Amazon is leaning on its secret weapon: spending more to earn more

Amazon’s third-quarter earnings demonstrate that sales are way up, but that was to be expected. After all, this past quarter is the one when Amazon announced its acquisition of Whole Foods, challenged cities to offer up tax breaks and gifts in hopes of winning a bid to the company’s second headquarters, and also launched a slew of new Echo and Fire TV products. Amazon’s Prime Day, its second time throwing the big discounts holiday, was also bigger than ever in the quarter, stea