INDEPENDENT BUSINESS INITIATIVE

Amazon — Full Archive

In The Atlantic: Amazon’s Big Secret

In The Atlantic: Amazon’s Big Secret

Susan Holmberg

March 1, 2024

Amazon has long cultivated the idea that it runs its shopping platform at razor-thin margins, relying instead on AWS for its profits. In fact, Amazon’s e-commerce marketplace is enormously profitable. In The Atlantic, Stacy Mitchell writes about how Amazon has kept these profits secret – and why the SEC must enforce corporate financial disclosure rules.READ MORE


Small Business Rising is Moving the Antitrust Debate

Small Business Rising is Moving the Antitrust Debate

Susan Holmberg

January 18, 2024

The Small Business Rising coalition is playing a pivotal role in the push for stronger antitrust.READ MORE


Is Amazon a Monopoly? Documentary Newly Released in the U.S.

Is Amazon a Monopoly? Documentary Newly Released in the U.S.

Susan Holmberg

January 8, 2024

Watch the newly released English-language version of a powerful documentary about Amazon's outsized power, both in the U.S. and abroad. The film, which first aired on German public television, features Stacy Mitchell explaining to viewers how Amazon operates its monopoly machine.READ MORE


On More Perfect Union: How Amazon Broke Online Shopping

On More Perfect Union: How Amazon Broke Online Shopping

Stacy Mitchell

November 15, 2023

This video from More Perfect Union tells the story of why Amazon has become a chaotic jumble of junk ads and questionable products, how that's connected to the company's abuse of independent businesses, and why Amazon now faces a major antitrust case. If you’re looking for help explaining the FTC’s lawsuit to your friends, look no further.READ MORE


In The Nation: the FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon Is the Biggest Antitrust Fight of Our Time

In The Nation: the FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon Is the Biggest Antitrust Fight of Our Time

Ron Knox

November 15, 2023

This lawsuit is a testament to the power of a grassroots coalition determined to check Amazon's dominance — and a test of whether the federal government has the power, and the political will, to rein in corporate monopoly power, writes Ron Knox in The Nation.READ MORE


ILSR Press Event: Sellers and Small Businesses Applaud FTC’s Amazon Lawsuit

ILSR Press Event: Sellers and Small Businesses Applaud FTC’s Amazon Lawsuit

Katy Milani

September 26, 2023

Third-party sellers and small business leaders joined the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's virtual press briefing to applaud the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, hailing the action as a critical step to ending Amazon’s abuses and opening the online market to competition.READ MORE


The Federal Antitrust Case Against Amazon: An Explainer

The Federal Antitrust Case Against Amazon: An Explainer

Stacy Mitchell

September 26, 2023

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed suit against Amazon for monopolizing e-commerce in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. This explainer looks at why the lawsuit was filed and what it seeks to accomplish.READ MORE


New Research: Amazon’s Monopoly Tollbooth in 2023

New Research: Amazon's Monopoly Tollbooth in 2023

Stacy Mitchell

September 21, 2023

The steep and rapidly growing fees Amazon extracts from the businesses that have little choice but to rely on its site to reach customers are a striking measure of its monopoly power. These exorbitant fees are crushing many sellers, raising consumer prices, and funding Amazon’s expanding empire.READ MORE


In The Sling: When Confronting Amazon’s Anticompetitive Conduct, the FTC Should Invoke Its Section 5 Authority

In The Sling: When Confronting Amazon’s Anticompetitive Conduct, the FTC Should Invoke Its Section 5 Authority

Ron Knox

July 10, 2023

As the Federal Trade Commission sets its sights on challenging Amazon's dominance in online retail, Ron Knox argues in The Sling that the agency must leverage its most potent weapon against anticompetitive behavior: Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.READ MORE


Amazon’s Tight Grip on Cloud Computing Poses Multiple Threats. ILSR Urges FTC Action.

Amazon's Tight Grip on Cloud Computing Poses Multiple Threats. ILSR Urges FTC Action.

Ron Knox

June 29, 2023

In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, ILSR warned that control over cloud computing, the backbone of the modern economy, is dangerously concentrated. Amazon Web Services (AWS), which controls more than 40 percent of global cloud infrastructure, has exploited its position to lock-in customers, shut out rivals, and reap unfair advantages in its other non-cloud business lines. ILSR urges the FTC to use its authorities to open the market to needed competition.READ MORE


Report: Tax Dodging is a Monopoly Tactic

Report: Tax Dodging is a Monopoly Tactic

Stacy Mitchell

March 30, 2023

Local and federal policymakers have systematically structured tax policy in a way that deepens the concentration of corporate power, Stacy Mitchell and Susan Holmberg argue in this issue brief, co-published with the Roosevelt Institute.READ MORE


In The Atlantic: Amazon’s Dangerous New Acquisition

In The Atlantic: Amazon's Dangerous New Acquisition

Ron Knox

August 22, 2022

In early August, Amazon announced it would pay $1.7 billion to take over iRobot. In a new essay in The Atlantic, Ron Knox writes that if the deal is allowed to happen, Amazon would buy its way to dominance in yet another industry.READ MORE


In the Minnesota Reformer: Can Amazon Compete?

In the Minnesota Reformer: Can Amazon Compete?

Luke Gannon

June 22, 2022

As Amazon dominates the shipping services market and makes record profits, small businesses, warehouse workers, and delivery drivers pay the price. Stacy Mitchell wrote in the Minnesota Reformer how Sen. Amy Klobuchar's bill will put a stop to this predatory behavior and force tech giants to compete on a level playing field.READ MORE


“Amazon’s Grip is Crushing Us”: Stories and Testimonials from Amazon Sellers

"Amazon's Grip is Crushing Us": Stories and Testimonials from Amazon Sellers

Katy Milani

June 15, 2022

Amazon portrays itself as a partner to businesses in an effort to derail Congress, business owners tell a very different story about their experience selling on Amazon’s marketplace. Here are some of their stories.READ MORE


Germany’s National Broadcaster Features Stacy Mitchell, as Scrutiny of Amazon’s Power Grows

Germany’s National Broadcaster Features Stacy Mitchell, as Scrutiny of Amazon’s Power Grows

Luke Gannon

June 7, 2022

In May, Germany’s national public television network, ARD, broadcast a new documentary, “Is Amazon a Monopoly?” which featured an interview with Stacy Mitchell. The documentary drew a prime-time audience of more than 3 million viewers.READ MORE


2022 Independent Business Survey: Snapshot of Amazon Marketplace Sellers

2022 Independent Business Survey: Snapshot of Amazon Marketplace Sellers

ILSR

March 30, 2022

When we surveyed over 900 small, independent businesses across the U.S., 94 reported being third-party sellers on Amazon’s Marketplace. This is a snapshot of their responses.READ MORE


On Capitol Forum: Amazon Charges Steep Fees at the Expense of Small Businesses

On Capitol Forum: Amazon Charges Steep Fees at the Expense of Small Businesses

Luke Gannon

January 5, 2022

Stacy Mitchell joined Teddy Downey on the Capitol Forum's podcast to discuss ILSR’s new Amazon’s Toll Road report, which finds that Amazon is exploiting its position as a gatekeeper to impose steep and growing fees on third-party sellers. Stacy explains that breaking up Amazon is a key solution to saving small businesses.READ MORE


Report: Amazon’s Toll Road

Report: Amazon's Toll Road

Stacy Mitchell

December 1, 2021

Amazon is exploiting its position as a gatekeeper to impose steep and growing fees on the small businesses that must rely on its site to reach the online market, our new report finds. Even as these exorbitant fees bankrupt sellers, they are generating huge profits for Amazon, a fact that the tech giant conceals in its financial reports. These profits are not only the spoils of Amazon's monopoly power. They are the essential fuel that feeds its market-domination strategies.READ MORE


On Intelligence Squared: Stacy Mitchell Debates, Is Amazon Good for Small Business?

On Intelligence Squared: Stacy Mitchell Debates, Is Amazon Good for Small Business?

Luke Gannon

November 30, 2021

Stacy Mitchell and business journalist Rana Foroohar teamed up for an Intelligence Squared debate to argue how Amazon is bad for small business.READ MORE


Fact Sheet: Why the “Ending Platform Monopolies Act” is Essential Reform

Fact Sheet: Why the "Ending Platform Monopolies Act" is Essential Reform

Stacy Mitchell

June 21, 2021

Our latest fact sheet shows that lawmakers cannot achieve their aim of restoring competition to our online markets without passing the structural separation bill.  READ MORE


Issue Brief: How Amazon Exploits and Undermines Small Businesses, and Why Breaking It Up Would Revive American Entrepreneurship

Issue Brief: How Amazon Exploits and Undermines Small Businesses, and Why Breaking It Up Would Revive American Entrepreneurship

