Why Everyone Who Criticizes Amazon Has Never Been Paid to Write on the Internet
Amazon is the biggest and most successful company on the web, but it is also the source of much controversy because of its ever-growing corporate culture, increasing control over what goes on the web, and its attempt to be more like eBay. This newest experiment with how Amazon plans to behave online has been met with not only fierce criticism from members of the community but also a response from Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos.
Reddit, which was originally launched as a website that allowed its users to anonymously post links and comments, has become a valuable tool for those who are critical of Amazon. Consumers can now place a vote with their comments on almost any topic imaginable and sometimes have a vote cast against specific items that were either bought or sold. On eBay, consumers comment on any eBay auctions that they think should be removed from the site.
It’s easy to see why consumers want to make their voices heard on forums and subreddits; however, there are a lot of subreddits and forums dedicated to criticizing Amazon and even linking consumers to where they can place a bid on eBay to get their hands on one of the new Kindle Fire tablets. “Amazon is Dead”Amazon is Dead – Happy 80th Birthday, Daddy!” are just two of the top comments on certain subreddits.
One of the first things that you should know is that Amazon is a publicly traded company that has gone through a difficult few years, and as such, there are a lot of criticisms that go along with this. While Amazon is in some ways a caricature of what a corporation is supposed to be, there are still some truths to be found in their business model, and thus, in the marketplace.
The real question is: Does Amazon’s strategy for interaction online have an impact on eBay? How does this new Amazon mission affect eBay and how will it affect consumers?
When I first started researching the reasons why Amazon is so successful, I thought that perhaps they were buying some of their success by buying goodwill from eBay and turning their latest consumer creation into an advertising vehicle for them. In other words, they are the cause and they are the effect.
The problem with this idea is that if you are a consumer, you don’t really care if Amazon is successful or not. You want to find out if you can get a discounted item at a reduced price, or if you can trade up for a new model, and whether or not you can find the best product for the lowest price, which is true for the average consumer.
Even more troubling is the idea that the company has made the comments and the posts on the subreddits on eBay to fight fire with fire. The current consumer discontent is driving a wedge between two companies and possibly leading to a combination of the two.
Consumers are looking for answers, for some answers, some definitive answer, and for ways to make money and not necessarily look for a way to make money by being a jerk on the internet. There are a lot of opinions online, not all of them are of interest to the average consumer.
Amazon, as a publicly traded company is expected to succeed in the future, and as such, their behavior is not surprising. But what is the fate of the smaller, independent entrepreneurs?
And the question is whether or not the company’s behavior will damage the brand of the parent company or the individual company. Amazon’s attempt to become the place to purchase everything has been a great success, and as such, the company is known for its successful consumer oriented companies.
The reddit team has said that this is just the beginning. Both companies have committed to doing better, and working together to provide quality customer service.
