Comments on: 5 free pieces of advice to Amazon, from a very unhappy customer http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/ web business models, information systems, high tech, software economics, SaaS, Software + Service, innovation, new product development, digital strategy, software engineering, remote / mobile / wireless technologies, VoIP, IPTV, blogs, telecommunication business models, computer networks architecture, project management, user-generated content philosophy, entrepreneurial finance, outsourcing, operations - logistics - e-procurement - supply chain management, customer relationship management, telecom billing, clusters of innovation, e-Business, e-Commerce, start-up launch, fast-growing ventures management, globalization + some useless stuff (usually getting the most visits & comments) Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:44:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Jeremy Fain http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62503 Jeremy Fain Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:22:47 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62503 Hello Chris, Thanks very much for your very clear explanation: I didn't know about Lang's law - actually, I heard about it recently when I signed Bezos's petition leafar is pointing to above in the comments. But that's it. Thanks again for the fish. Hello Chris,

Thanks very much for your very clear explanation: I didn’t know about Lang’s law - actually, I heard about it recently when I signed Bezos’s petition leafar is pointing to above in the comments. But that’s it.

Thanks again for the fish.

]]> By: Christophe Démaret http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62493 Christophe Démaret Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:42:48 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62493 Actually I could explain this for the other readers: in order to protect the small libraries, it is forbidden in France to sell a (new) book less than 95% of the official price. Of course, you can't either sell it 95% of the price and give any kind of payback. Amazon and others have just been found guilty of disrespect of this legislation with their free shipping. Since they are already selling books with a 5% discount rate, they can't to anything for the good customers (except apply this discount only to them, as the Fnac is doing). Actually I could explain this for the other readers: in order to protect the small libraries, it is forbidden in France to sell a (new) book less than 95% of the official price. Of course, you can’t either sell it 95% of the price and give any kind of payback. Amazon and others have just been found guilty of disrespect of this legislation with their free shipping. Since they are already selling books with a 5% discount rate, they can’t to anything for the good customers (except apply this discount only to them, as the Fnac is doing).

]]> By: Christophe Démaret http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62492 Christophe Démaret Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:39:28 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-62492 Jérémy > About the 1), you can't have this in France if it applies to books because of the Lang law. Free shipping is already in trouble, so giving anything would definitely be an important legal issue. Jérémy > About the 1), you can’t have this in France if it applies to books because of the Lang law. Free shipping is already in trouble, so giving anything would definitely be an important legal issue.

]]> By: Jeremy Fain http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61932 Jeremy Fain Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:00:31 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61932 Hey Georgia, Nice to see you here. I tend to agree with you, Amazon's operational (logistics, PO management, procurement, shipping, etc.) capabilities are just stunning. On the 'community effect' lock-in though, I don't think Amazon's community is quite as close to matching the power of the eBay community, for instance. Hey Georgia,

Nice to see you here. I tend to agree with you, Amazon’s operational (logistics, PO management, procurement, shipping, etc.) capabilities are just stunning.

On the ‘community effect’ lock-in though, I don’t think Amazon’s community is quite as close to matching the power of the eBay community, for instance.

]]> By: Jeremy Fain http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61931 Jeremy Fain Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:55:57 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61931 Hey Thomas! - Amazon Prime as you say only runs on Amazon.com, which is a shame because I happen to be a global customer of, supposedly, a global company. - As far as video is concerned, I don't see cost as an entry barrier: authors would just be delighted to present their products themselves, so would be readers when reviewing books. Margins are low so enrich the user experience, make it a truly compelling experience and increase the ARPU rather than facing the risk of losing customers like me. Amazon's ONLY competitive advantage is price: Amazon makes sure it offers the lowest prices on the market, which ensures customer lock-in. Until when? Hey Thomas!

- Amazon Prime as you say only runs on Amazon.com, which is a shame because I happen to be a global customer of, supposedly, a global company.
- As far as video is concerned, I don’t see cost as an entry barrier: authors would just be delighted to present their products themselves, so would be readers when reviewing books.

Margins are low so enrich the user experience, make it a truly compelling experience and increase the ARPU rather than facing the risk of losing customers like me.

Amazon’s ONLY competitive advantage is price: Amazon makes sure it offers the lowest prices on the market, which ensures customer lock-in. Until when?