Stacy Mitchell

June 16, 2021

In splashy campaigns and lobbying at the Capitol, Amazon claims that it has “a mutually beneficial relationship” with the small businesses that depend on its platform. This fact sheet tells the real story, and explains what Congress needs to do.READ MORE


Listen to Stacy Mitchell on WBUR’s The Prime Effect

Listen to Stacy Mitchell on WBUR's The Prime Effect

Susan Holmberg

June 10, 2021

Stacy Mitchell was the featured guest on WBUR’s On Point for their series on Amazon. She talked about Amazon's power, the inner workings of Amazon’s online marketplace, and how the tech giant preys on third-party sellers.READ MORE


D.C. Lawsuit Aims At Amazon’s Monopoly Conduct

D.C. Lawsuit Aims At Amazon’s Monopoly Conduct

Ron Knox

June 1, 2021

An antitrust lawsuit filed this month by Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine is a milestone in the fight against the monopoly power of online retail juggernaut Amazon. It is the first action by a government enforcer in the U.S. aimed at ending the company’s persistent abuse of consumers and the small businesses forced to sell on its platform.READ MORE


The Key to Stopping Amazon? Think Like a Citizen

The Key to Stopping Amazon? Think Like a Citizen

Susan Holmberg

May 7, 2021

Stacy Mitchell joined Baratunde Thurston on his “How to Citizen with Baratunde” podcast to talk about how she became an antimonopolist, as well as America’s longer history fighting monopoly power: “From the beginning, there was this understanding that you had to deal with private power if you wanted to have a democracy.”READ MORE


Is Amazon Picking Winners and Losers Among America’s Cities? — Episode 121 of Building Local Power

Is Amazon Picking Winners and Losers Among America's Cities? — Episode 121 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco

March 4, 2021

Host Jess Del Fiacco and ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell are joined by award-winning journalist Alec MacGillis to discuss his new book, Fulfillment. Their conversation focuses on how the shift toward online shopping — led by Amazon — has reshaped America.READ MORE


The People vs. Amazon: Our Summary of Congress’s Findings

The People vs. Amazon: Our Summary of Congress's Findings

Ron Knox

December 14, 2020

We summarized Congress's Big Tech monopoly report, particularly its findings on Amazon's monopoly power and its recommendations for how Congress can liberate the economy from Amazon’s stranglehold.READ MORE


In The New York Times: Stacy Mitchell Makes the Case to Break Up Jeff Bezos’s Empire

In The New York Times: Stacy Mitchell Makes the Case to Break Up Jeff Bezos's Empire

Stacy Mitchell

October 8, 2020

Through its marketplace, cloud division and voice interface, Amazon functions as essential infrastructure for an astonishing array of companies and industries. This gives it an extraordinary view into the activities of other businesses and an unparalleled ability to manipulate markets to its own advantage.READ MORE


In the American Prospect: Revoking Big Tech’s Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

In the American Prospect: Revoking Big Tech’s Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

Susan Holmberg

October 5, 2020

As debates ramp up about how Congress and watchdog agencies should address the monopoly power of Big Tech, ILSR legal fellow Shaoul Sussman argues in the American Prospect that we must prioritize revoking the liability shield these platforms enjoy.READ MORE


On the “Who Is?” Podcast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Jeff Bezos has Leveraged Government Favors to Amass Alarming Power

On the "Who Is?" Podcast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Jeff Bezos has Leveraged Government Favors to Amass Alarming Power

Stacy Mitchell

September 3, 2020

On the "Who Is?" podcast, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell explains how Jeff Bezos built Amazon into the empire it is today by exploiting fractures in economic policy and then leveraging the company's political influence to dominate our economy.READ MORE


Can the People Take Power Back From Big Tech? (Episode 107)

Can the People Take Power Back From Big Tech? (Episode 107)

Jess Del Fiacco

August 20, 2020

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and Ron Knox discuss the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee's recent hearing on monopoly power in online platforms, which featured testimony from the CEOs of Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and Google. The hearing was part of an in-depth, year-long investigation of anti-competitive behavior in these companies — the first time in more than 40 years that Congress has conducted a detailed investigation of monopoly power. READ MORE


In The Atlantic: Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up.

In The Atlantic: Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up.

