3 ms·

Dumb government. Higher prices and less variety for you. Why can’t they just let adults buy and sell the way they want to?

logifail 3y ago
> Why can’t they just let adults buy and sell the way they want to? Perhaps we should all go and (re-)read the history of Standard Oil just to refresh our memories of what it looks like if we were to let that happen? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil_Co._of_New_Jersey_v._United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil_Co._of_New_Jersey... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Successors_of_Standard_Oil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Successors_of_Standard_Oil
- mcenedella 3y ago
  You’re arguing that govt action in 1911 effectively alleviated oil and gas industry influence on the economy and politics? Why then did John D Rockefeller (correctly) advise “buy Standard Oil stock” on hearing the news? https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/20/business/us-v-microsoft-the-hometown-in-seattle-bill-gates-is-still-a-hometown-hero.html https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/20/business/us-v-microsoft-t...
EliRivers 3y ago
Why can’t they just let adults buy and sell the way they want to? Would be nice but Amazon are quite keen on not letting that happen.
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  Amazon has never stopped anyone from putting up a website and shipping things to customers.
  - EliRivers 3y ago
    They certainly have stopped people doing it at prices cheaper than they sell through Amazon. They're running a protection racket.
    - dantheman 3y ago
      Don't sell on Amazon if you want to sell at a lower price, it's not that hard.
      - EliRivers 3y ago
        It's not hard at all. We can say the same about someone coming round to smash up your business if you don't give them money. Just give them money, it's not that hard. Just because something is easy doesn't make it okay.
        lotsofpulp 3y ago
        Nonsense to equivocate someone not doing anything to you to someone damaging your property.
        EliRivers 3y ago
        Come up with whatever bullshit you like to fanboy Amazon as much as you need to. The facts don't care.
  - Shish2k 3y ago
    https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/07/emails-detail-amazons-plan-to-crush-a-startup-rival-with-price-cuts/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/07/emails-detail-am...
    - lotsofpulp 3y ago
      Good example, dumping in this manner should be illegal if all the allegations are true.
- mcenedella 3y ago
  How’s that? Amazon is lobbying for legislation to prevent you from purchasing from someone?
  - EliRivers 3y ago
    They don't need to. They have such a big chunk of the market that if you don't sell how THEY want you to, you lose access to a huge chunk of the market. That's the problem. That's the complaint. That sellers who want to sell to buyers who want to buy are forced to do it how Amazon states, for the benefit of Amazon, which means the seller has to put their prices up to cover Amazon's Danegeld, but then may NOT also sell elsewhere at the lower, non-Danegeld price.

logifail 3y ago

> Why can’t they just let adults buy and sell the way they want to? Perhaps we should all go and (re-)read the history of Standard Oil just to refresh our memories of what it looks like if we were to let that happen? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil_Co._of_New_Jersey_v._United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil_Co._of_New_Jersey... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Successors_of_Standard_Oil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Successors_of_Standard_Oil

mcenedella 3y ago
You’re arguing that govt action in 1911 effectively alleviated oil and gas industry influence on the economy and politics? Why then did John D Rockefeller (correctly) advise “buy Standard Oil stock” on hearing the news? https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/20/business/us-v-microsoft-the-hometown-in-seattle-bill-gates-is-still-a-hometown-hero.html https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/20/business/us-v-microsoft-t...

EliRivers 3y ago

Why can’t they just let adults buy and sell the way they want to? Would be nice but Amazon are quite keen on not letting that happen.

lotsofpulp 3y ago
Amazon has never stopped anyone from putting up a website and shipping things to customers.
- EliRivers 3y ago
  They certainly have stopped people doing it at prices cheaper than they sell through Amazon. They're running a protection racket.
  - dantheman 3y ago
    Don't sell on Amazon if you want to sell at a lower price, it's not that hard.
    - EliRivers 3y ago
      It's not hard at all. We can say the same about someone coming round to smash up your business if you don't give them money. Just give them money, it's not that hard. Just because something is easy doesn't make it okay.
      - lotsofpulp 3y ago
        Nonsense to equivocate someone not doing anything to you to someone damaging your property.
        EliRivers 3y ago
        Come up with whatever bullshit you like to fanboy Amazon as much as you need to. The facts don't care.
- Shish2k 3y ago
  https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/07/emails-detail-amazons-plan-to-crush-a-startup-rival-with-price-cuts/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/07/emails-detail-am...
  - lotsofpulp 3y ago
    Good example, dumping in this manner should be illegal if all the allegations are true.
mcenedella 3y ago
How’s that? Amazon is lobbying for legislation to prevent you from purchasing from someone?
- EliRivers 3y ago
  They don't need to. They have such a big chunk of the market that if you don't sell how THEY want you to, you lose access to a huge chunk of the market. That's the problem. That's the complaint. That sellers who want to sell to buyers who want to buy are forced to do it how Amazon states, for the benefit of Amazon, which means the seller has to put their prices up to cover Amazon's Danegeld, but then may NOT also sell elsewhere at the lower, non-Danegeld price.