Amazon: Difference between revisions
→Controversies: added a new controversy relating to amazon removing books from kindle libraries, not sure if this is relevant enough to add to the kindle section |
m Corrected some basic grammar mistakes, fixed an incorrect year listing, and added specification that the dangerous litter box product listed in the controversy category was a knockoff of an already existing product from another brand. |
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[[wikipedia:Amazon_(company)|'''Amazon.com, Inc.''']] is a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming | [[wikipedia:Amazon_(company)|'''Amazon.com, Inc.''']] is a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Originally launched as an online bookstore, Amazon quickly expanded into a marketplace offering a wide range of products, including - but not limited to - electronics, clothing, household goods, and groceries. Today, it is one of the largest companies in the world, with a dominant presence in retail, technology, and logistics. | ||
In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon is a major player in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud infrastructure and services to businesses globally. The company also offers a variety of digital services, such as Amazon Prime | In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon is a major player in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud infrastructure and services to businesses globally. The company also offers a variety of digital services, such as Amazon Prime - which provides streaming video and music - and Alexa; its voice-activated virtual assistant. Amazon has also developed consumer products like the Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, and Echo smart speakers. | ||
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. | ||
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====Business Model==== | ====Business Model==== | ||
Amazon gets a majority of its revenue from seller fees and Amazon | 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> | <gallery> | ||
File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option | File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option available | ||
File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example (1).jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section. | File:Amazon Subscribe and Save Example (1).jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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|Amazon sells lethal litterboxes | |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 knockoffs of Whisker brand "Litter-Robot" litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children. | ||
| | |The responsible knockoff product was delisted, yet many other variants of the same product exist on the site. | ||
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|<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4</ref> | |<ref group="Video References">https://youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4</ref> | ||
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|Amazon sells fake electrical fuses | |Amazon sells fake electrical fuses | ||
| | |2023<!-- 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. | ||
|These fuses are still being sold to this day. | |These fuses are still being sold to this day. | ||
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|2009 | |2009 | ||
|In 2009, Amazon removed 2 illegally published books, Animal Farm and 1984, from sale and user libraries, along with any notes and annotations made by the reader. Others have also reported missing books from their libraries. | |In 2009, Amazon removed 2 illegally published books, Animal Farm and 1984, from sale and user libraries, along with any notes and annotations made by the reader. Others have also reported missing books from their libraries. | ||
|Those affected have been given refunds and there haven't been any further documented cases of books being removed from | |Those affected have been given refunds and there haven't been any further documented cases of books being removed from readers' libraries, although user reports are still prevalent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A |first=Georgie |date=13 Nov 2022 |title=Bought books removed by Amazon. |url=https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Amazon}}</ref> | ||
|[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle] | |[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle] | ||
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