Americans are rich enough that they don't just buy the very cheapest thing. A sizable portion of the customers will click on "Amazon's choice" or similar and sp

Americans are rich enough that they don't just buy the very cheapest thing. A sizable portion of the customers will click on "Amazon's choice" or similar and spend a few bucks extra. Consequently, the profit margins aren't that bad. The top spot for pretty much any product niche on Amazon is worth millions. If they can in-house just a few hundred, they've unlocked another billion dollars in value. You have a point, but they're trying to conquer the world. And frankly, when you own the marketplace, pulling it off is easy.