The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, the latest in regulators’ efforts to reign in Big Tech.
Big Tech has been coming under increased scrutiny in recent years, with critics accusing companies of dominating their respective markets and unfairly using their size and influence to do so. FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan has been a vocal critic of Big Tech, and Amazon in particular, making a possible lawsuit against the company unsurprising.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the FTC is looking at whether Amazon unfairly favors its own products and services, and whether it deals unfairly with third-party sellers. Regulators are also scrutinizing whether Amazon Prime unfairly bundles services to Amazon’s benefit.
The Journal’s sources say it’s unclear whether the FTC will file a suit, and Amazon’s executives have not yet met with individual FTC commissioners to make their case. At this point, the FTC could decide either way on whether to pursue action.
Video gamers rejoice! A Tomb Raider TV series is in the works and may be coming to Amazon Prime streaming service.
Tomb Raider is one of the most popular video game franchises and served as the basis for two movies staring Angelina Jolie as well as a third move staring Alicia Vikander. According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, of Fleabag fame, is prepping the TV show as part of a larger overall deal with the streaming giant.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources, while Waller-Bridge is writing the show scripts, she is not slated to star in the series. Waller-Bridge will also be an executive producer for the show.
No information was provided regarding a possible release date.
Amazon has rolled out its latest healthcare endeavor, offering Prime members unlimited prescription for $5 a month.
Amazon has been pushing into the healthcare space, with much of its efforts centered around Prime Pharmacy. The company is doubling down on those efforts with its latest RxPass program, delivering unlimited prescriptions to Prime customers’ doorsteps for a mere $5 a month.
“Prime members already get fast, free delivery on prescription medications, and RxPass is one more way to save with Amazon Pharmacy. Any customer who pays more than $10 a month for their eligible medications will see their prescription costs drop by 50% or more, plus they save time by skipping a trip to the pharmacy,” said John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy. “We are excited to offer our customers surprisingly simple, low pricing on the eligible medications they need each month.”
The company says customers have two different ways to save money, making RxPass an ideal program for individuals that rely on medication to manage ongoing conditions.
Amazon Pharmacy offers choice and convenience, whether customers are paying with insurance or not. When not using insurance, Prime members now have two innovative, affordable options to pay for prescription medications. Prime members who typically take two or more medications per month to manage chronic or ongoing health conditions could save significant time and money with the $5 a month RxPass subscription. Alternately, Prime members can save with the Prime prescription savings benefit—available for no additional fee—to get discounts up to 80% off generic and 40% off brand name medications at more than 60,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including Amazon Pharmacy and the PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy service.
RxPass is certainly one of Amazon’s most aggressive moves into the healthcare space and could help the company carve out a sizable presence, despite early challenges.
Amazon is considering a sports streaming app as the company continues its focus on its Amazon Prime video service.
Amazon Prime is one of the leading streaming services in the US, recently passing Netflix for the top spot. According to The Information, CEO Andy Jassy is determined to build on the service’s success and leverage the numerous sports deals the company has already secured.
According to the report, while no decision has been made, the company sees a standalone sports streaming app as a viable way to expand its presence in the market.
Amazon has discussed doing a stand-alone app for watching sports content, people briefed on the conversations told The Information. The move comes as CEO Andy Jassy doubles down on the company’s streaming ambitions.
Interestingly, Jassy views Prime as a key area that could see increased spending, despite the company looking for ways to cut costs:
Amazon could be thinking about new ways to squeeze revenue out of the billions of dollars in deals it has inked to stream live sports events, which so far it has mostly included in the standard Prime membership. Jassy recently highlighted streaming rights for live sports in particular as a place he’ll likely keep spending even as Amazon steps up its efforts to cut costs in other areas of its business.
Amazon Prime has pulled off a major win against Netflix, supplanting it as the top streaming service in the US.
The latest research comes from Parks Associates, and shows Amazon Prime taking the top spot in the US for the first time in 2022. In previous years, Prime consistently took second place.
Nonetheless, despite Prime’s move up, Parks Associates believes Netflix is well-positioned to regain the top stop.
“Streaming services are introducing new content, services, and partnerships that are changing how consumers interact with video,” said Jennifer Kent, VP, Research, Parks Associates. “Netflix’s ad-supported plan gives the company a way to win back subscribers who left over high subscription prices. It also gives Netflix a path to creating unique accounts for those who have been content to share passwords with friends and family in the past. It’s an exciting time to track these services, with lots of disruption and change.”
Amazon may be trying to lure people to its Amazon Prime with prescription cost savings, but customers aren’t buying it.
Amazon Prime is the company’s popular service that bundles free shipping and lower prices for members. The membership also comes with a variety of other services and features, but it seems that some of them are not very popular.
According to Business Insider, Morgan Stanley conducted a survey to see what services mattered most to Amazon Prime users. The survey found the company’s prescription service ranks dead last among the reasons people subscribe to Prime. In fact, only 2% cited Prime Pharmacy as the reason for signing up.
To put that in perspective, Prime Gaming, Echo/Alexa integration, and Amazon Fresh all ranked higher. The company chalked Prime Pharmacy’s lack of popularity up to its relative newness.
“To compare a newer Prime benefit like the Prime prescription savings benefit, to one like Prime Video or two-day delivery, isn’t a true apples to apples comparison. The Prime prescription savings benefit is relatively new, and we are committed over the long term to making healthcare services easier and more affordable,” the spokesperson told Insider.
Amazon has been aggressively moving into the healthcare industry, even rumored to be interested in Signify Health. Only time will tell if the company’s Prime Pharmacy eventually gains traction.
Amazon has announced partnerships with local retail chains to help them provide same-day delivery to their customers.
