Public statements from Amazon or industry analysis reports.

Amazon's Big River Services Spies on Walmart, eBay, FedEx: WSJ

Apr 19, 2024, 10:11 AM

Amazon has been conducting undercover operations through a shell company named Big River Services International to gather competitive intelligence on rivals such as Walmart, eBay, FedEx, and others, according to a Wall Street Journal report. This operation, which was not initially apparent to competitors, involved selling products like beach chairs and woks on various online marketplaces including eBay, Etsy, and others, generating $1 million annually. Amazon's staff also created fake seller accounts on platforms like Walmart and Flipkart to scoop up information on pricing, logistics, and business practices, unbeknownst to Walmart until informed by WSJ. Additionally, Amazon fabricated a Japanese streetwear brand sold on Shopify as part of its strategy to collect data on competitors.