Amazon’s covert operation known as “Big River” was an elaborate intelligence-gathering project aimed at collecting data on its competitors. This operation, initiated under the code name “Project Curiosity” in 2015, involved Amazon creating a subsidiary called Big River Services International. The primary objective of this subsidiary was to operate undercover by selling products on platforms like eBay, Walmart, and Shopify, thereby enabling Amazon to gather valuable insights into pricing, logistics, and other business practices of its rivals.
Big River Services International presented itself as an independent entity, engaging in e-commerce under various brand names such as Rapid Cascade and Svea Bliss. The operation was quite secretive; employees used non-Amazon email addresses for external communications but switched to Amazon emails for internal discussions. They attended competitors’ conferences and meetings under the guise of being Big River employees, without disclosing their Amazon affiliation. This allowed them to access sensitive information which was then discreetly shared with Amazon executives through printed, numbered reports instead of digital formats to minimize electronic traces.
The operation was not just limited to gathering intelligence through sales. Amazon employees also took detailed notes on competitors’ logistics and payment services, which were used to refine Amazon’s own strategies. The legal implications of such practices were significant, with experts suggesting that this could potentially expose Amazon to corporate or industrial espionage lawsuits.
Despite the covert nature of Big River, Amazon defended its actions by describing them as benchmarking—a common practice where companies compare their processes and performance with those of their competitors. However, the extent and secretive methods employed by Big River went beyond typical benchmarking practices.
Overall, Amazon’s Big River operation highlights the lengths to which the company has gone to maintain and enhance its competitive edge in the e-commerce industry. This operation reflects a strategic, albeit controversial, approach to business intelligence gathering, raising questions about the ethical boundaries of competitive corporate behavior.
