Amazon: Armed to Beat the Recession

Analysts say the e-tailer's new iPhone shopping app, among other high-tech tools, will help it outperform rivals amid weak consumer spending

BusinessWeek, December 9, 2008 — Gary Bacon II had bargain-hunting on the brain when he visited his local Barnes & Noble (BKS) in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 7. But he didn't make any purchases. Instead, the Web designer whipped out his smartphone, snapped a few photos, and headed for the exit.

Bacon was using a new feature, released by Amazon.com (AMZN) on Dec. 3, that lets users take mobile photos of items they want to buy, store them in an online shopping cart, and purchase them whenever they want—typically at a discount—via the online retailer.