Local Business Owners 'Outraged' by Amazon App

A special discount in effect today for Amazon.com shoppers has some local business owners agitated, citing that the discount puts small businesses at a disadvantage. 

The offer uses Amazon.com's app for smartphones "Price Check," giving customers an additional 5 percent discount off of Amazon's online price on Dec. 10 on up to three qualifying products scanned in a store but purchased online through Amazon.

"The ability to check prices on your mobile phone when you’re in a physical retail store is changing the way people shop," said Sam Hall, director of Amazon Mobile in a press release.

"Price transparency means that you can save money on the products you want and that’s a great thing for customers. In addition to these one day, in-store deals, shoppers can also start submitting in-store prices with the Price Check app, ensuring they are really getting a deal and allowing all Amazon customers to get the lowest prices year-round," said Hall.

But the app has some local business owners and shoppers upset, stating the discount day, exactly two weeks after "," is unfair to independent stores.

"I am outraged that this big giant would use our small businesses at our expense for customers to come in and use our stores as a showroom for Amazon," said Debbie Scheller, owner of located on Main Street Sykesville. "Small businesses suffer the expense and Amazon gets the profits."

The app and special offer caused the American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher to write an open letter to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos stating that the app and the Dec. 10 promotion associated with it puts businesses with storefronts at a disadvantage.

"Despite your company’s recent pledge to be a better corporate citizen and to obey the law and collect sales tax, you created a price-check app that allows shoppers to browse Main Street stores that do collect sales tax, scan a product, ask for expertise, and walk out empty-handed in order to buy on Amazon," read the letter by Teicher.

"We suppose we should be flattered that an online sales behemoth needs a Main Street retail showroom. Forgive us if we’re not."

Mary Martin, owner of on Main Street Sykesville joined in on the growing conversation about the promotion on facebook, stating that this is a way for larger businesses to shut down small, local stores.

"The greediness of these giant stores astounds me," said Martin. "It seems they won’t be happy until all small businesses are out of business. Then they’ll be able to set whatever price they want, since they will have eliminated their competition."