Key Takeaways
1. SpaceX is now allowing Amazon to sell Starlink services, despite their rivalry.
2. Amazon has launched Leo Ultra, a competing satellite service aimed at business customers.
3. Customers can purchase Starlink accessories directly from the Starlink website, with Prime shipping options.
4. The collaboration is notable given the ongoing public feud between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
5. SpaceX is shifting its sales strategy to include Amazon, expanding its reach to a larger customer base.
In an unexpected decision, SpaceX is broadening its Starlink sales by including Amazon, even though there’s a well-known rivalry between the two firms. This development arrives just as Amazon has unveiled Leo Ultra, a new high-performance option for its rival satellite service aimed at business customers seeking gigabit internet speeds. While SpaceX initially remained silent regarding the new listings, an update on Starlink.com revealed that Amazon is now an authorized retailer for the satellite internet service in the US, joining major retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Walmart.
New Accessibility for Starlink Accessories
Customers can now buy certain Starlink accessories, including the Wi-Fi router, directly from the site, with many items eligible for Prime overnight or one-day shipping. A review site called DISHYTech first discovered the official Starlink store earlier this month, indicating that it seems to function through Virtual Supply. This distributor, based in Oregon, offers a range of consumer electronics to large retailers and has previously sold the standard Starlink dish, which hints that additional inventory could be added in the future.
Tensions Between Musk and Bezos
This collaboration is particularly intriguing as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has had a public feud with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for several years. Back in 2019, Musk claimed that Bezos mimicked Starlink after Amazon sought FCC approval for its own competing satellite internet service, now known as Amazon Leo. The conflict intensified in 2021 during a regulatory disagreement over the second-generation Starlink network, when Musk ridiculed Bezos for resigning as CEO, tweeting, “Turns out Besos [sic] retired in order to pursue a full-time job filing lawsuits against SpaceX.”
Shift in Sales Strategy
Until recently, SpaceX had avoided using Amazon to market Starlink and preferred third-party sellers or its own website. The company has become increasingly aggressive in promoting its satellite internet service in the US with various discounts and lower monthly rates, and this new storefront now positions its products right in front of Amazon’s vast customer base.
Starlink’s expansion into Amazon’s marketplace opens up new opportunities for both companies, despite the ongoing tensions.
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply