SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
AMZN 234.70-1.2%Nov 14 9:30 AM EST
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: AmericanDane who wrote (35533)1/20/1999 2:35:00 PM
From: Rob S.  Read Replies (2) of 164684
 
I've talked with OnSales' founder and CEO a few times and participated in most of their ccs. One key difference between the business experience of Jerry Kaplan and Jeffrey Bezos is that Jerry had lots of real world sales experience and understands the mechanics of the marketplace quite well. Bezos, on the other hand, understood the working of networked computers and how that might be harnesed to automate the a process, such as on-line sales. That experience stemmed from his work in the hedge fund business which also enabled him to connect with the VCs and skillfully manipulate the financial structuring of the company and stimulate the stock price. This led to significant differences in how the long-term prospects are perceived and even more to how they are communicated to employees and the public. While Kaplan has anticipated that on-line sales would become highly competitive and that margins would be razor thin, Bezos and company have amplified the fact that the Internet would grow rapidly. Many ANALS have glibly bought into these divergent perspectives - the Amazon would somehow grow large and fat on high margins while the more realistic expectations of OnSale's Kaplan were taken as negatives. Kaplan instead led analysts to expect the fight for profits to be challenging. Amazon could build market share and brand loyalty that would somehow translate into fatter margins than normally expected of any retail business while OnSale would build a business in which they could not translate market acceptance into large margin advantages. I just don't see how any retailer in history has been able to pull off Amazon's mystifying leap of faith.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News