Amazon + Anti-trust

 Amazon's rapid expansion and sprawling network of e-commerce, cloud computing, and video streaming have made it a household name. Features like one-day delivery and prime day only sweeten the deal further for consumers, allowing for a wide range of sellers and consumers from all over the world to connect in its e-marketplace. The variety of products and sellers allows for fair prices and the customer's benefit. All this hasn't stopped the scrutiny placed on the company. 

  Regulators and critics have been calling for more restrictions to be imposed on Amazon (and other big tech firms such as Apple, Google, Facebook) due to their anti-competitive practices. Amazon has a history of intimidating and trying to buy out emerging (potential) competition before turning into a real "threat". The company tries to drive out competition by undercutting prices until the other firm can no longer compete. The company also sells its line of goods in the Amazon marketplace, which creates a conflict as it acts as a gatekeeper while also selling its goods. Apart from this, it also imitates designs and products sold by other vendors on its platform and repackages them to sell under the Amazon name. It has multiple lawsuits from sellers whom it has penalized for selling on other platforms. 

  All this is very wrong, but what is the solution?

  Do regulators break up Amazon? That would allow for the emergence of newer firms and perhaps more innovation, but this could also leave consumers worse off, as they may now have to pay higher prices. Defeating the purpose, as the end goal of breaking up Amazon is better deals and prices for customers. The alternative of letting big-tech continue on the road it has been on is not feasible either. 

  I think that more regulation is required, but extreme cases like breaking up firms for doing what is only natural (aiming to generate more revenue) are unfair. I think a common ground would be barring Amazon from selling on its platform, this would reduce competition between itself and other sellers in the marketplace, and still allow consumers to find a range of sellers in one place. At the end of the day, the government and big tech must work for a compromise that benefits the most important party: the customer.