Stacy Mitchell

August 11, 2020

In The Atlantic, Stacy Mitchell explains why Congress must reign in the monopoly power of these companies in order to restore balance to both our economy and our democracy.READ MORE


In ProMarket: Big Tech is Officially Too Big to Manage

In ProMarket: Big Tech is Officially Too Big to Manage

Shaoul Sussman

August 5, 2020

Last week, the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee held Big Tech's feet to the fire. They grilled the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google about the power that these four companies have over the U.S. economy and our society. In light of this epic hearing, ILSR Legal Fellow writes in ProMarket that we are seeing a "monumental shift in the public debate surrounding Big Tech."READ MORE


ILSR Research Cited in Congressional Antitrust Hearing

ILSR Research Cited in Congressional Antitrust Hearing

Jess Del Fiacco

July 30, 2020

ILSR research was cited in the congressional hearing to investigate monopoly power in Big Tech.READ MORE


Report: Amazon’s Monopoly Tollbooth

Report: Amazon's Monopoly Tollbooth

Stacy Mitchell

July 28, 2020

In this report, we find that Amazon is exploiting its gatekeeper power to impose ever-larger fees on third-party sellers.READ MORE


In The Nation: How Amazon Used the Pandemic to Amass More Monopoly Power

In The Nation: How Amazon Used the Pandemic to Amass More Monopoly Power

Ron Knox

June 26, 2020

Amazon has a long history of using its monopoly power to squeeze its workers and the small businesses that depend on its platform. Now, under the strains of Covid-19, Amazon has begun to turn its quest for dominance against its own customers.READ MORE


In The American Prospect, America’s Private Government

In The American Prospect, America's Private Government

Shaoul Sussman

June 18, 2020

In The American Prospect, ILSR Legal Fellow Shaoul Sussman and Zephyr Teachout explain how Amazon's new patent solidifies the company’s aims to consolidate its power over sellers.READ MORE


Canadian National Radio: Why It’s Crucial to Wrest Power From Corporations like Amazon

Canadian National Radio: Why It's Crucial to Wrest Power From Corporations like Amazon

Susan Holmberg

June 1, 2020

Stacy Mitchell talks to Canadian national radio about how to understand Amazon’s structural power and its consequences, and about the growing momentum in Congress to do something.READ MORE


ILSR Submits Recommendations for Antitrust Reform to Congressional Committee

ILSR Submits Recommendations for Antitrust Reform to Congressional Committee

Zach Freed

May 11, 2020

Stacy Mitchell provides the House Judiciary Committee with recommendations for future antitrust legislation.READ MORE


In Wired: Can it. Amazon is Not Your Typical Grocery Store

In Wired: Can it. Amazon is Not Your Typical Grocery Store

Susan Holmberg

May 5, 2020

ILSR Legal Fellow Shaoul Sussman and co-author Hal Singer discredit the idea that all businesses behave like Amazon.READ MORE


On Vergecast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Amazon’s Dominance is More Visible During a Pandemic

On Vergecast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Amazon's Dominance is More Visible During a Pandemic

Zach Freed

May 1, 2020

Nilay Patel, host of the Vergecast, interviewed Co-Director Stacy Mitchell on the pandemic's disruptions to our supply chains, the importance of competition, and the growing movement to regulate Amazon.READ MORE


In ProMarket: Amazon is Poised to Emerge from the Covid-19 Crisis Stronger Than Ever

In ProMarket: Amazon is Poised to Emerge from the Covid-19 Crisis Stronger Than Ever

Shaoul Sussman

April 1, 2020

Amazon has reacted to the coronavirus outbreak with restrictions designed to cement its market power at the expense of merchants and consumers.READ MORE


In American Prospect: Amazon Uses Lending to Control Small Business

In American Prospect: Amazon Uses Lending to Control Small Business

Shaoul Sussman

February 26, 2020

In the American Prospect, ILSR Legal Fellow Shaoul Sussman explains that it is almost impossible for small businesses selling on Amazon’s platform to borrow from private banks, forcing entrepreneurs to borrow from Amazon itself.READ MORE


ILSR Cofounds National Coalition To Take On Amazon

ILSR Cofounds National Coalition To Take On Amazon

Hibba Meraay

November 26, 2019

The Athena coalition launched today as the first national coalition organized to fight Amazon's growing grip over our economy. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance is a founding member of Athena.READ MORE


In ProMarket: Amazon’s Rigged Shopping Algorithm

In ProMarket: Amazon's Rigged Shopping Algorithm

Stacy Mitchell

November 8, 2019

In a new piece for the University of Chicago Stigler Center's blog, ProMarket, ILSR's co-director Stacy Mitchell, and legal fellow Shaoul Sussman, describe how Amazon rigs its shopping algorithm to produce results that favor its own interests, harming shoppers and the many businesses that rely on its platform to get to market.READ MORE


