[Jim from C-Town]

Amazon is an actual business that sells products. I simply marvel that this company was able to create and dominate on-line retail by starting to sell books. After all, it is not like Wal*Mart or Sears didn't grasp catalog sales, on-line retail is just catalog sales.

Amazon has not made consistent profit, but they have a valid business model and have decided to full bore invest in complimentary businesses.

Some of the tech companies just bewilder me as to how they have garnered such massive buyouts on what is quite a limited income stream or even usefulness.

[PGR88]

The point is - would Amazon be able to develop as it did, if “safe” treasury rates, or real interest rates were not 1%-2%, but 7%-8% or more? Would investors continue to fund a long-term profitless company? Or would they demand a different business model?

Would there even have been a tech bubble?

Would Amazon have been able to finance all the physical investments and technology they have?

Would the American consumer have been able to support such rampant consumerism that supported Amazon if debt was not so easily available?

these are all “what ifs” that simply point to how the price of money (especially if its politicized and artificial) has many unseen and long-term effects - not only on business and technology, but society as a whole.