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Amazon's Monopoly of the tech industry is ruining the US economy (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 months ago by Buttflapper@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

219 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I wanted to get printer photo paper for my printer, a Canon. I went to Walmart, They had nothing. Went to Target, they had one pack of photo paper and it was crazy expensive, so I went to micro center. That one was just as expensive. So finally I went back to Amazon, which I was trying to avoid, and saw the price 25 to 40% lower than anywhere I had been. Literally everything that I was looking for, I could find within seconds. Not even Best buy has even close to the amount of inventory or variety, even when you're shopping online....

Therefore, I think Amazon has a literal monopoly in the tech industry right now, you're literally forced to buy from them, because unless you have the money and financial fortitude to protest with your wallet, you're going to be buying from them. There's no other choice. They have so aggressively and dominantly taken over the supply chain market that no other tech company can currently compete with them in any aspect at all. You will be paying 40 to 50% more on everything by cutting out Amazon, and no one has the money for that anymore unless you're upper middle class or above

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[–] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Boy, do I have some bad news for you...

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/amazon-used-algorithm-essentially-raise-prices-rcna123410

[–] hedgehog@ttrpg.network 5 points 3 months ago

This article literally proves their point. When Amazon doesn’t need to compete (because other sites are indexing off their prices) they raise their prices. When they do need to compete (like in the examples OP mentioned) they keep their prices low.

[–] crashfrog@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

“Essentially” is the load-bearing weasel word here that allows this story to blame Amazon for their competitors choosing to offer the same goods at higher prices.

[–] TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"Competitors choosing" is usually considered to be price fixing, which is anti-competitive and/or monopolistic. Amazon et al aren't the only US companies guilty of this or other anti-competitive behaviors, even if they're a notable example.

[–] crashfrog@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"Competitors choosing" is usually considered to be price fixing

No? It isn’t?

Where do you think prices come from?

Amazon et al aren't the only US companies guilty of this or other anti-competitive behaviors

How is this anti-competitive?

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

At least we can all agree that carpos fix prices in the regular course of business once oligopoly is established.

[–] crashfrog@sopuli.xyz 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Price fixing is rare because you gain so much by defecting from the cartel.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Well recent bouts of inflation say otherwise but sure you can keep spouting some generic econ 101 slop 🤡

[–] crashfrog@sopuli.xyz 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Well recent bouts of inflation say otherwise

They don’t, in fact.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 3 months ago

I trust u bro