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Comment by phyzix5761 | Hacker News Reader

Why should it be illegal? Its their platform. If enough sellers don't like it and leave then Amazon will have to change their policy. There's several other platforms people can sell their stuff on.

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Yes, because “free” market deregulation has worked out so well for consumers over the last 30 years.

“Don’t like the monopoly? You’re free to go elsewhere. No wait, there is no elsewhere. Oh well, I guess you must like it here then since you keep coming back. “

But there is “elsewhere”. You can buy directly from the manufacturer.

I do not get the complaint. People shop at Amazon because they see the value Amazon provides: easy returns, free and fast shipping, etc.

That part is fine. The fact that Amazon controls their vendor's pricing across the rest of their channels is a major issue though. It's price fixing tbh.

I really don't understand this monopoly argument at all for Amazon. What category of product is sold there, but nowhere else? Between big box stores, Wal-Mart, Target, eBay, B&H, local stores, independent online stores. I don't feel at all that I'm forced to shop at Amazon for lack of choice. Is this an American thing?

Not in the US either and it feels like Amazon is the only choice for some things.

Oh I meant that I'm in the US, so maybe this issue is specifically a problem outside the US.

"Yes, because “free” market deregulation has worked out so well for consumers over the last 30 years."

Yes?

Because it's monopolistic and hinders other competitors from entering the marketplace which harms consumers in the longterm.

In what way is it monopolistic? Amazon has many competitors

Are they really competing if they can't have a lower price than Amazon?

They can by choosing to not sell on Amazon.

Because its a collective action problem. Being on Amazon is the least bad option for any individual business even though they would all be better off if they left simultaneously. IMO a primary purpose of market regulation should be to counteract these types of problems so that the market can move itself out of a local maxima and become more efficient overall.

It's already illegal in EU and UK

This is not even remotely a response to the question asked by the comment you’re replying to.

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