I was featured in this article from RetailDive about the Amazon acquisition of Selz. They did a great job summarizing my take on the situation:

Climbing back into the multi-channel business was probably easiest done via acquisition, and, having raised just $11 million so far and in need of distribution, Australian startup Selz was an easy target for the e-commerce behemoth, according to Rick Watson, founder, and CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting.

Selz's notice that it won't take new sign-ups could mean that new digital storefronts will only be found on Amazon, and the Selz brand could disappear if the move is intended to poach Selz's expertise, Watson said.

But it's "likely Amazon saw Selz as a viable way to enter the market faster," Watson said by email, adding that most cloud-based e-commerce tech isn't unique any longer. The "special sauce," as Amazon sees it, "could be the combination of this cloud eCommerce platform with either its marketplace or advertising and fulfillment offerings — or all 3!"