Jeff Bezos buys Washington Post after clicking âyou might also likeâ Amazon link
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has explained that his surprising purchase of the Washington Post was the result of clicking on a link suggesting he might like it after buying a book about newspapers. Bezos paid $250m for the former newspaper giant, which has been struggling in recent years to adapt its business to accommodate the fact that the Internet is a real thing now. The new owner of one of Americaâs most prestigious papers told reporters, âIâd just bought a book about the history of newspapers in America, when the Amazon algorithm said I might also like to purchase the Washington Post.â âApparently itâs been in Rupert Murdochâs wishlist for a while now.â âSo I put it in my basket, and then thought âwhat the hellâ. I had a spare quarter of a billion lying around anyway.â âThatâs the thing about Amazon, it always seems to know exactly what the consumer wants. Well, right after they have bought it.â Analysts have predicted that the use of the Amazon algorithm at the Post could revive the fortunes of the ailing brand. As one explained, âThere are a few teething issues though, only this morning there was some print at the bottom of a Washington Post story saying I might also like USA Today.â âAnd it was right.â