Amazon Prime is loved by customers for its fast shipping on products ordered from the company’s website. Amazon is now expanding that perk to local retail companies, such as PacSun, GNC, SuperDry, and Diesel. Customers in more than 10 cities can order products and have them delivered the same day.
Some stores also offer the option to buy online and pick up in store. The service is free for U.S. Prime members who spend $25 or more on qualifying items and $2.99 for members who spend below $25. Additional retailers joining the service in upcoming months include Sur La Table and 100% Pure.
Amazon clearly sees the partnerships as a way to extend its reach and provide customers with an even wider selection.
“The expansion of Amazon’s Same-Day Delivery to include beloved brands delivered directly from nearby retail locations is just another way we are offering customers even greater selection, at faster speeds,” said Sarah Mathew, director of Amazon Delivery Experience. “We are excited to see this new model come to life and look forward to adding more brands, stores, and locations to the program.”
The sentiment was echoed by Amazon’s new partners.
“We see high potential in our expanded seller partnership with Amazon, which includes delivery directly from select PacSun retail locations,” said Mimi Ruiz, vice president of ecommerce at PacSun. “This is one more way for us to offer our customers the styles they want and love, when they want them.”
Amazon is fighting back against a bill making its way through Congress, one that would prevent tech companies from favoring their own products and services.
The American Innovation and Choice Online Act was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Chuck Grassley, and John Kennedy, and has a companion bill making its way through the House, sponsored by Representative David Cicilline. A key element of the bill is a prohibition against companies favoring their own services. In a blog post, however, Amazon says the bill unfairly targets it.
In particular, Amazon says its Amazon Prime service would be one of the biggest casualties. Despite investing some $100 billion in building out its infrastructure to support Prime’s one to two-day delivery, the new bill would force Amazon to open up Prime to third-party logistic providers, allowing them to fulfill orders.
Such a mandate would make it difficult, and potentially impossible in practice, for Amazon and our selling partners to offer products with Prime’s free two-day shipping (let alone one-day). We’ve tried allowing our selling partners to use other logistics providers to get Prime-eligible products to customers; unfortunately, these providers were not able to consistently deliver in the timeframes Prime customers have come to expect (meeting our “delivery promise” is something we measure and monitor extremely closely). Were this legislation to become law, it would substantially degrade the value and quality of Prime, as many of the products sold in our store today with Prime’s one- to two-day delivery promise would be undeliverable in that time frame.
Amazon makes the case that degrading its marketplace, including its Prime service, would hurt countless small businesses that have built their livelihood around selling on Amazon.
Amazon also believes the bill is specifically target it, while excluding its rivals:
Oddly, and inappropriately, this legislation is targeted at only one U.S. retailer—Amazon. This has been accomplished by requiring a market value of at least $550 billion to qualify for regulation. We don’t believe this threshold to be unintentional; but rather, targeted and intentional. In 2021, Walmart had annual revenues of $559 billion, nearly $90 billion more than Amazon. CVS had annual revenues of $292 billion; Costco, $196 billion; and Target, $106 billion. But Walmart is excluded despite also being a large retailer that allows small businesses to sell in its online marketplace. Similarly, Target, which is headquartered in Sen. Klobuchar’s home state of Minnesota, is excluded even though it too operates an online marketplace for sellers. And CVS, which is headquartered in Rep. Cicilline’s home state of Rhode Island, is excluded despite being one of the U.S.’s largest retailers, largest health insurance companies, and largest pharmacy benefit managers, all at the same time.
Amazon’s argument regarding Walmart is further boosted by the fact that the latter company has unveiled its Walmart+ Weekend, it’s own take on Amazon’s Prime Day, further blurring the line between brick-and-mortar retailer and e-commerce giant.
Interestingly, Amazon isn’t the only entity to come out against the bill. In fact, the Independent Women’s Voice group expressed concern over the bill, echoing some of Amazon’s own arguments:
“The days of innovative services making it easier to live, work, and do business, especially during a pandemic, could be numbered if the American Innovation and Choice Online Act passes the full Senate,” said Patrice Onwuka, a senior policy analyst at Independent Women’s Voice, in a statement to WPN. “Today’s affirmative committee vote is very troubling because this bill is not about protecting competition in America, but expanding regulatory control over a handful of large tech corporations, even if to the detriment of consumers.”
Lawmakers have been turning an increasingly critical eye toward Big Tech, making bills like the American Innovation and Choice Online Act an unsurprising development. As Amazon points out, however, if the bill is to succeed, it will need to apply to companies fairly and equitably. If the bill does unfairly target a single company, it could face substantial legal challenges.
Amazon is raising the price of its popular Amazon Prime to $139, a $20 increase over the current price.
Amazon Prime is one of the company’s main selling points, giving customers faster shipping and access to a large catalog of streaming TV and movies. Given its price, at $119 a year, the service is competitively priced, given all it includes.
Unfortunately, the company announced at its fourth-quarter earnings that it was raising the price to $139 a year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Meanwhile, monthly plans will increase by $2 to $14.99 a month.
“Since 2018, Prime Video has tripled the number of Amazon originals,” CFO Brian Olsavsky told analysts, saying that “the continued expansion of Prime member benefits, and the increased use we have seen, along with increased costs and inflation,” were contributing factors in the decision.
Another major factor is likely Amazon’s deal to broadcast Thursday Night Football, a contract that is costing the company $1 billion per year.
The Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) has written the Federal Trade Commission, asking the agency to block Amazon’s MGM purchase.
The SOC represents four unions: the Service Employees International Union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Communications Workers of America and the United Farmworkers. Together, the four unions include some 4 million workers.
