> another company started by selling books (a worse idea if you ask me)
Nope, IMO it's f*cking perfect. Having worked for a book distribution company: the item is easily packaged, it's easily identified by the purchaser (no brand confusion), it's easy to use with no support costs, all items from the publisher are sale-or-return - any excess inventory goes straight back to them rather than clogging the store's shelves if it doesn't sell. Amazon also used the Internet to overcome the traditional problems with book distribution: which titles to carry and market, because there are so many. Just carry all of them.
You forgot one of the most important details: Books have a high cost:weight ratio -- between $10 and $200 per lbs -- which ensures that shipping costs stay reasonable. Pet food tends to be around $3/lbs.
Nope, IMO it's f*cking perfect. Having worked for a book distribution company: the item is easily packaged, it's easily identified by the purchaser (no brand confusion), it's easy to use with no support costs, all items from the publisher are sale-or-return - any excess inventory goes straight back to them rather than clogging the store's shelves if it doesn't sell. Amazon also used the Internet to overcome the traditional problems with book distribution: which titles to carry and market, because there are so many. Just carry all of them.