Read The Failure of Amazon China
In America, the Amazon company is an immense, pseudo-governmental force whose fingers reach deep into areas of society many would never imagine possible. In my WAI course, we read an excerpt from Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power by David Dayen, which provides an in-depth look at Amazon, its treatment of sellers, and the damage it has done to small businesses in America. In Dayen’s recounting, Amazon seems unstoppable, monolithic—but in China, Amazon seems like it has evaporated into thin air. Its attempts to penetrate the market have been largely rebuffed with many services withdrawn and their presence reduced to almost nothing. But why?
In this essay, Yutong Zhao tells a clear, compelling story of Amazon’s failed venture in China, emphasizing its inability to connect with Chinese consumers and its inflexibility in adapting to the unique conditions of China—fatal missteps, with hungry competition such as Taobao and Jingdong already dominating the market. Her paper is clear and meticulous, but it also incorporates well-chosen sources and arguments, providing a fascinating glimpse of one of the few places in the world where the tendrils of this American business have been unable to reach.
—Kyle Muntz