The SOC has written an open letter to Ms. Holly Vedova, the FTC’s Acting Director, Bureau of Competition, expressing concerns over Amazon’s proposed purchase of MGM Studios, valued at $8.45 billion.
The letter highlights the current state of the streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) market, a market Amazon is uniquely poised to gain an unfair advantage in.
The SVOD market is in the midst of both massive expansion and increasing vertical integration. The market is currently dominated by an oligopoly of five firms. In 2020, Netflix (20%), Amazon Prime Video (16%), Hulu (13%), HBO Max (12%), and Disney+ (11%) collectively comprised 72 percent of the entire US SVOD market.1 Each of these firms operate their own studios as well as a streaming platform which acts as distribution channel for content they choose to acquire, or, increasingly, that they produce themselves.
The letter goes on to highlight that Amazon’s dominance in other markets, specifically e-commerce, allows the company to offer its SVOD services for free, putting it in a position to abuse its market power.
Amazon’s Prime membership – which bundles free, expedited delivery with streaming video at no additional cost to consumers – is radically different from the per-month-fee model implemented by SVOD competitors. This model, which has already drawn the attention of competition authorities in Europe, involves an aggressive pricing strategy that unfairly leverages Amazon’s dominance in e- commerce into the SVOD market by offering streaming content at no cost to consumers.
The letter quotes former studio exec Barry Diller’s assessment of the deal to sum up the SOC’s objections.
“[When I ran studios] the key point of movies was to please consumers,” but for a service like Amazon Prime “incentives have changed … The system is not necessarily to please anybody. It is to buy more Amazon stuff.”
The SOC’s opposition to Amazon’s MGM deal is just the latest challenge the company is facing amid increasing antitrust scrutiny.
“A set of facts could be put forward that would support that (they are destroying the retail landscape),” says former Walmart CEO Bill Simon. “They’re going through another cycle of it where their CFO in the (earnings) call said we’re reinvesting to drive one-day Prime shipping. That’s going to put more pressure on retailers and give them this Sophie’s Choice. Do I want to go out of business because I’ve lost my sales by not matching them on price? Or, do I want to go out of business because I’ve matched them on price?”
Bill Simon, former CEO of Walmart, discusses how Amazon uses profits from AWS to prop up operating losses in online retail while in the process, destroying competing retail businesses, in an interview on CNBC:
Is Amazon Destroying the Retail Landscape?
They’re running their business model and they’re just doing a fantastic job of it. Who doesn’t like stuff shipped to their house for free? It’s an awesome business model. It’s going to be increasingly challenging for them though because nearly 70 percent of their operating income came from Web Services. If you filter out the operating income from web services and if you take out the operating income for advertising, then there’s a chunk of it that is made in brick and mortar through Whole Foods, or at least there was because they don’t report that anymore, their worldwide retail business is operating break-even or at a loss.
Their international business loses money on $16 billion this quarter in sales. It’s really no wonder that regulators internationally are starting to look at them. A set of facts could be put forward that would support that (they are destroying the retail landscape). Think about it, in North America, they priced at or below cost for many years and didn’t make money. It’s arguable today whether their online business makes money in North America.
This Quarter Is the Poster child For Anti-Competitive Behavior
All the while, Circuit City went out of business, Linens N Things went out of business, Toys R Us went out of business, and then Prime is the driver of it. It went from $79 to $99 to $119. That’s sort of the definition of anti-competitive behavior and anti-competitive pricing. Price below the market and when your competitors start to go out of business you ratchet up your price. This quarter is really a poster child for that. Their North American business grew $6 billion and lost money. Their operating income went down in North America.
They’re going through another cycle of it where their CFO in the (earnings) call said we’re reinvesting to drive one-day Prime shipping. That’s going to put more pressure on retailers and give them this Sophie’s Choice. Do I want to go out of business because I’ve lost my sales by not matching them on price? Or, do I want to go out of business because I’ve matched them on price? I’ve not been able to make any profit because they support their retail business with web services. It’s tough to compete with them when they’re not making money and pricing below cost with online retail.
It’s Not Possible To Do One-Hour Shipping and Make Money
Who doesn’t love stuff free shipping to your house in two days or one day or in an hour? That’s awesome. I use it all the time. Everybody does. But there are consequences to it. As the expenses go up and the price goes up, eventually, Prime has been going up in price sequentially and has to continue to go up. It’s not possible to ship things to your house in one hour and do it at the same price or cost that can make money in retail. It’s just not possible. The packaging alone, the delivery person walking from the street to your front door, start adding up the cost of all that and you can’t make money on a $3 box of breakfast cereal.
So it’s going to be tough. I don’t know that regulators will take that on given the consumers love for it. But if the retail landscape keeps getting impacted and the weaker keep dropping out and it gets down to this battle between the behemoth on the online side and Walmart on the physical side, it gets to be a complicating factor. I think then regulators have to look at it. When that happens it’s hard to tell but this quarter has really kind of the poster child for that.
According to numerous reports Amazon is very close to a deal to buy MGM Studios and its film library for nearly $9 billion with debt. This would significantly alter the streaming wars and give Amazon a huge base of over 4,000 titles, 17,000 hours of TV as well as the Epix pay-TV network. An agreement is expected this week unless their is a last-minute hitch.
Some on Twitter have concerns about Amazon’s growing power. Journalist Dan Primack says that a top Amazon exec told him: “We’ll keep doing big deals until one actually gets blocked, instead of just political rhetoric.”
Amazon talks with MGM confirm something a top Amazon corp dev exec told me just before the pandemic, when I asked if antitrust concerns would slow big acquisitions:
(paraphrased) "We'll keep doing big deals until one actually gets blocked, instead of just political rhetoric."
