AWS had strong growth, in part thanks to AI, but the real impact of automation is on the expansion of their retail business.
An Interview with Ben Thompson at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet, and Communications Conference
An interview of me by Craig Moffett, Michael Nathanson, and Michael Morton about what an AI re-alignment in tech might look like, Meta’s spending, the realities of scale and the challenges in regulating Aggregators, the current state of the bundle, and a few other additional questions from the audience.
An Interview with Michael Morton About E-Commerce Winners and Losers
An interview with Michael Morton about Shopify’s enterprise business, Amazon’s long-term dominance, and host of other e-commerce topics.
Apple and Facebook
Apple and Facebook seem like they are in conflict, but have often been each other’s best partners.
The Anti-Amazon Alliance
Google Shopping is changing its model, suggesting Google is joining the Anti-Amazon Alliance; 3rd-party merchants should do the same.
Email Addresses and Razor Blades
The fate of Harry’s and other DTC companies, particularly relative to companies like Credit Karma, highlight how the Internet elevates the importance of demand over supply.
Brandless Closes, The DTC Facebook Challenge, DTC Versus Softbank
Brandless is closing down, which is being spun into a commentary on Softbank. This is fair, but the bigger takeaway is about DTC broadly.
Casper Files for IPO, Casper’s Business, Spotify Ad Targeting
Casper is a tech-enabled company, but so are its many competitors. Trying to win with brand is difficult in a market defined by infrequent purchases. Spotify, meanwhile, is seeking to expand the podcasting market beyond companies like Casper.
Olympics Ratings, P&G and Olympics Advertising, Total Audience Advertising
Olympic Ratings are down, but less than expected! Unfortunately for NBC, so is revenue. That, though, is expected: sports and its advertisers remain interconnected. Then, at least NBC finally figured out how to manage multiple mediums.
Target Buys Shipt, Why Target?, The Expansion of Amazon Basics
The Disney-21st Century Fox was certainly the biggest acquisition that happened last week, but it wasn’t the only one. Netflix may loom large, but Amazon arguably looms larger.