When was the last time you clicked on a weblog link for a book that didn’t take you to Amazon.com? As an advocate for competition and consumer choice, I’ve often felt annoyed that webloggers have granted a hyperlink hyper-monopoly to one internet source of consumer items.
So, I’ve been trying to find alternatives when I mention a book on this site — sources that offer the reader not just the chance to buy the book, but information about it, with objective reviews (if possible), and consumer feedback. Low prices and shipping fees, tax-free opportunities, links to other books by the author or similar titles, and the chance to buy used copies of the book would also be nice.
And — trust, me I own no stock in the company — I have not been able to find any alternative source that comes close to what Amazon.com has to offer my readers with one click. It’s a maxim of antitrust law that monopoly won on the merits is completely lawful (although Mr. Gates learned that maintaining one unfairly is a problem). Until I discover a comparable substitute, it looks like I’ll be joining the web-throng linking almost exclusively to Amazon.com.
Now, who said I don’t have an open mind?