Another person tweeted: Now that Amazon is buying MGM Studios they’ll be in charge of the entire food supply with Whole Foods, media consumption and propaganda at the Washington Post, and now all Hollywood misinformation. What could possibly go WRONG??? Monopolies in America are Evil.
The deal potential was originally reported by The Information last Monday. Numerous additional news reports were posted in the last hour:
The talks between Amazon and MGM have been on-again, off-again since the start of this year, people close to both companies said. Amazon and MGM have been in exclusive talks in recent weeks, the people said. The MGM board was briefed on the matter Sunday night, a person close to the situation said. There are no guarantees they will ultimately reach an agreement. An acquisition of one the most iconic entertainment brands in the world would be the most aggressive foray yet by a tech giant into Hollywood.
Wall Street Journal
Chatter that Amazon and other tech and media giants have been sniffing around MGM has circulated for some time. But sources indicated that Amazon’s interest in acquiring the studio has taken on a new tenor beyond the usual rumor mill. The deal is said to be being orchestrated by Mike Hopkins, senior VP of Amazon Studios and Prime Video, directly with MGM board chairman Kevin Ulrich, whose Anchorage Capital is a major MGM shareholder.
Variety
In the wake of Monday’s news that Amazon is making a go at MGM, it’s been radio silence. As of Friday, we hear that both sides remain actively in talks and want to get the deal done soon, but the time frame remains undefined.
Deadline
Amazon.com Inc. is nearing a deal to buy the Hollywood studio MGM Holdings for almost $9 billion, said people familiar with the matter, a pact that would turn a film operation founded in the silent era into a streaming asset for the e-commerce giant.
Fox Business
Reports: Amazon Deal To Buy MGM Studios For $9 Billion Nearly Done
Amazon is coming under fire from consumer groups for how it handles Prime cancellation.
Amazon Prime is a wildly popular service the online giant offers, providing expedited shipping, steaming services, ebooks, groceries, gaming and more. Given everything the service offers, it’s $119 per year fee is a good deal, especially compared to other streaming services.
When customers do want to cancel, however, Amazon doesn’t make it easy, running them through multiple prompts and warnings. This has caught the attention of consumer groups in both the US and the EU, according to The Seattle Times.
A Norwegian customer rights group has filed a legal complaint against Amazon, citing the company’s cancellation policy.
“It should be as easy to end a subscription as it was to subscribe in the first place,” said Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad, director of digital policy for the Norwegian Consumer Council. “This practice not only betrays the expectations and trust of consumers but breaches European law.”
Groups in other EU countries have expressed support, sharing similar concerns. Even in the US, the Public Citizen consumer group has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Amazon’s policy.
“Amazon should treat customers with respect instead of trying to undermine their autonomy and fight their decisions,” said Burcu Kilic, Public Citizen’s director of digital rights program.
It remains to be seen if regulators will do anything about Amazon’s Prime cancellation, but the scrutiny is further evidence of the increased pressure Big Tech is under.
One of the largest businesses in the world, Amazon, makes up 77% of all supplement sales online. This percent is larger than the five biggest vitamin sellers combined. However, since many are controlled by third-parties, online supplement legitimacy has grown controversial.
The history of the mismarketed supplement on Amazon is long-lived. Hundreds of articles began emerging about fake products as early as 2013. In June 2020, NPR discovered over 100 dietary supplements illegally marketed as antiviral medications.
Mismarketed supplements come in a variety of forms, including those that:
Wrongfully record doses of active ingredients.
Include unlisted ingredients or ingredients by the wrong name.
Lack of at least one major active ingredient.
The most commonly mislabeled supplements on Amazon range from bodybuilding supplements and CBD products to herbal and dietary vitamins. The goal of supplements is usually to augment or increase heath relative to personal goals, but poorly manufactured supplements often produce adverse, even dangerous effects.
Nearly 5,500 health incidents were reported to the US Poison Control Center over the past year. Vitamins have been known to negatively affect vital organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Worse, overdoses and other forms of supplement poisoning have increased by 35% in less than 25 years. The issues associated with vitamin and supplement use are only increasing, and the industry is not slowing down.
The supplement and vitamin market is one of the most thriving industries worldwide. It is projected that the global market for dietary supplements will surpass $27 billion dollars by 2027. It is safe to assume that the market for supplements — whether they are high quality or not — will only continue to grow over time.
From a business point of view, controlling the 58% of third party vitamin sellers on Amazon’s platform is tricky. Many dishonest businesses are familiar with loopholes in the legal and digital business systems, leading to exploits that include:
Reselling supplements that were not approved through quality control.
Falsely claiming to be located inside of the US to avoid consequences.
Paid for reviews that claim a poor quality supplement is safe for human use.
Tricky business practices make it extraordinarily difficult to purchase safe supplement products through Amazon. This revelation pushed the company to take action, although not as quickly as most had hoped.
Amazon’s Project Zero launched in 2019 in order to combat false advertising and poor business practices listing supplements online. The program utilizes a program that crawls Amazon search listings to identify suspicious, fake, or dangerous products. Unfortunately, the program requires opting-in by small businesses, reducing reach and identification capabilities.
A year later in 2020, Amazon debuted a pilot program to vet new businesses on a live basis. It is hoped that the program will identify poor quality supplements before they hit the market, but the full extent of the program has not yet been tested.
Until better circumstances surround the Amazon supplement industry, it will be important to choose only verified, safe sellers. Look for supplements that follow USDA regulations, possess signs of high quality, and are free from red flags. Until then, this infographic may give further insights.
Walmart is taking aim at one of Amazon’s biggest benefits, fast shipping, by using its stores to speed up delivery.
