What Did Amazon Do This Week? - 08-11-2020
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BIDEN, 100 BILLION AND A QUIET WEEK
Writing on a historic weekend and just before Black Friday, Amazon looks set to have a bumpy few months ahead politically and fiscally. If the network can hold up, Amazon looks set to break the $100 billion Q4 quarter, but if not, big questions will be asked. The holidays are Amazon’s to lose essentially. Politically, Bezos favours a Biden president and wrote on Instagram; “unity, empathy and decency are not characteristics of a bygone era.”, but Biden decided a long time ago who has been naughty and nice this year, and Amazon is on the former.
Biden hasn’t been shy about namechecking Amazon for labour practices and tax avoidance. Biden said early in 2020 that Amazon should “start paying their employees a decent wage and protect their employees”. While good for the world, Biden may just smack Amazon around a bit and that - as even Bezos might agree per his Congress testimony - is no bad thing.
As voting continued, Amazon (and other big tech stocks) rose up to 6%, which is incredible and shows just how much this political race impacted the economic world. What else does a Biden presidency man for Amazon? More taxes most likely, but time will tell as Amazon, and the pandemic become intertwined and the situation in the US, as it pertains to the virus, spirals. Amazon might be America’s alternative test and trace system.
SO WHAT?
Amazon’s future looks set to include large numbers, but a Biden presidency isn’t going to be an easy ride. However, considering the strange relationship that Bezos and Trump shared, things can’t get weirder, just harder for Amazon.
NOTE: TBD Conference revealed the first wave of speakers for TBD ‘Mollitiam’ (Jan 28-29, 2021). As seen on Fast Company and CNN.
Get your tickets now.
Amazon has announced their rugby pundits.
Juventus has launched a channel on Amazon Prime TV.
Film 1 launched a channel on Amazon Prime TV.
‘Tuesday Afternoon Kitchen’ will get a second season.
‘The Blossoms’ will get their own Amazon documentary.
‘Wayne’ is getting critical acclaim.
Amazon is creating a sci-fi thriller based on an oil rig.
Amazon Prime Video channels land in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
Amazon Prime has received a Turkish license.
Amazon has bought Sundance hit, ‘Palm Springs’ for the UK, Australia, Canada and France.
A new pilot will let police stream your Amazon door Ring cam.
AWS has struck a deal with the CCS on public sector cloud pricing.
AWS launches Nvidia Ampere-powered instances.
BBVA collaborates with AWS and Bloomberg to develop a new technology to boost its equity business.
AWS is creating open data centres in Switzerland.
Amazon and Nintendo have paired up to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Mario with…boxes.
Amazon is - as it does most years - restricting Toy Sellers this holiday season.
Amazon’s ‘FBA Liquidations’ are a new disposal option for brands.
Amazon Fresh launched in Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune & Chennai (India).
Amazon Air is expanding cargo operations in Europe.
Amazon has invested $2.8 billion to build its second data centre in India.
Amazon is busy defending itself in France from pandemic profiteering claims.
Amazon and Royal Mail are battling for the UK home testing government contract.
An Amazon warehouse in the UK had a suspected gas leak this week.
Whole Foods reversed its poppy ban this week.
Amazon released 1000’s of Black Friday deals early.
Amazon has patented a way of grouping toxic players together.
Amazon has rolled out a rewards scheme that makes it easier for drivers to get more work.
Amazon may handle rural areas with new ‘wagon wheel’ system (losing the postal service).
Amazon will restore an old carwash sign on their Seattle headquarters.
Amazon’s shipping costs rose +$5 billion in Q3.
Amazon has launched ‘compact by design’, a program aimed to reduce excess packaging (microsite).
In a leaked recording, Amazon execs are heard saying they will double black leaders and ban non-inclusive language.
Canada will not - for now - oblige Amazon to collect locals taxes.
Amazon’s holiday ad is getting critical acclaim.
Bezos won his lawsuit over the National Enquirer.
Bezos has now sold $10 billion of stock this year.
Amazon is building a distribution hub in Republic, Missouri.
Lockdown delivers an early gift to Amazon. [Telegraph]
Alibaba is outpacing cloud growth of Amazon and Microsoft. [CNBC]
Hands-on review with a Dash Cart. [VentureBeat]
How local eCommerce platforms are challenging Amazon’s dominance. [Digiday]
England may be signalling Lockdown 2 supply problems. [Tamebay]