CNN Investigates Amazon in Documentary Featuring ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell

CNN Investigates Amazon in Documentary Featuring ILSR's Stacy Mitchell

Stacy Mitchell

September 19, 2019

In a new CNN documentary titled “The Age of Amazon,” ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell offers crucial perspective on Amazon’s monopoly power and control over the digital infrastructure of the economy.READ MORE


ILSR’s Zach Freed Appears on San Francisco’s KALW to Discuss Amazon’s Warehouse Conditions and Market Power

ILSR's Zach Freed Appears on San Francisco's KALW to Discuss Amazon's Warehouse Conditions and Market Power

Charlie Thaxton

July 15, 2019

ILSR Researcher Zach Freed was featured on "Your Call," a program of KALW, a San Francisco NPR affiliate, to discuss Amazon's warehouse and labor practices.READ MORE


ILSR’s Testimony on Amazon’s Dominance Before the House Judiciary Committee

ILSR's Testimony on Amazon's Dominance Before the House Judiciary Committee

Stacy Mitchell

July 15, 2019

ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell testified on Amazon's market power before the House Judiciary Committee as part of its antitrust investigation into dominant digital platforms.READ MORE


Australian National Radio Talks With Stacy Mitchell about America’s Anti-Monopoly History and Big Tech

Australian National Radio Talks With Stacy Mitchell about America's Anti-Monopoly History and Big Tech

Stacy Mitchell

June 25, 2019

ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell was featured on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's radio news program Rear Vision for an episode on monopoly power in America.READ MORE


Video: Stacy Mitchell talks Amazon, Concentration, and Building Resilient Local Economies

Video: Stacy Mitchell talks Amazon, Concentration, and Building Resilient Local Economies

Stacy Mitchell

April 15, 2019

ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell was the guest for a special edition of Strong Towns' webcast earlier this year. Stacy spoke with Strong Towns co-founder and President, Chuck Marohn on topics like Amazon, tax incentives, retail concentration, and big-box stores.READ MORE


After Pressure from Officials and Community, Amazon Drops Plans to Build “HQ2” in Queens, New York

How Amazon Gets What it Wants: Stacy Mitchell on Chris Hayes’ Podcast

How Amazon Gets What it Wants: Stacy Mitchell on Chris Hayes' Podcast

Charlie Thaxton

January 23, 2019

ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell appeared on MSNBC host Chris Hayes' podcast, "Why Is This Happening?" The two discuss how Amazon came to dominate e-commerce, its now all-encompassing presence in consumer goods, retail, and cloud computing, and its much bigger ambitions beyond.READ MORE


In Op-Ed for Fortune, ILSR’s Charlie Thaxton Details Amazon’s Long History of Gaming the Government

In Op-Ed for Fortune, ILSR's Charlie Thaxton Details Amazon's Long History of Gaming the Government

Charlie Thaxton

November 28, 2018

Tax incentives and subsidies are hastening market concentration. Amazon, which has a long history of securing government giveaways, is a clear example.READ MORE


On WNYC’s On the Media, Stacy Mitchell Talks Antitrust’s Past and Future

On WNYC's On the Media, Stacy Mitchell Talks Antitrust's Past and Future

Zach Freed

November 21, 2018

ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell appeared as a guest on the WNYC radio program On The Media for a segment entitled “Making America Antitrust Again.” Stacy talked with host Brooke Gladstone about our country’s history of breaking up big corporations, the rise of Amazon, and where our growing anti-monopoly movement is headed.READ MORE


Watch: Panel Discussion on What to Do About Amazon

Watch: Panel Discussion on What to Do About Amazon

Zach Freed

November 21, 2018

ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell recently spoke on a panel focused on how to rein in Amazon’s monopoly power, hosted by the George Washington Institute of Public Policy.READ MORE


Interview: In The Sun, Stacy Mitchell Discusses Amazon and the Future of Local Economies

Interview: In The Sun, Stacy Mitchell Discusses Amazon and the Future of Local Economies

Stacy Mitchell

October 25, 2018

This month, The Sun magazine features ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell in an extended Q&A about the consequences of Amazon’s tightening grip and what it will take to revive America’s left-behind cities and towns.READ MORE


