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Another Reality Check for the FTC Following Misguided Amazon Lawsuit
Just a few weeks after the FTC and 17 state Attorneys General sued Amazon, alleging that the popular online marketplace impedes competition, CNBC published an article detailing how Walmart continues challenging Amazon for online marketplace supremacy; just the latest in a long line of examples of how all retailers, both physical and online, and marketplaces…
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Safeguarding Small Businesses in the Digital Age October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and there are some important things small businesses need to think about as they run and grow their businesses. The advent of the Internet unlocked unprecedented opportunities for small businesses. However, it also ushered in a new kind of crime: cyberattacks that can…
AI: Empowering Small Business Voices
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is spurring innovation across industries and is changing how companies operate, offering significant benefits to small businesses, including improved operational efficiency and cost savings. With rapid AI development and the ongoing call for regulating the technology, it is critical that policymakers prioritize the interests of small businesses. If policymakers overregulate AI, it…
Myth v Fact: Misconceptions and False Premises in the FTC/Amazon Lawsuit
FTC Myth: [Amazon is] Charging costly fees on the hundreds of thousands of sellers that currently have no choice but to rely on Amazon to stay in business. These fees range from a monthly fee sellers must pay for each item sold to advertising fees that have become virtually necessary for sellers to do business.…
Unboxing Competition: Breaking up Amazon Will Benefit Chinese Marketplaces at Small Businesses’ Expense
A central argument Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan and her allies consistently make is that Amazon is hampering competition and needs to be broken up. Reportedly, the agency is preparing a lawsuit to break up the company – a move that would ultimately hurt sellers who use Amazon’s services to reach global markets,…
The Balancing Act: Intelligent Policy Design for Intelligently-Driven Businesses
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a ubiquitous term in our rapidly evolving digital era, driving transformative changes across nearly all industries. Among its numerous applications, AI has emerged as a game-changer for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), offering them transformative productivity hacks and leveling the playing field against larger competitors. However, with policymakers now charged…
Breaking Prime: How the FTC Could Harm Millions of Small Sellers
Selling on Amazon has proven to be a game changer for small businesses, providing them access to a global audience and the opportunity to thrive in the e-commerce industry. Close to 90% of Amazon Prime members say they like what they’re getting, and this satisfaction translates to increased visibility and sales for small sellers, giving…
AI: The New Frontier for Small Businesses
Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be all over the news these days. Since the arrival of ChatGPT, more and more companies are touting the use of AI. With this increase in attention to AI, there have also been some concerns from policymakers, advocates, and others around job displacement, disinformation, and data security. While skepticism of…
