Amazon: Difference between revisions
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Amazon has faced significant scrutiny and criticism, particularly concerning its treatment of workers, marketplace practices, data privacy issues, and its impact on small businesses. It has been involved in various regulatory and legal challenges related to anti-competitive behavior, safety, and consumer protection, with calls for increased oversight on its business operations. | Amazon has faced significant scrutiny and criticism, particularly concerning its treatment of workers, marketplace practices, data privacy issues, and its impact on small businesses. It has been involved in various regulatory and legal challenges related to anti-competitive behavior, safety, and consumer protection, with calls for increased oversight on its business operations. | ||
== Consumer impact summary == | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable): | {{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable): | ||
* User Freedom | * User Freedom | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
* Business Model | * Business Model | ||
* Market Control}} | * Market Control}} | ||
====Business Model==== | |||
Amazon gets a majority of its revenue from seller fees and Amazon prime memberships. In addition, Amazon has a "subscribe and save" option for some products. With this, the page to manage these subscriptions is obfuscated for the user, intentional or not. | |||
<gallery> | |||
File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option avaliable | |||
File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example (1).jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section. | |||
</gallery> | |||
==Controversies== | ==Controversies== | ||
| Line 30: | Line 37: | ||
!Controversy | !Controversy | ||
!Year | !Year | ||
!Background | !Background info | ||
!Aftermath | !Aftermath | ||
!Related | !Related article | ||
!Related | !Related video(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon removing ability to download Kindle books | |Amazon removing ability to download Kindle books | ||
|2025 | |2025 | ||
|Starting on February | |Starting on February 26, 2025, Amazon removed a feature from its website allowing users to download purchased books to a computer and then copy them manually to a Kindle over USB. | ||
|Starting February 26, 2025, the ‘Download & Transfer via USB’ option will no longer be available. | |Starting February 26, 2025, the ‘Download & Transfer via USB’ option will no longer be available. | ||
|[[Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books]] | |[[Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books]] | ||
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<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M</ref> | <ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon sells | |Amazon sells lethal litterboxes | ||
|2024 | |2024 | ||
|Amazon sold litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children. | |Amazon sold litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children. | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|Amazon adds ads to premium subscription | |Amazon adds ads to premium subscription | ||
|2023 | |2023 – Present | ||
|Amazon added advertisements to previously ad free subscriptions for Prime Video and Echo Show frames. | |Amazon added advertisements to previously ad free subscriptions for Prime Video and Echo Show frames. | ||
|Continues to occur. | |Continues to occur. | ||
| Line 58: | Line 65: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon allows fraudulent listings | |Amazon allows fraudulent listings | ||
|2014 | |2014 – Present | ||
| | | | ||
|Fraudulent listings continue to be added, some removed. | |Fraudulent listings continue to be added, some removed. | ||
| Line 64: | Line 71: | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon allows sellers to bribe customers for better ratings | |Amazon allows sellers to bribe customers for better ratings | ||
|2016 | |2016 – Present | ||
|Amazon sellers give customers gift cards in exchange for positive product reviews; Amazon does nothing to stop this. | |Amazon sellers give customers gift cards in exchange for positive product reviews; Amazon does nothing to stop this. | ||
|Continues to occur. | |Continues to occur. | ||
| Line 71: | Line 78: | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon has bad marketplace algorithms | |Amazon has bad marketplace algorithms | ||
|2023 | |2023 – Present | ||
| | | | ||
|Algorithms still seem to be nonbeneficial. | |Algorithms still seem to be nonbeneficial. | ||
| Line 78: | Line 85: | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon trashes refurbished market | |Amazon trashes refurbished market | ||
| | |2022–2023 | ||
| | | | ||
|Unknown | |Unknown | ||
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|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon cancels associate account after recent negative media coverage, with a different reason | |Amazon cancels associate account after recent negative media coverage, with a different reason | ||
|2023 | |2023 | ||
| | | | ||