Amazon Prime is one of the biggest advantages Amazon has, providing free two-day shipping on many products. Many of its competitors have struggled to match its ability to get products in customers’ hands so quickly.
Walmart is preparing to just do that, however, with plans to use its stores to speed up delivery for online shoppers. The company’s decision comes amid one of the most unique holiday seasons, as many shoppers turn to online shopping as a result of COVID-19.
The overall experience should be relatively seamless for most customers, while shipping times may be reduced to as little as same day.
“While our customers won’t see a change in the app or a new service they need to select, they will notice that they aren’t finding themselves checking for shipping updates or sweating arrival times of gifts,” writes Tom Ward, Senior Vice President, Customer Product. “They simply notice their orders are arriving super-fast, even the same day, and maybe in a Walmart bag from a store rather than a Walmart box from Walmart.com.”
Amazon wants to emulate the success of Prime Day every day with ‘Holiday Dash,’ a new section on Amazon with daily deals that “equal Black Friday.”
Amazon says that “with new deals dropping every day starting October 16, customers can shop early and with confidence that they are getting Black Friday-worthy deals and incredible savings on a huge selection of products.”
Here are the announced details on Amazon’s Holiday Dash deals:
Amazon Brands
Save up to 30% on select kid’s clothing and more from our brands including Amazon Essentials, Spotted Zebra, and Simple Joys by Carter’s
Save up to 30% on select men’s and women’s clothing and more from our brands including Amazon Essentials, Daily Ritual and Goodthreads
Save up to 20% on AmazonBasics
Save 40% on Wag dog food, and treats
Save 20% on household and personal care products from Solimo
Save 20% on Presto! Refillable Cleaners
Save 20% on baby care products from Mama Bear and Solimo
Save 20% on Belei skincare
Save 20% on nutrition and wellness products from Amazon Elements and Revly
Save 20% on coffee, snacks, and other grocery essentials from Solimo, Happy Belly, and Amazon Fresh
Toys & Games
Save up to 40% on Star Wars toys
Save up to 40% on Collectible toys from L.O.L. Surprise!, Calico Critters, Fingerlings, and more
Save up to 30% on Hot Wheels toys
Save up to 30% on Building Sets from LEGO, Magna-Tiles, and PlayMonster
Save up to 30% on Marvel toys
Save up to 30% on Fortnite, Pokemon, Roblox and more
Save up to 40% on Tegu Building Blocks
Save up to 30% on Funko POPs!
Save up to 30% on Arts & Crafts sets
Save 30% on Evenflo Pivot Explore Wagon
Save up to 30% on preschool toys from Jazwares, Spin Master, Hape, and more
Save on AmScope 52-piece kids beginner microscope STEM kit
Fashion
Save up to 40% on select apparel from Calvin Klein
Save up to 40% on select Levi’s apparel for the whole family
Save up to 40% on Star Wars apparel
Save up to 30% on select New Balance footwear and apparel
Save up to 40% on select Tommy Hilfiger apparel
Save up to 40% on select kids’ clothing from Gerber, Hudson Baby, and more
Save up to 50% on select watches from Citizen, Bulova, Anne Klein, and more
Save up to 30% on select Lacoste apparel, shoes, and accessories
Save up to 30% on Marvel apparel
Save up to 30% on select seasonal fashion trends
Save up to 25% on select Nautica men’s and women’s apparel
Save up to 48% on select Hanna Anderson pajama sets and underwear styles
Save up to 30% on select styles from The Drop
Save up to 40% on select women’s shoes from Shopbop
Save up to 15% on select women’s accessories from Shopbop
Household, Kitchen, Home Improvement & Smart Home
Save on Le Creuset Cast Iron and Stoneware, including up to 48% on select Le Creuset 3.5Qt Oval Dutch Ovens
Save up to 50% on select Bissell Vacuums
Save up to 40% on SharkNinja Shark Navigator Lift-Away
Save up to 35% on Eufy by Anker RoboVac
Save up to 30% on Eureka Stick Vacuum
Save on iRobot Robotic vacuums and mops
Save up to 30% on iLife Robotic vacuum cleaner
Save up to 25% or more on Samsung vacuums
Save up to 36% on select Blueair air purifiers
Save up to 20% on select Molekule air purifiers
Save up to 40% on KitchenAid tools
Save up to 20% on the Instant Pot Duo Mini Plus
Save up to 30% on Hallmark gift wrap, ornaments, and cards
Save up to 20% on select Breville Smart Ovens
Save up to 20% on OXO BREW coffee makers
Save up to 30% on Tineco floorcare products
Save on Ninja AF161 Air Fryer and Ninja FG551 Foodi Indoor Smart Grill
Save on select SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Bundles
Save on the Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker
Save up to 20% on OXO Good Grips Smart Seal and bakeware
Save up to 35% on Ayesha Curry Cookware
Save 30% on Linenspa 10″ hybrid mattresses
Save up to 30% on Zinus furniture and mattresses
Save 30% on Sweetnight mattresses
Save up to 30% on Moen bathroom fixtures and up to 20% off on Moen kitchen products
Save up to 25% on select Hansgrohe products
Save 15% on GE Profile Ice Maker
Save 20% on select Broan appliances
Save up to 15% on select Delta Faucet products
Save up to 15% on Whirlpool softeners
Save 15% or more on gaming, home education and home office furniture
Save on select August Smart Locks
Save on select Kwikset Smart and Mechanical Locks
Save on Smart Home products from Emerson, Kasa TP-Link, and more
Beauty, Health & Personal Care
Save up to 50% on your favorite Premium Beauty brands from Elemis, Mario Badescu, Redken, and more
Save up to 40% on Premium Beauty appliances from T3, Foreo and more
Save up to 40% on Waterpik and Colgate oral care appliances
Save up to 45% on skin care from NIVEA, Aquaphor, and Eucerin
Save up to 30% on hair dryers and products from Revlon, Bed Head, and more
Save up to 35% on razors from Braun, Gillette, and more
Save 33% on Panasonic and Norelco shavers
