, Columnist
Amazon’s Winner-Take-All Approach to Small Business
The company grabs sales from successful merchants by giving search priority to its private-label goods.
Now you know how it feels.
Photographer: Christopher Lee/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Small businesses are a pillar of capitalism and of a healthy economy. They provide a path into the middle and upper-middle class for people who don’t have elite connections or a fancy college degree. And they distribute capital income broadly, so that the gains from business ownership aren’t concentrate among a few wealthy shareholders.
Retail is a big component of small business. In recent decades, big chains have pushed out mom-and-pop stores. But there has been hope that e-commerce would provide a lifeline for small retailers.