A follow-up about wearables to remind folks that the smartphone still matters. Then, why mobile is a struggle for Google, illustrated by Amazon. Plus, Marriott and SPG are finally together, and it’s clear they (rightly) want to own the customer relationship
Amazon’s Overwhelming Leverage, P&G Scaling Back Targeted Facebook Ads, Facebook Earnings
In case I wasn’t clear in yesterday’s article, Walmart really has no chance to catch Amazon in e-commerce. Then, the news that P&G will reduce targeting isn’t a surprise, but it’s not necessarily that much of a problem for Facebook. Plus, notes on Facebook’s earnings.
Walmart and the Multichannel Trap
Walmart wasted years trying to retrofit their model to ecommerce. Buying Jet.com will give them a better chance, but it’s almost certainly too late to compete with Amazon.
Follow-up: Didi, Uber, and Instagram Stories; Walmart Reportedly Buying Jet.com; Amazon Earnings
More news and follow-up on Didi and Uber, and whether or not Instagram Stories will succeed. Then, Walmart is reportedly buying Jet.com, but Amazon’s earnings show how far they have to go.
Dollar Shave Club and the Disruption of Everything
Dollar Shave Club is a textbook example of how the new Internet economy will destroy value in incumbent industries.
Amazon Prime Day and Prime Challenges, Facebook Diversity Numbers Don’t Budge
Amazon Prime Day was a smashing success, at least if you ask Amazon. The ongoing shift in ecommerce models, though, threatens Prime’s underlying value proposition. Then, Facebook’s disappointing diversity numbers.
Brexit and Tech: The Narrow View, HBO Versus Netflix, Amazon Dash Buttons
There is a broader story to be told about Brexit and tech, but today the narrower view of its impact. Then, why Netflix and HBO are different, and how Amazon’s Dash buttons demonstrate the company’s strength and the CPG industry’s weakness.
Jeff Bezos at the Code Conference, Recent Amazon News
Jeff Bezos gave a great interview at the Code Conference, and while the whole thing is worth watching, I wanted to highlight a few items that touched on Stratechery topics. Plus, three recent Amazon stories that show how the company is winning.
Amazon Private Label, Facebook Audience Network Adds Video Ads
The idea of private labels aren’t new, but Amazon is uniquely positioned to profit from them. Then, the Facebook Audience Network is getting some deserved attention
Amazon Earnings, Amazon’s Cloud War
Amazon’s earnings were even better than reported: it looks like the retail business is gaining real economies of scale, and AWS was even stronger than it appeared.