Back in the early 80s I was a Group President at Warner Communications responsible for the design, development and implementation of the first two way video on demand home shopping, information and entertainment system, called TIES. Our goal was to build on the QUBE system but using improved two way protocols and high speed systems. We designed the system to be an electronic shopping mall, facilitating existing companies to expand to the electronic media. Needless to say we were a bit early.
Our paradigm was to be an electronic mall operator facilitating existing packagers and distributors. We would be in the background and the relationship was between the customer and the retailer. We would never take a role in the process.
Come some twenty years later is Amazon. Their initial model was not Electronic Shopping Mall operator but Big Box store. Amazon advertised, sold and completed the transaction by delivery.
The early Amazon model was brilliant, people learned to trust Amazon. If you had any problem they solved it. You got things quickly and reliably.
Now Amazon has become the electronic shopping mall operator, with third parties selling off their site. Quality has dropped, delivery is uncertain, remedies are non-existent, and the overall experience is rant with uncertainty and shabby merchandise. They make the dollar store look like upscale Fifth Avenue in the 1950s.
This is in my opinion and in my experience a recipe for disaster. Sooner than later the customers will revolt. I have personally moved back to directly dealing with the primary seller, more reliable and frankly often cheaper. Plus I have a trust in what a purchase.
But it also appears that Amazon is taking a further step to being the Bazaar operator. It is like Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar, every purchaser for themselves perhaps?
One wonders what Amazon's game plan is. Lose trust and well you know the result!
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