Save up to 20% on Fitbit Activity and Fitness Trackers
Electronics
Save up to 33% on select Nintendo Switch games
Save up to 35% on Nixplay Digital Frames
Save up to 30% on Kodak Instant Cameras and Printers
Save 25% on Adobe Creative Cloud Entire Collection
Save up to 20% on Samsung TVs
Save up to 20% on Sony TVs
Save up to 50% on JBL Speakers
Save up to 33% on Sony Headphones
Save up to 33% on Bose Headphones
Save up to 40% on select Mynt 3D printing pens and accessories
Save 30% on Mynt 3D PRO Pen with OLED Display
Save up to 30% on VAVA 4K Projectors
Save up to 30% on TaoTronics Headphones
Small Businesses on Amazon Launchpad
Save up to 50% on Kids Against Maturity: Card Game for Kids and Families
Save up to 30% on the SOLIOM S600 Outdoor Security Camera
Save up to 25% on the Zen Laboratory DIY Jumbo Slime Kit for Kids
From October 26 to November 19, Prime members can save 10% or more on select unique products from small brands on Amazon Launchpad like: Mobile Pixels Duex Portable Monitor for Laptops and Scentered Travel Essentials Aromatherapy Balm gift set
Entertainment: Amazon Music, Audible, Books & Prime Video
Amazon Music: Beginning October 23, new Amazon Music Unlimited customers can get three months of the premium streaming tier free, to enjoy unlimited access to more than 60 million songs, ad-free and a wide selection of popular podcasts.
Amazon Music: Beginning October 29, current Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can upgrade to the Family Plan free for three months, with access for up to six accounts.
Audible: Between November 1 and December 31, new members save nearly 40% on the first six months of an Audible Plus membership at just $4.95 per month. Membership includes unlimited access to more than 10 thousand Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
Books: Deals on select multi-genre books and ebooks throughout the season
Prime Video: This holiday season, Prime Video will offer up to 50% off select popular Halloween, family and holiday movies to rent or buy. Deals will roll out over the next few months, so be sure to check www.amazon.com/pmd for updates.
Amazon Gift Cards
Starting today, customers using Amazon Reload to replenish their Amazon Gift Card balance for the first time will receive a $10 bonus with their reload of $100 or more. Offer available through December 31.
Starting October 26, first-time Amazon Gift Card shoppers will receive a $15 promotional credit with the purchase of $50 or more in Amazon Gift Cards. Offer available through December 20. The promotional credit expires on February 6, 2021. Other restrictions apply.
Amazon Credit Cards:
Now through December 22, with an eligible Prime membership, customers who apply and are approved for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card will instantly receive a $100 Gift Card. Prime Cardmembers earn 5% back at Whole Foods Market and Amazon.com. Additionally, starting November 1 through December 22, customers without a Prime membership can apply for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card and receive a $60 Gift Card upon approval, in addition to earning 3% back at Whole Foods Market and Amazon.com as a cardmember. Restrictions apply. Visit amazon.com/visa for details.
Automotive, Tools and Lawn & Garden
Save 50% on tire installation
Save up to 25% on Miracle-Gro Expand ‘n Gro concentrated planting mix
Save 25% on Castrol GTX Conventional motor oil
Save 20% on Select Tonno Pro Tonneau covers
Save up to 20% on select Streamlight flashlights
Save on select DEWALT cordless drills and tools
Save up to 30% on select SKIL tools
Save up to 15% off on select ZGrills Pellet Grills & Smokers
Save up to 15% on Shintenchi 4 piece wicker rattan outdoor patio furniture set
Save on select Renogy monocrystalline solar panels
Sports & Outdoors
Save up to 20% on Select Coleman Tents & Gear
Save up to 20% on select CamelBak kids water bottles
Save up to 25% on select Sawyer Products water filters
Save up to 30% on select Stanley drinkware
Save up to 28% on select Segway scooters and kids bikes
Save up to 30% on select Stiga table tennis rackets and Zume badminton set
Save up to 30% on select Legendary Whitetails apparel
Save up to 30% on select Osprey Outdoor Packs
Pets
Save 20% on Catit Creamy cat treats
Save on Petsafe electronic dog toys
Save on The Honest Kitchen human grade pet treats
Save on Friends Forever donut pet beds
Whole Foods Market:
Both in-store and online, Prime members can receive discounts on customer favorites including 35% off Bare Bones broths and 35% off all packaged teas, available now through October 27.
Available now through October 20, customers can get 20% off pumpkins and gourds – excluding squash.
Walmart launches Walmart+ a subscription service that competes directly with Amazon Prime and costs only $98 a year or optionally $12.95 a month. Walmart’s membership option is now available to customers across the country. Membership includes free 15-day trial period.
“We can’t wait for customers to use Walmart+ as a way to keep more time on their calendars and money in their pockets,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer, Walmart. “We designed Walmart+ to be the ultimate life hack for customers, pulling together benefits they told us would be most helpful to them today and in the future. Its usefulness will only grow from here.”
The initial list of Walmart+ benefits is below. The company says that the list of benefits will continue to grow over time:
Unlimited free delivery: In-store prices as fast as same-day on more than 160,000 items from fresh produce, to milk, eggs and bread to tech and toys to household essentials. This service was previously known as Delivery Unlimited – a subscription service that allows customers to place an unlimited number of grocery deliveries for a low, flat yearly or monthly fee. Current subscribers will automatically become Walmart+ members.
