AMAZON
Fromanonlinebookseller,Amazonhasgrown
intoa gigantice-commerceplayerwithits
tentaclesineverythingfromwebhostingto
streamingvideotogroceries.
TheEuropeanUnion’santitrustchiefhasbeen
conductinganearly-stageprobeintowhether
Amazonis usingdatatogainanedgeonthird-
partymerchants,whoarebothitscustomers
andrivals.Italyhasbeenlookingintowhether
Amazonabuseditsdominancebyoffering
preferentialtreatmenttocompaniesthatused
Amazon’sowndelivery-managementservices.
Cicilline,thecongressman,saidAmazonhas
identifiedbestsellingproductselsewhere,rolled
outreplicasunderitsownbrandandthen
steeredcustomerstoitsownproductsover
thoseofitsrivals.
WhenWarrentweetedinAprilthatbigtech
companieslikeAmazonshouldbebrokenup,
Amazontweetedback:“Walmartis muchlarger.”
AmazonCEOandfounderJeffBezosmadea
similarcaseina recentlettertoshareholders:
“Amazontodayremainsa smallplayerin
globalretail.Werepresenta lowsingle-digit
percentageoftheretailmarket,andthereare
muchlargerretailersineverycountrywhere
weoperate.Andthat’slargelybecausenearly
90%ofretailremainsoffline,inbrickand
mortarstores.”
ButAmazondoesdominateonline.Market
researchcompanyeMarketerexpectsAmazon
toaccountfor52%ofallonlinesalesintheU.S.
thisyear,upfrom48%lastyear.Image: Daniel Acker