AMAZON - Article in "FastCompany" RE: Profits and Fire Phone Fiasco

[BettinBilly]

I have always lamented about NOT investing in Amazon. I love the company. I'm a fan of Prime, I have a Fire Stick TV device, I stream Prime Music, watch Prime Movies, have a Kindle, and generally order SOMETHING once a week or so from them.

This article from "Fast Company" Magazine that was just delivered to me a few days ago really amazed me on a few fronts.

I never bought into their "Fire Phone" nor their "Fire Tablets" finding them too proprietary for my taste. But was amazed to lean about the depth of the Fire Phone fiasco and the depth of the losses at Amazon over the years in general.

FYI if interested:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3039887/under-fire

[badcompany]

I'm an Amazon Prime member and order a ton of stuff from them, but my problem with them as a business is one that I have with many businesses. They try too hard to diversify when they should be focusing on what they do best. In Amazon's case, it's being an online retailer, not a phone maker or tablet maker, or Movie Maker etc.

[BettinBilly]

I'm an Amazon Prime member and order a ton of stuff from them, but my problem with them as a business is one that I have with many businesses. They try too hard to diversify when they should be focusing on what they do best. In Amazon's case, it's being an online retailer, not a phone maker or tablet maker, or Movie Maker etc.

IMO, you have hit the nail on the head, BC. That's the issue, and the article agrees with us. They want Bezos to get back to his basics.

I remember when the internet was a novelty. I was an IT guy and of course was on there looking for SOMETHING to do other than view the NY Times or look at weather reports. Then along came an online BOOKSTORE called Amazon. I remember I ordered a book as a "novelty" just because I could order a book online. It was the first time I ordered anything online. When they started offering clothing and electronics and on and on and on I was amazed that a bookseller had the insight to diversify like this. They are basically an online Walmart. That's their strength. Heck, I love the fact that they are inventive with a few things. I have a Kindle Paperwhite for reading. It's fantastic. I've got a Fire Stick for Prime TV viewing. It's amazing. And I just ordered an Amazon Echo. That's going to be great for the Bedroom. But they are going too far afield from their core strength. That's the issue. The Fire Phone was a disaster. Lesson learned, I hope.

[badcompany]

Here ya go Billy, more stupidity. Movie theatres are becoming dinosaurs. No one goes anymore; yet, Amazon wants to get into this dying business model.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-19/amazon-to-produce-original-feature-length-movies-for-theaters.html