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Summary: Short on Analysis, but Good Primer on Amazon's History.
Review: "Get Big Fast" is the story of Amazon.com's inception and rise to e-commerce supremacy, as told by business reporter Robert Spector. This book seems to be intended for students of business or perhaps budding entrepreneurs. It offers very little analysis, but Spector gives us the facts -or at least some of them- of how the Internet's first store came to be its biggest. This is a Who did What When and Why of Amazon's first five and a half years, 1994-2000. The story starts before that, though. The first three chapters follow Amazon founder and president Jeff Bezos from his youth in Texas, through a successful career in the vicinity of Wall Street, to Seattle, where Amazon would be born. The remaining eight chapters trace Amazon's growth from the Bezos' garage, to makeshift offices and crowded warehouses, to Amazon's current residence in the lovely PacMed Tower, from 4 employees to 7600 on three continents. There is a list of "Takeaways" at the end of each chapter, which reiterate the chapter's major points and Amazon's strategy during that time. Since Jeff Bezos, et al created new technology as they were building a multi-billion dollar business, "Get Big Fast" discusses the creation of Amazon's web site and it's features, in addition to logistics, finances, and personalities. Since I spend a lot of time on this web site, I would have liked a more in-depth history of its features, but given that Robert Spector is a business writer and not a software developer, his slant is understandable. More analysis of Amazon's decisions in the context of retail sales would also have been welcome. But the fact that Amazon was a pioneer business model that many hailed as proof positive of the New Economy does make comparisons to other businesses tricky. As I write this, Amazon.com is nearly twice as old as when Robert Spector wrote his book. But much less has changed in the interim years than in the first five. "Get Big Fast" is a solid primer on Amazon.com's inception and growth, and therefore a foundational piece of e-commerce history.
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Summary: Inspirational dose to recent gradutaes
Review: As a recent graduate in computer science last year, the book serves as a ray of hope in the so called "twilight of the dot com" days. I used to hear and read about these stories as an undergrad student. By the time I graduated and set my foot in the market, I saw people looking at IT as the 21st century Babylon - a boom of yesteryears.
The book outlines the insight Jeff had when he decided to quit one of the most sought after jobs and start a company in his garrage. It also revelas what made him think of books as the hottest item he could sell on the internet. The book tells the story of the internet big bang and Amazon.com's role in it. I would recommend this book to all the people who would like to discover how one man's foresight of the then upcoming internet revolution paved a way for many other startups.
In particular, I enjoyed the history of all the features (wish list, listamania, saving users session, etc) which we see on the amazon.com website today.
I would recommend Po Bronson's books to the readers for similar literature.
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Summary: Class Act Writing.....
Review: As an avid Amazon.com customer I had to check this book out. I was certainly not dissapointed. This book gives not only the business story of the creation of Amazon it gives the personal story of the man behind all of it, Jeff Bezos. It starts with his birth and goes from there. It gives first hand accounts of the creation and struggle to become "Earth's Biggest Bookstore." Not only does it discuss the high points, it also addresses a few low points and gets the amazon mission across. Reads a bit like a billboard, as its pretty strong advertising for Amazon, but its a great company, and a great read.
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Summary: Hail Amazon.com?
Review: I don't know how to put it, was this book a never ending praise for Amazon.com or a non-biased account of what Amazon.com is about. I think i am more inclined towards the 'praise' part, why? Let me give one example, in the earlier part of the book, the author mentions that companies like Barns & Noble presented a big threat to Amazon.com, and from that point onwards he continues to portray B&N as the baddies. As if B&N were always bent upon destroying Amazon, and Jeff Bezos never once made a bad move, he never ever made one mistake. Come one admit it, if B&N is this big today, they must have done something right somewhere.
I wish that the author had taken the time to express his own thoughts somewhere in the 200+ pages.
This book would be a good read if you have literally no idea about Amazon.com, otherwise I would say, go out and look for a book which not only praises,criticezes but also expresses author's own opinions on the subject matter.
P.S. If you find something, please let me know too.
