If Tobi Lets the Amazon Prime Trojan Horse Into the Castle He Should Forfeit All His Founder Shares

As I sat on the Shopify earnings call yesterday, I couldn't believe what I was hearing from founder Tobi Lutke. "The world is not as zero sum as you think" and "Amazon has second to none infrastructure" and further, "we are happy to integrate them."

I understand if you are saying that Amazon's approach to bundling payment, delivery promise and loyalty validates your strategy that's one thing.

But seriously -- Shopify has spent the past 5 years building up Shop Pay and tearing down all third-party checkout solutions and payment APIs.

And now one of the most clever companies in the modern era puts a Trojan Horse in front of Shopify's castle, and Tobi is going to lower the drawbridge?

Strategic malfeasance is all that comes to mind.

Whatever, The Information said he walked it back. OK. But the fact that it was said it all makes me wonder what's going on over there.

As Pink Floyd said, "Hello, hello, hello, is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me."

In my mind, Shopify has reached a moment like Steve Jobs did when it banned Macromedia Flash on its platform. If you're Apple, you can't afford developers building Flash instead of native Mac apps.

Period. That's a one way door.

Yeah it's not zero sum per se, but the bulk of D2C and Marketplace orders will either travel on Amazon rails or Shopify rails.

Let's put it in terms that even Harley can understand. If you're the Rebel Alliance, do you think it's a great idea to use the Empire's transport ships for your troops?

Me neither.

The next move is quite simple. Kindly refuse the gift of Buy With Prime from Amazon, and get back to building software for your merchants.