Amazon bans Apple TV and Google Chromecast sales
Amazon recently announced that it will soon ban the Apple TV and the Google Chromecast from its online webstore. No new listings for the two video-streaming products will be accepted and the existing listings will be removed on October 29.
Amazon says that it has decided to ban Apple TV and Google Chromecast sales due to the fact that these video-streaming devices are not compatible with Prime Video, Amazon's video-streaming service. According to the e-commerce giant, selling streaming devices that are not easily compatible with Prime Video on Amazon can lead to customer confusion.
The retailer noted that video-streaming devices that easily work with Amazon Prime Video - such as the Roku players, the Microsoft Xbox consoles, and the Sony Playstation consoles - will continue to be offered through Amazon.
Here's Amazon official statement:
And this is the email that Amazon has been sending out to resellers:
What do you guys think of this sales ban? Is there any chance that Amazon is really looking to avoid customer confusion, or has Amazon become a bully?
Here's Amazon official statement:
Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime. It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Roku, XBOX, PlayStation and Fire TV are excellent choices.
And this is the email that Amazon has been sending out to resellers:
Dear Seller,
Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime. It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Therefore, Amazon has implemented listing restrictions for the followings products:
o Apple TV o Chromecast o Nexus Player
Effective immediately, you may no longer create new listings for these products, and as of 10/29/15, any existing listings for these products will be removed. There will be no adverse impact on your seller account for the removal, but we request that you refrain from relisting removed products.
Roku, XBOX, and PlayStation all interact well with Prime Video and are not affected by this change.
Thank you for selling on Amazon.
Sincerely, Amazon Services
Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime. It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Therefore, Amazon has implemented listing restrictions for the followings products:
o Apple TV o Chromecast o Nexus Player
Effective immediately, you may no longer create new listings for these products, and as of 10/29/15, any existing listings for these products will be removed. There will be no adverse impact on your seller account for the removal, but we request that you refrain from relisting removed products.
Roku, XBOX, and PlayStation all interact well with Prime Video and are not affected by this change.
Thank you for selling on Amazon.
Sincerely, Amazon Services
Official motives aside, it looks like Amazon is bullying Apple and Google in an attempt to achieve a better position for its own video-streaming device, the Fire TV stick. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that, if Amazon's Prime Video is not compatible with the Apple TV and the Google Chromecast, that's only because Amazon decided not to develop apps for the two streaming devices. The Google Chromecast SDK allows everyone to make compatible apps (or even port existing ones), and all devs can make apps for the Apple TV, although Apple has tighter control over the apps published in its app store.
What do you guys think of this sales ban? Is there any chance that Amazon is really looking to avoid customer confusion, or has Amazon become a bully?
source: Bloomberg
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