| The Amazon and Costco situations are different. When they start by doing independent market research, selecting a product, building/sourcing it and marketing it, then analyzing data generated by their own sales of these products in their own stores (brick & mortar or online), they are the same. The DIFFERENCE is that Amazon also hosts other sellers and uses THEIR data. So, an entrepreneur comes along having designed, arranged fabrication, and imports a product, then pays fees to sell it on Amazon. Amazon now uses THE MERCHANT's own data against them to notice the successful product, decide that it will be profitable, then search out the same manufacturer, offer a better deal, start selling on their own market as Amazon Basics, then kick the original seller off the market. [1], [2] It happens repeatedly enough to call it systematic. So, if you are only marginally successful, you can continue selling unmolested. But, if you find good success, Amazon will use your data to chop the top success zone right off of your business, after charging you for services while you spend decades building it. It is even better than Zuckerberg's plan - at least Farcebook doesn't charge you to hijack your data for their purposes - Amazon charges you AND hijacks your data. Just because it evades existing laws does not make it right. I will certainly not be selling anything on Amazon that either 1) I'm 100% certain cannot be reproduced elsewhere or 2) I only intend to be a small or temporary market. [1] https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-competition-shopify-wayf... [2] https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/12/24/amazon-tripod-company-... |