There is a very nice cover feature story in the latest edition of the Wired magazine. Amazon has been steadily increasing in prominence over its long (ancient in Internet years) existence. It has become one of a handful of prominent Internet and technology companies, together with Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. It has expanded in almost all spheres of retail business (its traditional strength) but in recent years, especially with the introduction of Kindle, it has become a significant player in the cut-throat world of consumer electronics.

The Wired article includes an interview with Jeff Bezos himself, conducted by Steven Levy. Bezos has always been a very amicable and down-to-earth personage, and these traits are clearly shown in this interview as well. I really appreciate his on the long-term strategy over the heedless chasing of the short-term profits. As he puts it, Amazon doesn’t mind being underestimated or misunderstood for long periods of time as long as they are building themselves up towards the meaningful and important long-term goals. The retail mentality still pervades all spheres of their corporate ethos, and they have always been and continue to be a customer-centric, low-price, low-margins company. This attitude distinguishes them from the aforementioned rivals, and it’s a different approach to the realization of online dominance. As someone who has greatly benefited from Amazon’s unbeatable online shopping experience, and have contributed numerous reviews to their website, I am excited about their long-term prospects.