Amazon algorithm: Amazon and Walmart are in an all-out price war

[rcjordan]

Amazon algorithm
One piece of the battle, executives say, is an Amazon algorithm that works to match or beat prices from other websites and stores. Former Amazon employees say it finds the lowest price per unit or per ounce for a given product — even if it's in a huge bulk-size pack at Costco — and applies it across the same type of good on Amazon, even when the pack size is much smaller.

So let's imagine Costco is selling a pack of 10 bags of Doritos for $10 — or $1 per bag. Amazon's algorithm notes that one bag is $1 at Costco and, in turn, lowers the price on Amazon of a single bag of Doritos to $1.

That is a great deal for customers — something that is likely driving the decision at Amazon, where an obsession with customer value dominates its strategy.

But now, Amazon is selling individual items at Costco prices while not getting the same wholesale price that Costco enjoys. In short, it's going to be really hard for Amazon to turn a profit on those goods.

When Walmart sees this, it freaks out on the supplier

https://www.recode.net/2017/3/30/14831602/amazon-walmart-cpg-grocery-price-war

[Rupert]

A well written piece.

Case in point: On a Friday afternoon last month, all Pampers diapers sold by Amazon were unavailable on the site. Industry speculation was that Amazon may have kicked Pampers off the site as part of a negotiation over prices.

Welcome to our world... I think it was DougS who said that to me first.

[rcjordan]

>well-written

Yeah, worth a read.

Consumers win ...until one of them dominates.