Amazon is the Next Generation's Wal-mart

Customer service, indeed. I use Amazon.com on a regular basis, for their MP3 downloads, and just started using 'em for MTB accessories (gloves, saddlebag, bug repellent, etc)<p>One thing that differentiates Amazon.com from walmart, though: Amazon.com supports individual retailers, in a serious -- and, I suppose, fun looking -- way

Does Walmart give local, independent retailers or manufacturers floor space and transactional support?

Amazon has it nailed for books, but I find that it is only middling for other products. More often I purchase elsewhere. Amazon Prime is great but it often doesn't apply to heavier products. Anything carried by a third-party Amazon store probably has a cost disadvantage compared to a standalone web site. That being said, Amazon probably does have a significant advantage due to its infrastructure.<p>EDIT: I've looked at things recently that Prime didnt apply to, Torani syrups for example. These were from third party stores. It may be the individual stores option whether it participates in Prime.

Friendland also contends that “Amazon’s aggressive investment in search, site content, customer service, digital distribution and third party platform have resulted in a sustainable competitive advantage.”

Amazon is the next gen's ConEdison/PSEG is something to note as well. Would have been interesting to look at how the strategy of being #1 in book sales and introducing Kindle at the right time to handle the transition to e-books came about. The amount of forethought is intriguing.