Amazon is a multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Founded by @Jeff Bezos in 1994 in Bellevue, WA, it began as an online bookstore but quickly expanded into a vast array of product categories, earning the moniker "The Everything Store." Amazon is part of the " Big Five" U.S. technology companies alongside @Alphabet, @Apple, @Meta, and @Microsoft. It operates a global online marketplace and owns subsidiaries such as @Amazon Web Services (AWS), @Whole Foods, @Twitch, and @Audible. The company is recognized for its industry-disrupting innovation, large workforce, and extensive logistics network. Despite rapid growth and market dominance, Amazon has faced criticism regarding its labor practices, environmental impact, and anti-competitive behavior. I have been purchasing from Amazon since 2010, long enough to witness the evolution from a quirky online bookstore to an omnipresent marketplace. In 2015, I joined the affiliate program, a move that felt empowering until my account was suspended for what I now recognize as @Astroturfing—my project "@The Gif Shop" had driven a noticeable surge of @Reddit traffic. I regained affiliate status in 2017, but they quietly cut affiliate commissions by more than 50% in 2020—making it pretty useless. Amazon’s convenience is undeniable, and I still rely on it, yet I grapple with the dissonance between that ease and my discomfort with how the company treats workers, the environment, and the larger fabric of democracy. The friction is ongoing—a reflection of both the benefits and the compromises that come with engaging the Amazon ecosystem.
Reflections
"Bezos told investors that the $4 billion in profits they were expecting would be reinvested. The investment had a theme: @COVID-19. Specifically, Bezos outlined a vision for at-home Covid tests, plasma donors, PPE equipment, distancing, additional compensation, and protocols to adapt to a new world. Jeff Bezos is developing the earth’s first “vaccinated” supply chain." ~ @Scott Galloway[source]
"More than half, categories I was earning 8% now pay 3%. Categories I was earning 4.5% now pay 1%. The Amazon affiliate program is over." ~ u/bananabastard
Contexts
- #amazon and #amazon-ecosystem (this is the @Root Memo)
- #registered-affiliate