]]> By: Georgia http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61923 Georgia Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:57:05 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61923 Hello, (Great subject ) Jeremy maybe you have just mentioned a paradox even though you are not exactly emphasizing on the antithesis: even without a commercially overwhelming fidelity program, Amazon's success was largely based on somehow loyal customers : its community of buyers (transforming its value and function in e-commerce). So maybe there is a fidelity mechanism, thus more discrete, that not only fidelized but even employed clients as advertisers. Nobody's perfect everywhere:maybe Amazon focused Innovation (CRM+techno: search inside), Logistics and Legal processes with competitors and artists (http://www.amazon-noir.com/index0000.html) leaving clear-minded customers a sense of disappointment to be covered through other forms of book exchange (http://bookmooch.com/) ;) Greetings! Hello,
(Great subject )
Jeremy maybe you have just mentioned a paradox even though you are not exactly emphasizing on the antithesis: even without a commercially overwhelming fidelity program, Amazon’s success was largely based on somehow loyal customers : its community of buyers (transforming its value and function in e-commerce).
So maybe there is a fidelity mechanism, thus more discrete, that not only fidelized but even employed clients as advertisers.

Nobody’s perfect everywhere:maybe Amazon focused Innovation (CRM+techno: search inside), Logistics and Legal processes with competitors and artists (http://www.amazon-noir.com/index0000.html) leaving clear-minded customers a sense of disappointment to be covered through other forms of book exchange (http://bookmooch.com/) ;)

Greetings!

]]> By: Thomas Faivre-Duboz http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61886 Thomas Faivre-Duboz Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:41:48 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61886 Hi Jérémy, Some of the things you are describing are already implemented on Amazon.com (owning a book, fidelity program with Amazon Prime). I think you are too much used to Amazon... the competitors still have a lot to do to reach Amazon's level ;-) Concerning Video & rich media, the problem is cost. How do you pay the video or the 3D visualization of a product ? Margins are still very low and it's not easy to have a large catalog and lots of content & rich media. Hi Jérémy,

Some of the things you are describing are already implemented on Amazon.com (owning a book, fidelity program with Amazon Prime).

I think you are too much used to Amazon… the competitors still have a lot to do to reach Amazon’s level ;-)

Concerning Video & rich media, the problem is cost. How do you pay the video or the 3D visualization of a product ? Margins are still very low and it’s not easy to have a large catalog and lots of content & rich media.

]]> By: leafar http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61832 leafar Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:10:45 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61832 Just move to www.u-lik.com Amazon is a delivery company... less and less a website. I agree with you jeremy on many points and if it was a bad day i would have probably added at least 5 more bullet point. la dernière blague c'est bezos qui me demande de signer une petition http://tinyurl.com/22ecv6 Just move to http://www.u-lik.com
Amazon is a delivery company… less and less a website.

I agree with you jeremy on many points and if it was a bad day i would have probably added at least 5 more bullet point.

la dernière blague c’est bezos qui me demande de signer une petition http://tinyurl.com/22ecv6

]]> By: Kari Silvennoinen http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61826 Kari Silvennoinen Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:27:32 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61826 Well, at least you two have Amazon.yourcountry. Jeremy, I totally agree with on you with 2 - 4. Those make it hard for some one like me who collects a huge list on wish list and then one day might buy some from that "backlist". 1 and 5 are more like nice-to-haves for me. I don't mind that Amazon tries to always offer the hardcover edition, but trying to offer another edition when I've already bought it one? Seriously? Matthias, it looks like Amazon has heard of EU and its advantages. If I remember correclty, some of my shipments have originated from Germany even though I shopped at .co.uk. So, there's definetly a possibility in theory of Single European Amazon (like SEiTunes). There seems to be some reasons these big US companies don't like that idea, though. Well, at least you two have Amazon.yourcountry.

Jeremy, I totally agree with on you with 2 - 4. Those make it hard for some one like me who collects a huge list on wish list and then one day might buy some from that “backlist”. 1 and 5 are more like nice-to-haves for me.

I don’t mind that Amazon tries to always offer the hardcover edition, but trying to offer another edition when I’ve already bought it one? Seriously?

Matthias, it looks like Amazon has heard of EU and its advantages. If I remember correclty, some of my shipments have originated from Germany even though I shopped at .co.uk. So, there’s definetly a possibility in theory of Single European Amazon (like SEiTunes). There seems to be some reasons these big US companies don’t like that idea, though.

]]> By: Matthias http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61814 Matthias Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:36:25 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2008/01/14/5-free-pieces-of-advice-to-amazon-from-a-very-unhappy-customer/#comment-61814 You are so right in many ways! It's a huge pity for me that I can't buy french books with my german amazon account. I would have to create a new one with Amazon France! Isn't that stupid? Although my german account allows me to buy american books on Amazon and to get them shipped from the United States to good old Germany - there is no chance with french books. Did Jeff Bezos ever hear something about the European Union? And our single currency? ;-) You are so right in many ways! It’s a huge pity for me that I can’t buy french books with my german amazon account. I would have to create a new one with Amazon France! Isn’t that stupid?

Although my german account allows me to buy american books on Amazon and to get them shipped from the United States to good old Germany - there is no chance with french books. Did Jeff Bezos ever hear something about the European Union? And our single currency? ;-)

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