43 Companies Amazon Could Destroy (Including One for a Second Time)

You would think e-commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon.com (AMZN), after more than 20 years of unfettered growth, would have run out of room to expand.

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You would think e-commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon.com (AMZN), after more than 20 years of unfettered growth, would have run out of room to expand. But the company continues to scout new opportunities. Amazon will try its hand at almost any sort of business, does well at the bulk of them – and threatens to destroy dozens of other companies with its success.

The latest foray into unfamiliar territory? In September, Amazon announced a pilot program for a virtual medical clinic, which includes some in-home services, to be offered to its Seattle-area employees. The virtual clinic aspect would include video visits with doctors, nurse practitioners or registered nurses.

That's not Amazon's first venture outside its comfort zone, either. Amazon also is a grocer, a fashion venue, a peddler of handmade crafts and even its own delivery provider, just to name a few. Amazon has become at best a headache, and at worst a survival threat, for any rival in its path.

Here is a look at 43 companies that Amazon could kill. A year ago, we named 49 such businesses (as well as one it already knocked out). A handful of names dropped off the list – some successfully regrouped, while a few were officially knocked out. Others have been added as they've slipped into Amazon's warpath. Considering Amazon's ubiquitous presence, no company is ever truly safe.

Disclaimer

Companies listed in alphabetical order. Please Note: Links to products and services mentioned in this feature may be affiliate links. These business relationships played no role in the independent judgments and recommendations of the Kiplinger editorial staff. For more valuable offers from our merchant partners, visit our Marketplace.

James Brumley
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com
James Brumley is a former stock broker, registered investment adviser and Director of Research for an options-focused newsletter. He's now primarily a freelance writer, tapping more than a decade's worth of broad experience to help investors get more out of the market. With a background in technical analysis as well as fundamental analysis, James touts stock-picking strategies that combine the importance of company performance with the power of stock-trade timing. He believes this dual approach is the only way an investor has a shot at consistently beating the market. James' work has appeared at several websites including Street Authority, Motley Fool, Kapitall and Investopedia. When not writing as a journalist, James works on his book explaining his multi-pronged approach to investing.