Amazon could definitely use Zappos' brand recognition in the shoes/fashion market. Amazon tried entering that market under its "Endless.com" brand: http://www.

Amazon could definitely use Zappos' brand recognition in the shoes/fashion market. Amazon tried entering that market under its "Endless.com" brand: http://www.endless.com/ http://www.endless.com/ (I don't know how successful it's been.) Amazon would love to grow into every vertical market, but in branding terms many people still think of them as selling books and media, and maybe electronics. Buying a recognized brand is a significant shortcut, especially if that company can benefit in turn from Amazon's technical infrastructure. Full disclosure: I worked for Amazon from 2005 - 2008.