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Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Mark Fowler who wrote (28882)12/4/1998 2:36:00 AM
From: jach  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 164684
 
-OT- techweb.com

Some of the companies listed in this article will greatly benefit from this web commerce, such as Periphonics (PERI). Better bet than AMZN.



To: Mark Fowler who wrote (28882)12/4/1998 7:16:00 AM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 164684
 
but Amzn and Yhoo no way
much more to go with these two.


Mark,

Could you explain why you grouped these two together? One has tangible book value and earnings. The other does not.

Glenn



To: Mark Fowler who wrote (28882)12/4/1998 9:55:00 AM
From: fedhead  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 164684
 
I agree. Sold half my YHOO position yesterday at 189. Looking for
a cheaper reentry point. Hope to hold the other half through minor
corrections. Would you buy YHOO at today's prices.

Anindo



To: Mark Fowler who wrote (28882)12/4/1998 10:26:00 AM
From: H James Morris  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 164684
 
Mark,< I'm holding on to Yhoo and Amzn.>
The last stocks that an Internet bull should sell is Aol, Yhoo and the 'Thing'. Why? One of them is making some very nice profits and is showing more potential everyday. The other has broken into the black and most gurus seem to think that they also can potentially make big profits. The last one? Well I can't find anyone that can show me how it can survive. Other than borrowing more money or selling more stock.
Can you?
Regards



To: Mark Fowler who wrote (28882)12/4/1998 7:53:00 PM
From: llamaphlegm  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 164684
 
mark

i did not mean to imply that you were stupid -- quite the contrary -- you're brilliant at anticipating and guaging the depth of manias -- your FA however is non-existent for even if i conceded that ALL commerce throughout the world would be conducted on the web, i'm confident that i could with a quickie dcf, 5 forces analysis, and a few other basic undergraduate or mba business concepts blow apart the utterly insane notion that amzn is worth $2 billion, let alone $10 billion dollars ... now on the topic of stupid, the contest is herebye declared over for the most lucid, insightful analysis on any board, we give you this gem from tmf -- ah the look the feel the density of skull

Subject: Re: What's hot on the web...
Number: of 10160
Author: babybull
read profile | read interview
Date: 12/3/98 9:34 PM

Richard,

I'm really curious as to how all this shop bot stuff will work out. I think you're probably right that
Yahoo's surf-the-web shop bot will disappear. Not a surprise, really. Bezos indicated as much
when he said Amazon was not in the business of licensing its shop-bot software. (Yahoo's web
shop bot runs on Junglee software, as you noted).

Since the Junglee shop bot will disappear one day, Yahoo has come up with an alternative, its own
little shopping mall of member companies. (No need for a shop bot, per se, since the companies
have all volunteered to be a part of Yahoo's service).

One interesting point is Amazon, B&N & Borders are all avoiding Yahoo's mall. Why? One
reason is that Yahoo is probably charging an arm and a leg. Another reason is that no intelligent
company likes price warfare. And Yahoo's mall is a forum for price warfare. There is no brand, no
distinction between companies, hell, they don't even have identities. Are you buying at Yahoo
number 1 or Yahoo number 2? Well, I'm shopping at the one that's 17 cents cheaper.

Sites who have spent lots of money developing brand are not likely to want to be put on the same
level as mom and pop bookstores. (It's why we never see the Libertarian or Communist
candidates in presidential debates). Amazon and B&N have spent millions creating brand, and
they're not about to treat a generic book-order laundry list as an equal.

Price wars, in my opinion, are insane for companies. It's like a suicide pact. And ultimately they are
not good for consumers, either, since everything is reduced to price. Money is the only issue and
(here's some touch, feel, and experience!) we become coarser as a people. That's what brand is all
about, making capitalism a little nicer and more pleasant for people. Not just about money.

You suggest Yahoo has the brand so it's irrelevant that its generic stores have no brand. Unless
Yahoo is going to actually sell the stuff--and deal with customer problems--then Yahoo is not the
brand. Worse, if Yahoo IS the brand, then it will sink to the level of its member companies. Bad
service, and people will associate Yahoo with bad service.

Now, Yahoo can certainly create a credible eBay. But it has to do a lot better than this before it's a
competitor for Amazon.

I don't say it's impossible for deep discounters to make money in the internet. But that's not really
Amazon's market. Their prices are what they have to be--competitive--but the selling point is
incredible selection, ease of use, and a cool site. In a word, brand.

Taylor