Amazon, unit pricing, and other recess hijinks

Unlike others, I do not believe that the tech world is just a very rich version of a high school, with all of its petty gossip, frenemies, and hurt feelings.

I believe that the tech world is like an elementary school.

Except that there are no recess monitors to keep you from hitting others, and there are no lunch ladies to force you to eat your vegetables.

The latest example? For better or worse, the New York State Attorney General has brokered an agreement between six online retailers to provide unit prices on their websites.

The six companies? Walmart, Costco, Walgreens, FreshDirect, CVS, and Drugstore.com.

Amazon is missing from the list, despite the fact that they provide unit prices for some items, and despite the fact that their unit prices tend to be low.

So why didn't they participate? Gartner's Bob Hetu speculates:

I think it's just that they don't like to be pooled in with the other retailers.

Amazon had better watch out, or else it won't be invited to Walmart's house for the cool pool party and sleepover. (Of course, there will be a fight over whether to serve Kirkland hot dogs or Sam's hot dogs, but that's part of the fun.)