| Line 92: | Line 99: | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon wrongfully suspends account of home owner | |Amazon wrongfully suspends account of home owner | ||
|2023 | |2023 | ||
|A home owner was locked out of their Amazon account for nearly a week, after a delivery driver from Amazon misheard an automated message from their Eufy doorbell. | |A home owner was locked out of their Amazon account for nearly a week, after a delivery driver from Amazon misheard an automated message from their Eufy doorbell. | ||
|Account reinstated. | |Account reinstated. | ||
|[[Amazon locks home owner out of amazon account over allegation by amazon delivery driver]] | |[[Amazon locks home owner out of Amazon account over allegation by Amazon delivery driver|Amazon locks home owner out of amazon account over allegation by amazon delivery driver]] | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon engages in anticompetitive behavior | |Amazon engages in anticompetitive behavior | ||
| | |2021–2022 | ||
| | | | ||
|Unknown | |Unknown | ||
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|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon | |Amazon sells fake electrical fuses | ||
|2024<!-- Year may be wrong, just following the video release year --> | |2024<!-- Year may be wrong, just following the video release year --> | ||
|Fuses are being sold that do not blow when supplied more power than it is intended to handle, which is a major safety risk. | |Fuses are being sold that do not blow when supplied more power than it is intended to handle, which is a major safety risk. | ||
| Line 113: | Line 120: | ||
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon PhotosPlus | |Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation | ||
|2024 | |2024 | ||
| | | | ||
| | |Since September 2024, it is no longer possible to use the Amazon Echo Show 8 as a digital frame without advertisements. | ||
|[[Amazon PhotosPlus Discontinuation]] | |[[Amazon PhotosPlus Discontinuation]] | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Amazon uses | |Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its premium subscription | ||
|2023 | |2023 – Present | ||
|Systematically designing the cancelling steps to be complicated and long ; using tricks to kidnap users into the subscription.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015417/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-date=2025-01-29 |website=Federal Trade Commission |url-status=live}}</ref> See "Project Illiad" | |Systematically designing the cancelling steps to be complicated and long; using tricks to kidnap users into the subscription.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015417/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-date=2025-01-29 |website=Federal Trade Commission |url-status=live}}</ref> See "Project Illiad". | ||
|Continues to occur. | |Continues to occur. | ||
| | | | ||
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| | | | ||
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvFmnuZZMI '''Amazon Discontinues Lending Kindle e-Books'''] | |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvFmnuZZMI '''Amazon Discontinues Lending Kindle e-Books'''] | ||
|- | |||
|Amazon removes option not to send voice recordings from Echo devices | |||
|2025 | |||
|In March 2025, Echo customers with the option "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" enabled received an e-mail that local processing will no longer be supported on their device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=TechLinked – Microsoft’s Big Oopsie – Echo voice recordings, Gemini watermarks |url=https://youtu.be/DhXH83O6pXc?t=268 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=YouTube – TechLinked}}</ref> | |||
| | |||
|[[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage]] | |||
| | |||
|} | |} | ||
== Products == | ==Products==<!-- Considering the sheer amount of products Amazon has, we should consider the table format --> | ||
===Amazon Kindle (2007 – Present)=== | |||
Amazon has progressively removed options for products purchased through the Kindle, effectively changing the meaning of purchases and ownership. It first removed the ability of users to lend e-books to one another, and later removed the ability to download purchased e-books to a computer. | |||
===Amazon PhotosPlus (2023–2024)=== | |||
Amazon sold physical devices that could displaying photos stored in its Amazon Photos cloud storage through its PhotosPlus service. Less than one year later, it cancelled the service, which [[Retroactively amended purchase|changed the functionality]] of the devices, including showing advertisements every few hours. | |||
===Amazon Prime (2005 – Present)=== | |||
Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its subscription services, including tricking users into subscribing and making it very complicated to cancel. | |||
===Amazon Echo (2014 – Present)=== | |||
===Amazon Alexa (2013 – Present)=== | |||
== See also == | ==See also== | ||
{{Placeholder box|Link to relevant theme articles or companies with similar incidents.}} | {{Placeholder box|Link to relevant theme articles or companies with similar incidents.}} | ||