Amazon's practices are 'the essence of competition,' it tells judge

Amazon is asking a judge to dismiss the antitrust case filed against it by the Federal Trade Commission and 17 states, arguing the case fails to allege any anticompetitive conduct or harm to consumers from its behavior. According to the motion to dismiss [PDF] filed by Amazon's lawyers Friday, the practices the FTC singled out …

[Pascal Monett]

"including it in the case at all makes the argument untimely"

Yes, Your Honor, I killed that person in 2019, but you're late to the game and that date is expired.

Sure. Play it your way. That always works with a judge.

[b0llchit]

There is no option. It is inevitable. It is how nature works.... Says the shark to the food.

Hello shark, I'm the FTC and am the natural predator of sharks to keep your species in check. Would you to be hit hard or would you like to be hit harder?

[Anonymous Coward]

The natural predator of sharks are bigger sharks and orcas. The current FTC seems to be neither.

[Doctor Syntax]

Of course they're competitive. They're outcompeting all the little people, aren't they? How dare anyone say anything different?

[Anonymous Coward]

Originally when I worked at Amazon they kept drilling the messaging in to us that Amazon doesn't focus on the competition. We focus on the customer. Right.

[Krooty]

The prices are great! The Products? Ignore those!

The FTC is missing a trick by focusing on the money alone. And Amazon is digging it's own little ditch by highlighting that, so long as the FTC pulls it's head out.

Moves like Amazon basic, and the promotion of "prime" allow inferior products to flood the market. The consumer spends less and gets timely delivery, sure. But they are receiving considerably less for their money's worth and Amazon's systems - both through a lack of product curation and a lack of verification of reviews - are causing that to impact the whole market. That is a clear injury to consumers.

[John Savard]

One Thing Right

That online sellers going through Amazon need to use its fulfillment service to qualify for free shipping is indeed not anti-competitive behavior. Amazon can only provide its own services for free, anyone else's shipping is something somebody has to pay for - whether the seller or Amazon itself to make it "free". As far as the rest of the complaint goes, though, I would have been inclined to view it as valid.

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazon is nothing more than

the 21st Century Wallmart

Ironically... they could well be driving Walmart out of business in some places.

Avoid using Amazon unless there is no other choice. Your wallet will thank you.

[I miss PL/1]

Re: Amazon is nothing more than

Actually it is more like the early days of Sears when all they had was the catalog. Now that Sears is almost gone Amazon wants to takeover the stores and become Sears. And the circle continues.

[Jimmy2Cows]

Some classic deflection right there

The FTC's complaint is deeply flawed as it challenges practices that are procompetitive, good for consumers, and common across retail

The "consumer" in this FTC complaint is not the end consumer of the goods. It is the smaller businesses Amazon is strategically undercutting based on inside information only it knows, from its dominant position of gatekeeper. That's where the antitrust arises, Amazon knows it, and is trying to deflect attention away from that. Lawyers doing their jobs, sure. But it's a flimsy argument at best, wastes the court's time, and frankly any such bullshit should result in an immediate finding against the side spewing said bullshit.

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazon

Amaz-no!

Avoid.

[Matthew 25]

I don't get why people are complaining

Amazon is often cheaper

Amazon often has free delivery

Amazon often has free returns

If others wish to compete they need to match that, not charge me $$$$ for the privilege of spending my money on their store.

If I am unsure about things on Amazon I usually use a physical shop.