Swot Amazon

Amazon SWOT

Strengths

* Amazon is still turning a profit when other retail outlets are loosing money.

* Amazon uses Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Amazon records data from customer through purchases or an item visited and can be viewed anytime and provides the customer with suggestions based on prior purchases and visits. Checking your online order status is very easy to use and reliable.

* Amazon is a global brand. The customer base is over 30 million people.

* Amazon sells almost everything;

* Amazon is a shopping place to find rare and unique items.

* Theft will be reduced due to items not being shoplifted less expense needed in security and shrinkage which is most retailers' number one expense.

Weaknesses

* As shipping costs increase more customers may buy from brick and mortar store fronts to save money.

* Since everything is sold online there isn't an option to see it before you buy. You take a chance when you buy used items that it will be in the condition that the seller states it is based on their description.

* Return methods if you don't get what you ordered by a personal seller.

* Internet or power outages could result in loss of sales could be a major loss in business revenue.

* Social responsibility in the communities where distribution centers are located.

Opportunities

* Developing partnerships with competitors, customers, and businesses. They currently have a partnership with Target thru 2010. The Amazon Enterprise Solutions can be developed further with more companies.

* Develop Fulfillment Web Service where retailers can use the Amazon warehouse to maintain inventory and shipments to customers. Using FWS shipping Amazon, stores inventory, picks, packs and ships items to customers. Companies can take advantage of reduced shipping costs due to high volume shipping with UPS.

* Development of the Amazon Web Store (AWS). Customers can buy from smaller merchants thru the Amazon website.

* Development of Amazon Flexible Payment Services (FPS) and Amazon Simple Pay.

* Developing better communication of new services and products.

* Additional expansion in U.S. and foreign markets.

Threats

* When you are successful internet businesses you will attract competition. As the number one e-commerce business it