Scan & Go: Unlock Scan & Go in the Walmart app – a fast way to shop in-store. Using the Walmart app, customers can scan their items as they shop and pay using Walmart Pay for a quick, easy, touch-free payment experience.
Fuel discounts: Fill up and save up to 5 cents a gallon at nearly 2,000 Walmart, Murphy USA and Murphy Express fuel stations. Sam’s Club fuel stations will soon be added to this lineup.
Bill Simon, former CEO of Walmart, discusses the launch of Walmart+ designed to take on Amazon by combining free delivery of groceries and general merchandise within a paid subscription service:
Walmart+ Goes Head To Head With Amazon
Walmart has long coveted a subscription service to go head to head with Amazon. They tried three or four times but this one is different. Walmart+ combines both their grocery and their general merchandise strength which is really trying to recreate the supercenter online through a subscription service. If they can use the frequency of their food business to also help sell their general merchandise line they can mix it out better and hopefully get to profitability sooner.
Retail has actually been better (this last quarter) than most people have expected. It’s not been even. There have been categories and retailers who have struggled. By and large, its help up pretty well. The pandemic accelerated digital ecommerce development by five to ten years. If you were not up to speed on that or didn’t get up to speed very quickly you would be behind. As we head into the fall it will be really interesting to see how it goes.
Holiday Selling Season Uncertain
Typically, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, that weekend has been really critical to the selling season. If you missed that it would be very difficult to have a really good holiday selling season. With the delayed openings now and Thanksgiving not on the line, the focus is going to be online and there won’t be as many in-person Black Friday deals. It’s going to be difficult for retailers to make up all that volume online. The holiday selling season is going to be a bit uncertain.
I’m really speaking from the consumer perspective when I say that digital ecommerce accelerated by five to ten years in the last six months. It accelerated at that pace and people had to head in that direction. That is likely where retail is going to head but it is going to still be a mix. The vast majority of retail will remain brick and mortar but ecommerce will take a larger role in the facilitation by online pickup in store. Customers are now completely blending the omnichannel retail experience.
The Amazon Effect: Digital Sales Rule!
There’s also been really a change from an investment standpoint. This has been really more the Amazon effect than anything I can think of. Five years ago, it used to be, grow your profit faster than your sales and your share price would move forward. Now, if you’re not growing digital sales at a hyperactive rate it’s really hard to get a good valuation on your company. Walmart is a great example of a retailer employing this strategy.
They’ve invested a ton of money, almost a third of their operating income they’ve given up in order to build an ecommerce business. Yet, investors have rewarded them by buying their stock. It’s near historic highs.
Amazon has entered the super hot podcasting arena, adding podcasts to their Amazon Music platform. All podcasts will, of course, be able to be accessed via Alexa, through its voice-activated Echo speakers, and are free to Amazon Prime members. Check the podcasts out here: Amazon Podcasts
“Our customers’ listening habits are constantly evolving, and we know they’re looking to us to provide them with a rich experience rooted in music and entertainment,” said Steve Boom, VP of Amazon Music. “With this launch, we’re bringing customers even more forms of entertainment to enjoy, while enabling creators to reach new audiences globally, just as we’ve done with music streaming. Podcasts, paired with our recent partnership with Twitch to bring live streaming into the app, makes Amazon Music a premiere destination for creators.”
Popular shows such as Crime Junkie, What A Day, Radiolab, Revisionist History, Planet Money, Ear Hustle, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, and Stuff You Should Know are available now, and millions of episodes from top shows, with more being added all the time. Amazon Music will also soon be the exclusive home of the music-meets-true-crime podcast, Disgraceland, a show exploring the criminal antics and connections of some of the world’s favorite musicians, from the Rolling Stones to Tupac. Disgraceland’s narrative storytelling highlights tales of getting away with murder and behaving badly, chronicling some of the craziest criminal stories surrounding some of the most interesting and infamous pop stars. Disgraceland will arrive exclusively on Amazon Music in February 2021.
“Partnering with Amazon Music allows me to really give my listeners what they’ve always asked for: more Disgraceland content,” said Jake Brennan, host of Disgraceland and cofounder at Double Elvis Productions. “Through this partnership with Amazon Music, we’re enhancing the future of the show for fans, expanding our output of content by moving to an ‘always on’ weekly schedule, which will translate to more episodes for listeners on a more consistent basis.”
Amazon Music has also partnered with creators to produce original, exclusive podcasts. Coming soon, customers will be able to listen to “The First One,” a new audio experience hosted by one of the most prolific hit makers of the 21st century, DJ Khaled. Developed by Amazon Music and the Springhill Company, in “The First One” the mogul and superstar will interview his all-time favorite artists about the hits that made them iconic and eventually legendary.
“I’m recording my podcast with the greatest musicians of all time, and with some of my best friends who also happen to be the most iconic artists on the planet,” said DJ Khaled. “We’ll talk about fame, fortune, life, and success. These stories are here to motivate you because everybody starts from somewhere, from the ordinary to extraordinary. Before you get to another one, you got to get to ‘The First One,’ only on Amazon Music.”
Also coming to Amazon Music is a brand-new multimedia podcast hosted and curated by superstar Becky G, featuring audio and corresponding video broadcast on Amazon Music’s Twitch Channel. Titled “En la Sala,” every week, you’re invited to join Becky G as she calls on some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, her familia and friends, to discuss Latinx pride, women empowerment, LGBTQ+ rights, relationships, politics and sports, all while unpacking the most important issues facing the Latinx community today. Developed by Amazon Music and Gema Productions, Becky G has also dedicated each episode to a nonprofit organization related to the theme of the week. With a charitable donation attached to each episode to pay it forward to organizations directly impacting the Latinx community in a positive way, Becky sets the standard for her guests and listeners, since En La Sala, you can’t just talk about it – you have to be about it too.
