Last week, Amazon made it clear to the Federal Trade Commission that it wasn’t going to fork over a ton of cash to close an investigation into the e-tailer’s in-app purchase policy. And today the FTC made it clear that it intends to pursue its complaint against Amazon, suing the company in federal court. [More]
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Walmart, Amazon, & Sears Pull Poster Featuring Concentration Camp Sign
By 7.9.14
Oh, those troublesome third-party vendors: In yet another example of why it’s smart to keep the corporate eye on what products you’re shilling, Walmart, Sears, Amazon and other retailers have quickly moved to pull a poster that features a sign from Nazi Germany’s Dachau concentration camp. Yes, that was really for sale. [More]
Amazon’s Latest Attempt To Resolve Feud With Publisher Involves Offering Authors 100% Of e-Book Sales
By 7.8.14
A deal between Amazon and publisher Hachette doesn’t seem likely anytime soon, but that’s not stopping the e-tailer from using its pocketbook to entice a new ally in the fight: Hachette authors. [More]
Amazon Willing To Pick Fight With Feds On In-App Purchases
By 7.2.14
Earlier this year, Apple agreed to refund $32.5 million to customers of its App Store in order to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission that the computer company did little to protect users from inadvertent in-app purchases. The FTC is looking to reach a similar deal with Amazon over its app store, but the online giant has said the government will probably have to make its case in court. [More]
Amazon Official Says Feud With Hachette Is In The “Long-Term Interest Of Our Customers”
By 7.2.14
Apparently, removing preorders and delaying the shipping of books from a publishing company you’re feuding with isn’t a big deal if you happen to be the top online retailer. That’s pretty much how one official with Amazon describes the e-tailer’s recent tactics in negotiating with Hachette Publishing Group. [More]
Report: Amazon Launching Local Takeout Service To Compete With The Likes Of GrubHub, Seamlesss
By 6.26.14
Hot on the heels of the news that the many-armed, grabby beast that is Amazon is set on providing local services for its customers, it’s reportedly working on another foray into the e-commerce world, this time with its test of an online local takeout service, similar to GrubHub, Seamless and others. [More]
FAA Delays Robot Uprising, Says No To Amazon Delivery Drones… For Now
By 6.24.14
While the Second Industrial Revolution — by which I mean an actual revolt against humankind by sentient machines — is inevitable, it may be delayed a while after the Federal Aviation Administration is attempting to clarify its authority to regulate the commercial use of small, remote-controlled aircraft and has specifically called out package-delivery drones, like those planned by Amazon and others, as something it currently deems illegal. [More]
German Publishing Association Files Complaint Accusing Amazon Of Antitrust Violation
By 6.24.14
Tensions between Amazon and German book publishers reached new heights this week as a German literary association formally accused the e-tailer of violating competition laws for delaying shipping and stopping orders of certain books in order to muscle its way into better a deal for splitting the revenue brought in through book sales. [More]
Amazon Finally Unveils Details Of 3-D Fire Phone
By 6.18.14
After weeks, months, millennia of speculation that Amazon would get into the phone business, the e-tail giant has finally unveiled the smartphone it had been promising (via “leaked” stories and quotes from “people close to the situation”) since the dawn of man. So what is it and is it worth spending your hard-earned (or even your stolen) money on? [More]
Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Costco Agree To Finally Put Unit Pricing Online
By 6.17.14
When shopping online, it can be difficult to compare prices between similar products because they come in slightly different size containers — or to see if you’re really getting a good deal by buying in bulk — because many e-tail websites don’t include unit pricing to tell you many dollars per ounce/gram/liter or other standard unit of measure. But today, some of the biggest names in retail agreed to start listing unit prices, while the biggest name in online shopping won’t commit. [More]
New Amazon Phone Will Reportedly Be An AT&T Exclusive
By 6.17.14
Seven years ago, AT&T scored millions of new customers by being the only U.S. wireless provider to offer the Apple iPhone. That exclusive has long since faded into memory and the iPhone is no longer the market dominator it once was. But it looks like AT&T might be hoping that lightning strikes twice, as a new report claims that the Death Star will be the sole carrier for Amazon’s rumored smartphone and/or sex toy. [More]
OSHA Issues Citations Following Worker Death At Amazon Warehouse
By 6.13.14
Following the December 2013 death of a temporary worker at an Amazon fulfillment center in New Jersey, the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration has issued citations to five companies involved in staffing the warehouse, while also revealing that it is investigating another death at an Amazon facility in Pennsylvania. [More]
Amazon Creates Streaming Music Service, But Don’t Expect To Hear New Releases
By 6.12.14
If you’re a fan of six-month old music releases and happen to have a Prime membership, then Amazon’s newly launched streaming music service might be for you. [More]
Report: Amazon Testing Marketplace That Connects Consumers To Local Service Providers
By 6.11.14
Move over Angie’s List and Yelp, Amazon is reportedly launching a new marketplace to connect consumers with everyday service providers such as plumbers, babysitters and magicians. [More]
Amazon Is Only Hurting Itself In Standoffs With Book, Movie Companies
By 6.11.14
Amazon is an incredibly important player in retail, especially when it comes to selling books and movies. But its ongoing efforts to strong-arm publishers and movie studios into better wholesale pricing are going too far and may only end up biting the e-tailer in the butt in the future. [More]
Amazon Launches PayPal-Like Payment System For Consumers, Businesses
By 6.9.14
Amazon is quickly turning itself into an online one-stop-shop for consumers. Next up for the e-tail giant? Entering the e-commerce fold with a new payment product system that puts it in direct competition with PayPal. [More]
Stephen Colbert Upset That Stephen Colbert Books Are Hard To Buy On Amazon
By 6.5.14
TV personality Stephen Colbert usually prides himself on unbiased reporting and sticking to the facts (at least the ones that matter to him), but now he’s taken the rare step of putting himself in the middle of the fight between Amazon and publishing biggie Hachette Book Group… mostly because it means his books sales are being affected. [More]
Amazon Teaser Video Is Either Selling 3D Phone Or Amazing Sex Toy
By 6.4.14
Amazon is trying — perhaps a little too hard — to interest consumers in the mysterious device it will unveil later this month. It’s probably a 3D smartphone, but if you just listen to the things said in the video, your mind might wander to less family-friendly notions. [More]
