3 ms·

TL;DR - No matter how you squint at it, Amazon drives all profits back into growing capacity and market coverage. Amazon alone accounts for around 1% of US reta

TL;DR - No matter how you squint at it, Amazon drives all profits back into growing capacity and market coverage. Amazon alone accounts for around 1% of US retail revenue.

Chronic29 12y ago
1% is an extremely disappointing number seeing that Amazon has been around since before Google. (1994 vs 1998)
bowlofpetunias 12y ago
That 1% means nothing without knowing how much of that retail revenue currently goes through e-commerce. But I have sneaking suspicion that there's still a lot of room for growth. Also, outside of the US Amazon has just barely started to expand beyond books. In most countries online retailers are bracing themselves for the moment Amazon starts eating their lunch. Unless Bezos suddenly has a change of heart, this growth strategy could go on for many, many years.
- pinkyand 12y ago
  > outside of the US Amazon has just barely started to expand beyond books. Not sure it's correct. For example amazon has a 2-day service across Europe from any amazon warehouse in the continent. But maybe what they do is not enough for Europe?
  - eru 12y ago
    Asia is a bit less well served. Australia not at all apart from digital goods.
- jusben1369 12y ago
  In general around 10% of all retail happens online I believe. But it's also pretty clear that the offline/online distinction is becoming more and more meaningless in an omni channel world. I went to 3 different warehouse mattress places on the weekend. Turns out the best mattress was at the first place so I came home and bought it online. If the best mattress had been in the last store I would have bought it 'offline" It's just one of many examples of how the barriers are crumbling.
- ctdonath 12y ago
  this growth strategy could go on for many, many years This growth strategy HAS gone on for many, many years. And it's serving Bezos et al very well.

3 ms·

TL;DR - No matter how you squint at it, Amazon drives all profits back into growing capacity and market coverage. Amazon alone accounts for around 1% of US reta

by ctdonath 12y ago

TL;DR - No matter how you squint at it, Amazon drives all profits back into growing capacity and market coverage. Amazon alone accounts for around 1% of US retail revenue.

Chronic29 12y ago
1% is an extremely disappointing number seeing that Amazon has been around since before Google. (1994 vs 1998)
bowlofpetunias 12y ago
That 1% means nothing without knowing how much of that retail revenue currently goes through e-commerce. But I have sneaking suspicion that there's still a lot of room for growth. Also, outside of the US Amazon has just barely started to expand beyond books. In most countries online retailers are bracing themselves for the moment Amazon starts eating their lunch. Unless Bezos suddenly has a change of heart, this growth strategy could go on for many, many years.
- pinkyand 12y ago
  > outside of the US Amazon has just barely started to expand beyond books. Not sure it's correct. For example amazon has a 2-day service across Europe from any amazon warehouse in the continent. But maybe what they do is not enough for Europe?
  - eru 12y ago
    Asia is a bit less well served. Australia not at all apart from digital goods.
- jusben1369 12y ago
  In general around 10% of all retail happens online I believe. But it's also pretty clear that the offline/online distinction is becoming more and more meaningless in an omni channel world. I went to 3 different warehouse mattress places on the weekend. Turns out the best mattress was at the first place so I came home and bought it online. If the best mattress had been in the last store I would have bought it 'offline" It's just one of many examples of how the barriers are crumbling.
- ctdonath 12y ago
  this growth strategy could go on for many, many years This growth strategy HAS gone on for many, many years. And it's serving Bezos et al very well.