[Ameliafay]

The only one I could find on PBS is

Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos

Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos | Season 2020 Episode 6 | FRONTLINE | PBS

Is this the one you are referring to?

[Bandb875]

Before Amazon it was Walmart. Walmart was going to drive everyone out of business. It didn't. Somehow instead Amazon came along. It provided a service that consumers wanted and it was successful. This is called the free market system. It's works just fine without government interference.

[Westie Man]

Amazon is not a monopoly

[Madelaine Amee]

I have been watching cable TV this morning and just by coincidence there was a piece about Amazon throwing off some of the companies selling virus masks on Amazon. I guess these people have been gouging prices for the masks and Amazon has picked up on it. Kudos to Amazon for reacting so quickly.

[jedalton]

same here, love Amazon

[greenflash245]

absolutely love amazon. absolutely hate all politicians.

[noslices1]

I love Amazon, but don’t have a Prime membership. However, Amazon is one of those HUGE companies that pays NO TAXES, and that needs to change.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

I have been watching cable TV this morning and just by coincidence there was a piece about Amazon throwing off some of the companies selling virus masks on Amazon. I guess these people have been gouging prices for the masks and Amazon has picked up on it. Kudos to Amazon for reacting so quickly.

I saw the story also, but it's not true. Go to Amazon.com and check out the prices for those masks. One merchant has 100 masks for $165, and almost all of them are way more expensive than the normal price. So, Amazon is allowing huge price increases.

[Windguy]

One thing no one has mentioned is that Amazon INCREASES competition amongst manufacturers. When you go to a brick and mortar to buy a widget, you will see very few widgets on the shelf. You have no idea if any are well made or worth the money. There’s little competition there. And the stores you visit might not have what you need in stock.

I recently wanted to buy an oven thermometer. On my usual trip to Publix, I wasted 15 minutes looking for one. I finally asked for help and wasted 5 more as the assistant looked in the same places I looked. We finally found ONE empty hook with a price tag. I was told some should arrive soon. I checked that spot the next few trips with no joy. I even went to Winn Dixie and they had none. I finally broke down and not only found many options, I also learned that the liquid type are more accurate than the metal spring type and I spent less time than I spent wandering the stores.

When you look for a widget on Amazon, you will find many widgets of all shapes, sizes, and colors—each one vying for your business. This brings prices down. It encourages manufacturers to offer more options for their product.

Yes, this is destroying small stores. That’s sad, but it’s life. Technology has always been disruptive. Automation has destroyed many jobs, but would anyone want to go back to the days of blacksmiths and buggy-whip makers?

[72lions]

Originally Posted by Westie Man

Phone service and products were MUCH more expensive before the break up of ATT and that's just facts.

Yes, but largely due to technology rather than government action. There is a reason a 28” TV costs $125. It’s not competition.

[jfkilduff]

They r putting everyone out of business

[Tall4mom]

Prefer to use each company and not Amazon. I find customer service is better that way. Have had a few of botched orders with Amazon and just prefer not using them.

[kfembry]

Love Amazon!

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I agree that Amazon provides a great and reliable service. But, there are Federal antitrust laws that are designed to allow free competition. I have noticed that, no matter what product you want to buy, it is almost always available on Amazon. I will often see a television commercial that promotes a website where you can buy the product. But, usually, you can buy the exact same product on Amazon, sometimes for a lower price. This means that the maker of the product can only compete by paying a fee to Amazon because they can't get enough customers to use their website. (One example is chewy.com for pet supplies). I don't have the answer, but, if you want to sell a product online, you almost have to share your profit with Amazon to be successful.

Not sure that’s true. I buy a LOT online, and most is from Amazon. But if I can buy it from another site at a competitive price and reasonable shipping and fast delivery, I will buy there. Yes, they have to compete with Amazon but that’s how it works. If they offer the same pricing and service they will likely do ok. If they don’t, well, that’s the free market system at work.

[Chi-Town]

I first got Amazon prime to catch up with Breaking Bad episodes that I had missed. Then I checked out the shopping piece, and it's like crack.