“To me, my voice has always been about more than just singing, it’s using it for the greater good and creating a destination for change,” said Becky G. “In quarantine, with so much time to consider the world around us, it felt like the perfect opportunity to open a new line of communication and pay it forward, and I’m so thankful that Amazon Music and Gema approached me with the opportunity to create this podcast. I’m excited to be joining forces with Amazon Music so we can start to have conversations about looking within to see how we can all be better.”
Broadcasting legend Dan Patrick and IMDb will soon give movie fanatics exclusive interviews with top Hollywood stars in his new show, “That Scene with Dan Patrick.” Produced in collaboration with IMDb, this new podcast will dissect memorable scenes from some of the biggest films and television series. And coming soon to Amazon Music and Audible, is a project from Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Audio, a co-production with Audible.
With Amazon Music visual apps on mobile and web, customers will be able to discover new favorites through curated recommendations across top categories, popular podcasts charts, and access to trailers on show pages. Whether listening on mobile, web, or on Echo devices with Alexa, Amazon Music makes it easy for customers to find, start, and continue listening to their favorite podcasts throughout the day. Only with Amazon Music can customers ask for the latest episode of their favorite show on Echo Auto during their morning commute, resume playback on their phone while working out, and seamlessly move to their Echo device when getting home – just by asking Alexa, with no additional sign in or device linking needed.
“We’re thrilled to offer customers a convenient podcast listening experience that fits their lifestyle,” said Kintan Brahmbhatt, Director of Podcasts for Amazon Music. “Never before has listening to podcasts on the move, in the car, or at home been so simple. Our customers will be able to utilize the voice functionality they know and love with music, to now enjoy a superior podcast experience and uncover a brand-new selection of favorites.”
Podcasts are now available to stream on all tiers of Amazon Music at no additional cost, including free access on Echo, web, and in the Amazon Music mobile app.
iOS users can finally purchase Amazon Prime Video content in-app, significantly improving the user experience.
The Verge was the first to notice the change, and confirmed the prices for content did “not appear to have been raised to account for the 30 percent fee, as some platform owners like Spotify have done in the past. It was not immediately clear whether Amazon reached a deal with Apple or whether it is indeed deciding to pay the full cut.”
In a statement to 9to5Mac, however, Apple confirmed it was an “established program for premium subscription video entertainment providers to offer a variety of customer benefits,” including “the option to buy or rent movies and TV shows using the payment method tied to their existing video subscription.”
While Apple calls it an “established program,” when it was established remains to be seen. Logic would dictate that if this program had been available all along, Amazon would have taken full advantage of it from day one. Instead, iOS users have had to purchase content via their web browser or other method, rather than in-app. As any marketer will attest, the more steps in a process, the less likely someone is to follow through with a purchase.
Whenever this “established program” went into effect, it’s good news for Amazon and similar services. It is also good for customer ease-of-use, although it’s probably safe to say there’s about to be a lot more impulse movie and TV show purchases.
Reuters is reporting that a U.S. appeals court has refused to revisit an October ruling that upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality.
In 2017, the FCC repealed net neutrality rules that had been implemented under the Obama administration. The net neutrality rules prohibited companies from blocking or throttling traffic, or charging extra for so called “fast lanes.” Without net neutrality, companies like Comcast—which provides internet service and owns cable TV channels and a movie studio—could throttle traffic to competing companies, such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. Alternatively, companies could charge more to access those competing services.
Such a scenario would end up being costly to consumers and could unfairly prevent media startups from having a chance of success. After all, if consumers can’t access their sites, apps or services without paying more, new companies may be doomed from the get-go.
As a result, consumer groups, industry groups and tech companies all opposed the repeal, warning of the potentially disastrous consequences. Today’s ruling, however, represents a big win for FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who pushed for the repeal.
Now, net neutrality’s future is in the hands of individual states, some of whom have already passed their own rules. While the FCC initially said states could not pass net neutrality laws on their own, the October ruling said the FCC overstepped and had no authority to prevent states from taking such measures.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured guilty pleas from two programmers who ran massive illegal streaming sites, following an investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Darryl Julius Polo plead guilty “to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, one count of criminal copyright infringement by distributing a copyrighted work being prepared for commercial distribution, one count of copyright infringement by reproduction or distribution, one count of copyright infringement by public performance and one count of money laundering.” His co-defendant, Luis Angel Villarino plead guilt “to one count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement.”
According to the report, at least one “site called iStreamItAll (ISIA), an online, subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas that permitted users to stream and download copyrighted television programs and movies without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. Polo admitted that he reproduced tens of thousands of copyrighted television episodes and movies without authorization, and streamed and distributed the infringing programs to thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the U.S. Specifically, Polo admitted that ISIA offered more than 118,479 different television episodes and 10,980 individual movies. In fact, according to the plea agreement, ISIA had more content than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon Prime, and Polo sent out emails to potential subscribers highlighting ISIA’s huge catalog of works and urging them to cancel those licensed services and subscribe to ISIA instead.”
Evidently, Polo ran a sophisticated set of automated scripts that scoured pirate sites, torrents and Usenet groups 24/7 looking for new content. The content was then processed, stored and made available to subscribers of ISIA and Jetflicks, the other site in question. Both ISIA and Jetflicks were designed to work on a variety of operating systems, mobile devices, set-top boxes, consoles and smart televisions.
The level of sophistication is truly impressive and likely only a taste of what’s to come as technology continues to be democratized.