In Videos for Bernie Sanders, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Explains Amazon’s Monopoly Power

In Videos for Bernie Sanders, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Explains Amazon’s Monopoly Power

Zach Freed

October 5, 2018

The two videos have drawn more than 1.8 million views across several platforms.READ MORE


ILSR Submits Comments as Federal Trade Commission Embarks on a Rare Review of Its Antitrust Policy

ILSR Submits Comments as Federal Trade Commission Embarks on a Rare Review of Its Antitrust Policy

Zach Freed

August 30, 2018

In a series of hearings this fall, the Federal Trade Commission will examine whether it should be doing more to check concentrated economic power. ILSR has submitted comments to the agency that highlight the impact of concentration on independent businesses and outline the dangers of Amazon's platform power.READ MORE


Amazon’s New Path to Monopoly Is Through Your Local Government (Episode 50)

Amazon's New Path to Monopoly Is Through Your Local Government (Episode 50)

Nick Stumo-Langer

July 12, 2018

On ILSR's Building Local Power podcast, Stacy Mitchell and Olivia LaVecchia discuss their new report on Amazon's push into government procurement. "We've found that this contract is yet another tool for Amazon to suppress competition, and is a particularly pernicious way to use local governments to facilitate their market power."READ MORE


Report: Amazon’s Next Frontier: Your City’s Purchasing

Report: Amazon’s Next Frontier: Your City’s Purchasing

Stacy Mitchell

July 10, 2018

A national contract opens the way for Amazon to take over billions of dollars in local government spending. In this report, we examine the contract and find serious concerns — including that it leaves local governments at risk of being ripped off, and sets Amazon up to expand its monopoly power.READ MORE


As Amazon Moves to Capture Local Government Spending, Here’s What You Can Do

As Amazon Moves to Capture Local Government Spending, Here's What You Can Do

Olivia LaVecchia

July 10, 2018

A recent contract opens the way for billions of dollars in local government spending to shift to Amazon. The good news is that, for concerned citizens and public officials, Amazon's push into the public sector offers a way to take action at the local level and start a concrete conversation about Amazon’s power and what we should do about it. In this fact sheet, we outline three strategies to use to take action.READ MORE


In a Win for Independent Businesses, U.S. Supreme Court Rules for Sales Tax Fairness

In a Win for Independent Businesses, U.S. Supreme Court Rules for Sales Tax Fairness

Olivia LaVecchia

June 21, 2018

On Thursday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for states to require out-of-state and online retailers to collect state sales taxes. It's an important day for independent businesses: After years of being forced to compete at a significant price disadvantage, locally owned businesses finally have a shot at a more level playing field when it comes to sales tax.READ MORE


Listen: ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Talks Amazon with Gaby Dunn on “Bad With Money” Podcast

Listen: ILSR's Stacy Mitchell Talks Amazon with Gaby Dunn on "Bad With Money" Podcast

ILSR

May 31, 2018

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell was recently a guest on the popular podcast "Bad With Money," where she talked with host Gaby Dunn about Amazon and monopoly power.READ MORE


Listen: ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Talks Amazon and Antitrust on “The Majority Report” with Sam Seder

Listen: ILSR's Stacy Mitchell Talks Amazon and Antitrust on "The Majority Report" with Sam Seder

ILSR

May 11, 2018

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell recently joined host Sam Seder to talk Amazon and monopoly power on the popular podcast, "The Majority Report." Sparked by Stacy's recent cover story on Amazon in The Nation, Stacy and Sam's conversation covers Amazon's role as an infrastructure company, the dramatic shift that occurred in U.S. antitrust policy, and six proposals to rein in today's monopolies.READ MORE


Listen: How Amazon Swallowed the Economy on “This Is Hell”

Listen: How Amazon Swallowed the Economy on "This Is Hell"

ILSR

April 3, 2018

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell is the guest on the March 24 episode of "This Is Hell," a longform interview podcast from Chicago's WNUR. In the episode, "No competition: How Amazon swallowed the economy," Stacy talks competition, platforms, and Amazon with host Chuck Mertz.READ MORE


In Long-Awaited Case This Spring, U.S. Supreme Court Has Opportunity to Correct the Law on Sales Tax

In Long-Awaited Case This Spring, U.S. Supreme Court Has Opportunity to Correct the Law on Sales Tax

Olivia LaVecchia

April 3, 2018

This month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case on sales tax collection that could — long after online commerce has transformed the retail sector in the United States — finally give states the authority to require online retailers to collect sales tax. For both local governments and local retailers, it's a case that's long overdue.READ MORE


