Submitted by: Submitted by shyneefawilliams
Views: 433
Words: 1735
Pages: 7
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 10/18/2010 06:10 PM
Introduction
Often times a company will make promises of what they will be and do for those who would be willing to support their products and/or services. These promises are often efforts to not only get new customers but to retain customers who have already become loyal. How often have we witnessed a company deviate from what they promised? In some cases, these deviations are not necessarily a bad thing. The more we, as a society, advance and grow with regards to technology, many businesses are forced to evolve. It is no wonder that companies, such as Amazon.com, have begun to expand and become more than what we had previously known them for.
In recent discussions, the evolution of companies such as Amazon.com has been of great interest. Has the company moved away from its core competency of being what has become known as the leading online retailer? In what areas does Amazon.com compete with other companies such as Google and Microsoft? How has the company utilized its database? These questions and more have become the topic of debate. As we move forward with discussing these areas of interest, we will begin to explore other topics as well and look into whether or not Amazon.com as we know it has evolved wisely.
Core Competency
Amazon.com's initial strategy was to become the largest online bookseller in the United States. Their plan was based on a combination of business ingenuity, fitting a newly created need in the marketplace for discount books, and being able to provide these books at a significant enough discount due to their ability to buy in bulk and run their business without the same staff required of a traditional book store. Amazon.com quickly caught on to those looking for cheaper books, especially amongst college students. At the time, the only primary way of buying other types of goods online was through ebay, which could involve a time consuming arduous process, and could cause an individual to pay a substantial premium on the goods they...