[kdamken]

True, but the point of the Apple store is to sell Apple products, and the Google Play store only sells google devices. Amazon supposedly sells everything. It wasn't created to only sell Amazon products, and it's misleading to consumers to not be more open about that.

Case in point - they sell iPads. Why don't they just sell Kindles? The inconsistency comes off as sleezy.

[res0nat0r]

It's not sleazy, it's smart business. Amazon doesn't sell guns either, and they technically could probably do so if they setup the proper infrastructure and background checks and whatever else to do so.

Just because they are Wal-Mart of the online world doesn't mean they must sell everything everyone wants.

The devices they don't sell are in a heavily contested field, no wonder they don't carry them, that's smart business. It's a bit silly to get self-righteous about it otherwise.

[daveFNbuck]

They do sell streaming devices, though. They just don't sell the ones made by their competitors. Using their position as #1 online retailer to bolster their position as a streaming service is more than just smart business.

It's life if Microsoft had used its market position with Windows to push IE.

[giarc]

Apple sells many products that are not owned by Apple. I can buy headphones by Bose, RHA, BlueAnt, Beats (were on store prior to Apple purchase).

Amazon gets the criticism but they all do it.

Remember, we had a store that was willing to sell all these products, it's called Best Buy and it's on the way out. As consumers we choose to boost Amazon into the leading online position.

[cstejerean]

Yes, Apple also sells premium accessories for their devices including headphones, cases, backpacks, other hardware accessories and even 3rd party software for their devices. They are not a general purpose store. Amazon is, or at least pretends to be.

[giarc]

So you are saying that if you are a general purpose store, you have to offer products from your competitors. Walmart should sell Target brand products, Home Depot should sell Lowes brand products. See my point? Stores just aren't in the business of selling their competitors products.

[stormbrew]

Store brands are not usually made available through general supply chains (or rather, they come from a shortened supply chain), apple and google devices are. And Walmart does sell its "competitor's" products alongside their store brands (where they are available), as does Target, Home Depot, and Lowes. This is because their main business is selling things and having a store brand is just a means to squeek a little more margin out of the things they sell anyways.

Obviously a store is under no obligation to carry every product ever, but this argument that an apple or android tablet is equivalent to a store brand is just silly.

[giarc]

How is an Apple iPhone not equivalent to a Walmart Basics pack of toilet paper? Apple makes the iPhone, Walmart makes the toilet paper. Or atleast companies build these products for their associated brands.

I also ask you to provide an example of where Walmart sells competitor branded products (Target etc). Walmart's brand products, Basics (I believe) are not sold in any other store. Targets brand products (Archer Farms) are not available in any other store.

[ikeboy]

The problem isn't that they aren't selling it themselves, it's that they aren't letting marketplace sellers sell it.

It's like if eBay banned Kindle sales.

[knowaveragejoe]

Absent the select few exceptions, Amazon is a general purpose store. If we're really going to be picky, Apple(and Google) sell products through their store that are "general purpose".

[kdamken]

True - but most of those products support or interact with the core apple products. Amazon offers way more things, like toilet paper and cat food. I'm not sure how they're supposed to interact with a Kindle.

[umanwizard]

"We" made that choice before Amazon started banning competitors' products. That's a recent change.

[giarc]

Has Amazon ever sold new iPhones? Have they ever sold a Nexus phone?

[umanwizard]

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Unlocked-Cellphone-Discontinu...

[giarc]

>(Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Selling surplus stock.