In The Nation: Amazon Doesn’t Just Want to Dominate the Market—It Wants to Become the Market

In The Nation: Amazon Doesn’t Just Want to Dominate the Market—It Wants to Become the Market

Stacy Mitchell

February 15, 2018

Stacy's Mitchell's cover feature for The Nation looks at how Amazon is a radically new kind of monopoly with ambitions that dwarf those of earlier empires, and what we should do about it.READ MORE


Listen: Stacy Mitchell on “We the Podcast” with Rep. Keith Ellison and Lina Khan

Listen: Stacy Mitchell on "We the Podcast" with Rep. Keith Ellison and Lina Khan

Stacy Mitchell

December 19, 2017

Taking on Amazon. It's a big subject. But in this episode of Rep. Keith Ellison's podcast, "We the People," ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and Lina Khan of Open Markets join Rep. Ellison to talk about how to do just that — and why we need to.READ MORE


Watch: Stacy Mitchell on Amazon’s Stealth Invasion

Watch: Stacy Mitchell on Amazon's Stealth Invasion

ILSR

December 18, 2017

In this talk, Stacy Mitchell discusses the findings of ILSR's groundbreaking report on Amazon, and what the company's growing dominance means for small businesses, jobs, and communities.READ MORE


Watch ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Speak on Amazon at Briefing for Members of Congress

Watch ILSR's Stacy Mitchell Speak on Amazon at Briefing for Members of Congress

ILSR

December 5, 2017

The briefing, which was held by the House Judiciary Committee Democrats and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, comes as there is increasing concern about the power of large tech companies, including Amazon.READ MORE


Amazon is Hurting Most Independent Retailers, but They’re Weathering the Storm Better than the Chains, Survey Finds

Amazon is Hurting Most Independent Retailers, but They're Weathering the Storm Better than the Chains, Survey Finds

Olivia LaVecchia

November 27, 2017

The retail industry is experiencing significant upheaval, but almost all of the reporting on the issue has focused on national chains. Now, a national survey finds that shifts in retail are playing out differently for independents. While 90% of independent retailers report that Amazon is negatively affecting their businesses, they also say that their distinct strengths are helping them weather the storm better than many national chains.READ MORE


Amazon’s Uneven Playing Field

Amazon’s Uneven Playing Field

Olivia LaVecchia

October 20, 2017

Amazon is looking for a big subsidy to build its new headquarters. In this op-ed for VICE's Motherboard, we look at how it's only the latest move in the company’s long history of using the government to get favors that other businesses can’t.READ MORE


Amazon Is Trying to Control the Underlying Infrastructure of Our Economy

Amazon Is Trying to Control the Underlying Infrastructure of Our Economy

Stacy Mitchell

June 25, 2017

In this op-ed for Motherboard, we look at how Amazon is trying to control the underlying infrastructure of our economy. We also examine how buying Whole Foods would expand Amazon's control of commerce — and why regulators should block it.READ MORE


Big Bad Behemoth? How Amazon Could Upend the U.S. Economy

Big Bad Behemoth? How Amazon Could Upend the U.S. Economy

Nick Stumo-Langer

June 22, 2017

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and James Marcus, a journalist who worked at Amazon for five years, discuss Amazon on WNYC's The Takeaway.READ MORE


Amazon-Whole Foods deal bad for competition: Expert

Amazon-Whole Foods deal bad for competition: Expert

Nick Stumo-Langer

June 19, 2017

ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell is interviewed in this short segment for CNBC's Power Lunch on the growing power of Amazon in the wake of their purchase Whole Foods. Watch here:READ MORE


Listen: MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell in conversation about Amazon

Listen: MSNBC's Chris Hayes and ILSR's Stacy Mitchell in conversation about Amazon

ILSR

May 17, 2017

In this 45-minute discussion, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and MSNBC's Chris Hayes talk about Amazon — including its power as an online platform, the importance of competition for a healthy economy, and the need for a public policy response to the company's growing dominance.READ MORE


Local Governments Are Increasingly Buying from Amazon. Here’s Why They Need to Stop.

Local Governments Are Increasingly Buying from Amazon. Here’s Why They Need to Stop.

