Comments on: Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html Monica Valentinelli Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:29:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Author http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-307 Author Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:15:47 +0000 http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-307 A good case can be made that what Amazon is attempting to do violates anti-trust laws. Waiting for federal anti-trust action would take many years--years to get the Justice Department to act, years of trials, years of fussing over what the court decision means. Notice how long it took to deal with Microsoft's tactics, despite the fact that the corporations they were bullying were large and powerful. None of us can afford that long a wait. Action at the state level, however, could move much faster, particularly if it involves off-the-record contact and a somber warning from those who can make trouble for Amazon. Amazon is headquartered in Seattle about a ten minute drive from the office of the Antitrust division of the Washington state attorney general. Here's the contact information: Office of the Attorney General Antitrust Division 800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000 Seattle, WA 98104-3188 http://www.atg.wa.gov/Antitrust/default.aspx Telephone: 206-587-5510 Fax: 206-464-6338 Note the remark on that web page that "The Antitrust Division only processes complaints that involve either Washington State residents or businesses located in Washington State." Amazon is in Washington state, so it matters not where you are. You might also want to raise the issue with your state attorney general's antitrust office, asking them to get in touch with their colleagues in Seattle. If you're a publisher, encourage your authors to write. If you're an author, encourage other writers to contact them. A good case can be made that what Amazon is attempting to do violates anti-trust laws. Waiting for federal anti-trust action would take many years–years to get the Justice Department to act, years of trials, years of fussing over what the court decision means. Notice how long it took to deal with Microsoft’s tactics, despite the fact that the corporations they were bullying were large and powerful. None of us can afford that long a wait.

Action at the state level, however, could move much faster, particularly if it involves off-the-record contact and a somber warning from those who can make trouble for Amazon. Amazon is headquartered in Seattle about a ten minute drive from the office of the Antitrust division of the Washington state attorney general. Here’s the contact information:

Office of the Attorney General

Antitrust Division

800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000

Seattle, WA 98104-3188

http://www.atg.wa.gov/Antitrust/default.aspx

Telephone: 206-587-5510

Fax: 206-464-6338

Note the remark on that web page that “The Antitrust Division only processes complaints that involve either Washington State residents or businesses located in Washington State.” Amazon is in Washington state, so it matters not where you are. You might also want to raise the issue with your state attorney general’s antitrust office, asking them to get in touch with their colleagues in Seattle. If you’re a publisher, encourage your authors to write. If you’re an author, encourage other writers to contact them.

]]> By: Deborah Woehr » Backlash Over Amazon Monopoly Tactics http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-306 Deborah Woehr » Backlash Over Amazon Monopoly Tactics Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:52:53 +0000 http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-306 [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...] [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...]

]]> By: The Essential Marketing Secrets that Amazon Forgot http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-303 The Essential Marketing Secrets that Amazon Forgot Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:55:47 +0000 http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-303 [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...] [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...]

]]> By: Amazon’s Blatant Disrespect of Their Best Customers http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-302 Amazon’s Blatant Disrespect of Their Best Customers Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:55:21 +0000 http://www.mlvwrites.com/2008/03/dear-amazon-thinking.html#comment-302 [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...] [...] Dear Amazon, What are You Thinking? by Monica Valentinelli, Words on the Water [...]

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