Amazon Climbed to the Top of the Ladder and Destroyed It

b. Amazon’s first-party anti-discounting algorithm has stopped other online stores from competing by offering lower prices

333. Though the different elements of Amazon’s anti-discounting strategy often work in tandem to stifle competition (as discussed in Part VI.A.4, below), Amazon’s first-party anti-discounting algorithm has, on its own, deterred other online stores from competing through lower prices.

334. For example, Amazon’s first-party anti-discounting scheme successfully deterred price competition in 2017 when (redacted) introduced a (redacted)

335. Amazon concluded that its first-party anti-discounting strategy ultimately helped induce (redacted) to stop competing on price through its pickup discount program. In an internal planning and strategy document, Amazon determined that its first-party anti-discounting algorithm created a (redacted)

336. In response to Amazon’s anti-discounting conduct, (redacted) Amazon estimated that (redacted)

337. At one point in 2019, after enduring years of Amazon’s algorithmic disciplining (redacted)