Read this blog enough and you certainly know that the one company I rely on and respect most is Amazon. Almost daily, I use Amazon as an example in good product experience, design, strategy, etc. Do yourself a favor and read Scott Wingo's analysis of Amazon's success over the last three years and how they have situated themselves differently from the rest of e-commerce (particularly eBay). Scott knows eBay and Amazon quite well - and the article is available on SeekingAlpha and eBayStrategies:
Amazon's relentless focus on value and selection along with their innovations around shipping and handling cost reductions, ease of use and merchandising built on the foundation of trust from the a-to-z guarantee have given them the most enviable position in ecommerce.