But what could it mean?

[andrewducker]

Amazon.com have just announced that they will accept orders in currencies other than dollars.
[Poll #1104996]

Comments

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

Or it could just be a way to increase revenue since Amazon will add on and keep whatever percentage they charge for the currency conversion rather than the credit card company.

[andrewducker]

Oh, absolutely, I'm sure they'll like that too.

But if I was a large multinational corporation with a way of hedging against falls in the dollar _I'd_ be taking it.

[shannon_a]

If I might ask, why are you so terribly interested in whether the dollar is falling? You seem to write about it every couple of months with barely contained glee.

[andrewducker]

I think it's largely having gotten into many arguments about economics and the strength of both the dollar and the strong form of capitalism found in the US in the mid 90s, and having been predicting it for so long that it feels strangely good to finally have it happen. Especially as it's largely happening as a result of the policies of eeeeevil politicians.

[xquiq.livejournal.com]

This is one instance where I don't think it's good to have been proved right.

The dollar is in terrible shape and moves like this are the sort that help the world economy talk its way into a downward spiral (not that it needs too much help with that).

Whatever the eventual outcome, getting there has the potential to be pretty painful for everyone.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

I'm not convinced it will be that bad in the grand scheme of things - yes, there will be a probably downturn as the current situation develops, but the shift from the dollar into the Euro (and then the RMB Yuan?) should be smooth I imagine. As far as I know (although I my knowledge of economics is a bit patchy), the global transfer from the pound to the dollar in the early twentieth century didn't cause too many problems, although maybe this was buffered by the much greater gold stocks at the time?

If that's not a cue to teach me a thing or two, I don't know what is!

[andrewducker]

It has that potential. But apparently it'll be easier than if it had happened 5 years ago. Already more of our exports are to the EU or elsewhere in the world, and according to an article I was reading this morning India and China are barely affected by the problems in the US.

I'm sure there will be repercussions, but frankly I'm not convinced that it will be as bad as all that. And in the long term not having a single "most important" country will be good for everyone.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear!

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

Will Amazon be taking Lindens next?

[andrewducker]

Are Lindens not fixed to the dollar?

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

They aren't fixed to the Dollar.