GeekWire - Unpacking the FTC’s case against Amazon

Happy weekend, GeekWire readers. A Seattle mental health startup combines philosophy and chatbots; Zillow Group prevails in a lawsuit; and we analyze the FTC vs. Amazon. 

The outcome of the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Amazon could be years away. But there’s a chance we’re already seeing the impact of antitrust scrutiny in the e-commerce giant’s business decisions. That’s one of the takeaways from a new episode of the GeekWire Podcast, as we dive deep into the landmark lawsuit. 

• We discuss the implications for Amazon, consumers, and sellers in the context of the changing dynamics of online retail, plus Amazon’s evolving relationship with sellers, the challenges of omni-channel retail, and the rise of new e-commerce rivals.

• Our guest is former Amazon seller Jason Boyce, co-author of “The Amazon Jungle,” and host of the Day 2 podcast, who works with sellers as CEO of Avenue7Media.

• Listen and read more here, or subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Related GeekWire coverage:

• FTC and 17 states sue Amazon for maintaining alleged monopoly power that stifles competition

• FTC targets alleged secret Amazon pricing algorithm ‘Project Nessie’ in antitrust complaint

• FTC’s case against Amazon hinges on internal messages and secrets yet to be revealed

The Amazon Smile appears on a payload fairing as the company's Project Kuiper satellites are readied for an Oct. 6 liftoff atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. This will be the first launch in Amazon's campaign to build a broadband network constellation that would rival SpaceX's Starlink network. Can Amazon catch up?

A pair of Seattle entrepreneurs wants to help you find yourself — with a little help from ChatGPT. Erick Rivas and Simona Trakiyska are the co-founders of Kaji, an app featuring self-improvement and wellness audio recordings, enhanced by a chatbot that personalizes content recommendations based on user preferences and mood. Read more. 

Hot Links:

• Zillow Group won a legal battle related to how the Seattle real estate company displayed certain listings on its platform. (Real Estate News) 

• USAFacts, the nonprofit founded by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, answers questions about the looming government shutdown. (USAFacts)