … fund startups to compete with them? We already have a Small Business Administration that gives loans to small businesses, including start-ups. There’s also an extremely vibrant venture funding industry out there just waiting to write checks. Additionally, it would be hard to argue that Stripe has anything like a payment processing monopoly. If you don’t like their products, use one of the myriad other companies offering payment processing solutions.
- loceng 5y ago
  It's more complex than this but yes, allow smaller competitors to exist long enough to compete by offering similar enough products as a large, evolved ecosystem/platform provides, as to eventually have competition in place to keep fees/how much they extract from society in check. I didn't argue Stripe has a monopoly but even ogilopolies once mature enough are problematic. Also of you're trying to argue VCs make investments in companies that ultimately make good decisions for society vs. self-interested - then I disagree.