This week in Amazon news, a new Kindle Fire is (maybe) on the way, Amazon.com isn’t always the lowest price, a pro skateboarder gets a new sponsor and much more!
Walmart Beats Amazon Prices – A recent study found that on a variety of 36 items’ (DVDs, books, groceries, health and beauty items, etc.) prices are about 20% higher at Amazon.com than Walmart stores and about 7% higher than Walmart.com. The prices didn’t include shipping (or tax) because of the different options offered. I think that shows how much customers value Amazon’s convenience and speedy shipping. I also think it shows that an additional 7-10% for sales tax won’t be a major issue for a lot of Amazon.com shoppers.
New Kindle Fire in July? – With the announcement of Google’s Nexus 7 and now the possibility of a new Kindle Fire, July is looking like a big month for Android tablets! It might also be a good month for sellers of tablet accessories, like bags, sleeves, pads and all the other little add-ons that new tablet owners like to buy!
Amazon Merchants Say too Much Competition from Amazon – It seems like these stories pop up every year: a 3rd party seller whose sales crater after Amazon starts selling “their” items. This situation can definitely be frustrating. But as a seller you should be ready for it and avoid being overly dependent on a single inventory item. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but with smart scouting, buying and listing, you’ll be able to find a variety of products in different categories that can make you money!
Amazon Starts Sports Sponsorships – As a sports fan, this is my favorite story of the week! Amazon has recently started sponsoring pro-skateboarder Andy Macdonald. Andy has the most medals in X-Games history! The announcement came in conjunction with the launch of the “Action Sports” section of Amazon.com. I’m curious to see if Amazon continues to sponsor athletes. Maybe one day the new NBA team in Seattle will be the Amazons instead of the Supersonics!
As always if you have any ideas for more news stories to feature, or just want to complain about Seattle losing the Sonics, let me know through a comment here or find me on Twitter, @SellerEngine.
Have a wonderful weekend!