Olivia LaVecchia

April 4, 2017

Local governments are increasingly turning to Amazon for their buying needs. When they do, though, citizens lose. Here's why you should be concerned about this spreading trend — and 5 things you can do.READ MORE


When It Comes to Working People, Amazon Isn’t Innovative at All

When It Comes to Working People, Amazon Isn't Innovative at All

Olivia LaVecchia

February 7, 2017

When shoppers interact with Amazon, they see an innovator. But behind the scenes, Amazon relies on a labor model that looks a lot more like the past than the future. This fact sheet that breaks down how this powerful corporation is undermining working people — and what we need to do.READ MORE


ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Speaks with The Capitol Forum about Amazon’s Economic Effects

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell Speaks with The Capitol Forum about Amazon's Economic Effects

ILSR

February 2, 2017

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell recently spoke about the economic impacts of Amazon in a conference call with editors and subscribers of The Capitol Forum, a news and analysis service for policymakers and others involved with issues of market competition. Here are some highlights from the conversation.READ MORE


Report: Amazon’s Monopoly

Report: Amazon’s Monopoly

Stacy Mitchell

November 29, 2016

Amazon is destroying competition and market diversity, leaving us with fewer choices, less innovation, and diminished opportunities.READ MORE


Amazon’s Stranglehold: How the Company’s Tightening Grip on the Economy Is Stifling Competition, Eroding Jobs, and Threatening Communities

Amazon’s Stranglehold: How the Company's Tightening Grip on the Economy Is Stifling Competition, Eroding Jobs, and Threatening Communities

Stacy Mitchell

November 29, 2016

Amazon has extended its tentacles across our economy. In this report, we pull back the curtain on the company, and find that it's at the center of increasing inequality and diminishing opportunity, and that it's concentrating power in ways that endanger competition, community life, and democracy. We also examine how public policy should address Amazon's high costs.READ MORE


Watch: Stacy Mitchell Speaks on Amazon and Empty Storefronts

Watch: Stacy Mitchell Speaks on Amazon and Empty Storefronts

ILSR

March 4, 2016

ILSR's Stacy Mitchell spoke about a strategy to rein in Amazon's expanding market power in this presentation at the 2016 Winter Institute. The annual conference and educational event, hosted by the American Booksellers Association, was held in Denver on Jan. 25 and 26.READ MORE


5 Things Local Officials Need to Know Before Welcoming an Amazon Warehouse

5 Things Local Officials Need to Know Before Welcoming an Amazon Warehouse

Stacy Mitchell

October 22, 2015

Amazon fulfillment centers impose so many hidden costs on local economies that cities ought to reconsider welcoming them at all, much less greasing the way with public funds.READ MORE


Stacy Mitchell Speaks at American Antitrust Institute’s “Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Antitrust”

Stacy Mitchell Speaks at American Antitrust Institute's "Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Antitrust"

ILSR

September 2, 2015

In these remarks, made on a panel at an American Antitrust Institute event, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell makes the case that the national thinking on antitrust has gone awry since the 1970s, when antitrust shifted away from its longstanding goal of maintaining robust competition to focus instead on efficiency and low prices.READ MORE


Public Officials Must Say No to Amazon’s Request for Tax Breaks

Public Officials Must Say No to Amazon's Request for Tax Breaks

Olivia LaVecchia

April 30, 2015

The news that Amazon wants to expand its footprint in Minnesota, but only if it wins significant public subsidies, should put both taxpayers and public officials on high alert.READ MORE


Amazon’s Big Assist from Government

Amazon's Big Assist from Government

Stacy Mitchell

May 1, 2014

A new study finds Amazon's sales drop in states where it is required to collect sales taxes, revealing what Jeff Bezos has undoubtedly known for years: the company's success, its track record of shuttering local businesses, is as much a product of government favoritism as it is of its own ingenuity.READ MORE


The Truth about Amazon and Job Creation

The Truth about Amazon and Job Creation

Stacy Mitchell

July 29, 2013

Of all the places President Obama might give a speech on job creation, an Amazon warehouse is a particularly perplexing choice. Here are five ways Amazon is costing our economy and undermining real job growth.READ MORE


Stacy Mitchell Talks about Amazon on Seattle Public Radio

Stacy Mitchell Talks about Amazon on Seattle Public Radio

Stacy Mitchell

July 9, 2013

In this 5-minute interview with Ross Reynolds on Seattle public radio station KUOW, Stacy Mitchell talks about how Amazon's market power has changed the business of selling books and what the future looks like for independent bookstores.READ MORE


Justice Department Abets Amazon’s E-Book Monopoly