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Summary: Amazon on Amazon
Review: I love the book. Though not bought at amazon. :< The story of how a not known internet company to a successful and real big one. How the company relied on open source and slowly as it get bigger used more commercial software. It describe how a man vision can come true by believing. Truly amazing book, I like one part of the book which says 'How do Amazon review this book for themselve?'. It's a good read
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Summary: Great Book - Very Interesting
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read for me. I was interested in the history of Amazon.com and I was not let down. I know some people have said the author does not give his opinion, and that it did not go into enough detail, but I think too much detail would have been boring. I give it a 4, and reccomend it to everyone who wants to know th ehistory of amazon.com.
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Summary: A fantastic story. Not a How-To book.
Review: Let's face it - if you're reading this review you have at least seen what all the fuss is about. Amazon.com (don't call it plain "Amazon") has helped change the purpose of the internet from practical and educational to commercial. This book was great at putting human faces where you never thought they existed. Jeff Bezos, founder of this "poster child of the Internet economy," is made to seem like a child- and adult prodigy...too smart to disagree with and driven to be the best at whatever it is he chooses to do. Based on multiple interviews and articles, the book even discusses how Jeff found his wife and how SHE measures up intellectually. Be warned though, although the book tells a great story in chapter form, the author decided to bullet-point what Jeff Bezos had accomplished, with the intention of making the book more of an instructional manual than it should have been. Amazon.com has been a one-of-a-kind success story (which would be most interesting when it shows a profit for its hard work!!) and if you attempt to build a business in the same way, do so at your own risk!
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Summary: Eye Opener
Review: Right after Amazon.com's IPO in 97, I had the pleasure of meeting jeff's mum and dad in new Jersey and hearing for the first time of amazon.com. Now, as an MBA student specialising in e-Commerce, I had double reason to read the biography of amazon.com so far. Understanding the how's and why's of amazon.com is much easier after reading the first chapters on 'Who is Jeff Bezos' and his life before Internet. I found a lot of the little stories amusing for the charm and brashness and amazing committment Jeff has displayed along the way. I agree with others that it would have added value to this book if Jeff himself had have given further insight into some of the strategies employed rather than the author only having recounted information from fellow 'amazonians'or quotes from previous interviews. The book ends quite abruptly with a chapter on the current growth strategies of the company but doesn't explore, or better still - ask Jeff himself, what to expect in the next 3-5 years. In terms of entering e-commerce, this is NOT a text book on how to do it. Nonetheless, it's a great read and gives you an insight into the vision, committment and determination it has taken to get to where amazon.com is today. Get comfortable,... I couldn't put this one down and finished it in 2 days.
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Summary: Quick Page turner
Review: The book is fast-paced, and keeps you to the pages. An interesting account.
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Summary: The Company, Not the River
Review: The most telling detail on Amazon in this book was on page 132: When publishers and authors asked Bezos why Amazon.com would publish negative reviews, he (said) Amazon.com "was taking a different approach, of trying to sell all books...the good, the bad, and the ugly...doing that, you actually have an obligation...to let truth loose.'"Whichever publishers and authors those were, they epitomize the sort of thinking that a new business model sweeps away. When someone responds negatively to their product they seek to silence that person. Failing that, they repackage the same product. If that doesn't work, they rename the product. Then they present the product in a different size. Anything, abosolutely anything, but listen to the customer who gripes. I don't think Spector grasps the depth of this change. When Amazon gives a forum to ordinary people to speak where previously only "professionals" could, that's as profound a shift as from monarchy to democracy. Giving equal space on the electronic bookshelf to an arcane book on geology and a convenience store bestseller is as revolutionary as Martin Luther's 95 theses getting equal billing with the pronouncements of the pope. In terms of sales, if I can buy what I want instead of just what the "professionals" want me to buy, I'm going to buy more. Most of the other factors in Amazon's success have been done before: hiring smart people, working long hours, providing great customer service...but no other retailer ever had a selection larger than the Library of Congress. And no other retailer ever gave customers around the globe a public forum for feedback. I would have liked to have seen more on this unique aspect of Amazon in GET BIG FAST, and less of the sort of business school platitudes that make up the "Takeaways" sections at the end of each chapter.
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