I’m back with another week’s worth of Amazon news. I’m still seeing lots of stories about Amazon agreeing to collecting sales tax in a new state, but I’ll try to avoid boring you with those. Instead, this week we have my thoughts on the Kindle Fire, a major retailer turning its back on Amazon (at least in Europe) and more.
Amazon Under Scrutiny – Last summer’s news about the possibly dangerous working conditions at an Amazon warehouse in Pennsylvania put Amazon in the spotlight when it comes the safety of their facilities and their employees. As Amazon starts to build more distribution centers, these issues are cropping up again. So far, Amazon has invested $50 million in air conditioning for its facilities. Do you think states are pushing Amazon hard enough on worker safety issues? Or are they just happy to finally be collecting sales tax from the retail giant?
Adidas to Ban Sales of Products on Amazon and eBay – Beginning in Europe early in 2013, Adidas won’t be allowing sales of its products on Amazon and eBay. The move comes as part of a decision to focus on their own website and the stores and websites of their trusted retail partners. There are currently no plans for this move to come to the US. So while it’s not time for you clothing dealers to panic, you might want to start planning for the end of Adidas on Amazon.
Kindle Fire Discount – Did anyone else see the offer last weekend for $30 off of a Kindle Fire? I got it on my Kindle with Special Offers and while I didn’t buy one, it did make me curious. I guess lots of other people are curious too, because I’ve been seeing tons of blog posts saying that the offer was due to the Fire’s shrinking sales and market share. Personally, I think they’re just moving excess inventory before releasing a new version later this summer. What are your thoughts on the Kindle Fire?
Have a great weekend!