From ZDNet:
The common (and increasingly simplistic) Amazon storyline goes like this: Amazon is killing physical retail as shopping goes digital. The reality is way more nuanced. Amazon is increasingly a partner to the brick-and-mortar crowd and is often involved in win-win deals.
. . . .
Believe it. Here are a few recent mentions from retailers on their earnings conference calls. These comments have been made following strong same-store sales and results generally better than expected. Simply put, retail isn’t dead. It’s on fire, and Amazon, in some cases, is even boosting foot traffic.
. . . .
Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly called out a product development partnership with Amazon and how he was optimistic about it. Best Buy’s second quarter results were strong and smart home is one big reason. Joly said:
The third highlight of the quarter is the launch of the first TV Smart TV that’s part of our product development partnership with Amazon. This partnership is a good example of how we are leveraging our expertise and unique merchandising, marketing and sales assets to help leading technology companies commercialize their new products. As a reminder, the TVs are available only in Best Buy stores on bestbuy.com and on amazon.com through Best Buy as a third-party seller. We’re planning to launch additional models in September and October.
Remember how Best Buy was going to be run over by Amazon?
Link to the rest at ZDNet and thanks to Felix for the tip.
Companies competing in some arenas while (legally) cooperating in others is common in most industrious, especially in the tech world.
Money is money, regardless of who helps you earn it.
Examples abound.
The most notable exception being Manhattan corporate publishing with its history of feuds, boycotts, blacklists, and collusion. Pettiness overrules profit making.
Nice to see a non anti-Amazon piece, sadly for best buy it won’t cause me to start buying anything from them … 😉
I still laugh every time I remember one of their sales drones trying to tell me there was a difference between digital and analog RCA cables (and don’t get me started on them insisting you need monster cables and their extended warranties! 😛 )