(Amazon)
In a bit of surprise, SpaceX has started to officially sell Starlink products through e-commerce giant Amazon, despite Elon Musk’s rivalry with Jeff Bezos.
A support page on Starlink.com has been recently updated to note that Amazon has become a US authorized retailer for the satellite internet service, in addition to Best Buy, Home Depot and Walmart.
(Starlink.com)The same support page links to the official sales on Amazon. But for now, it looks like only a few Starlink accessories, including the Wi-Fi router, are available on Amazon, with most of the items available for Prime overnight or one-day later deliveries.
DISHYTech, a site that reviews Starlink, initially spotted the official-looking Starlink store on Amazon earlier this month. But at the time, SpaceX remained mum on whether its Amazon presence was legit before the support page was quietly updated.
(Amazon.com)Still, the Starlink storefront on Amazon appears to be operating through a third-party based in Oregon called Virtual Supply, a distributor of products, including Starlink, to big box retailers. The same store on Amazon was also previously selling the standard Starlink dish. So it’s possible more products will be offered over time.
The development is surprising since SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk has feuded with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos before. In 2019, Musk alleged that Bezos copied Starlink after the e-commerce company filed for FCC clearance to launch its own competing satellite internet service, now dubbed Amazon Leo.
In 2021, Musk also mocked Bezos for stepping down as Amazon’s CEO, tweeting: “Turns out Besos [sic] retired in order to pursue a full-time job filing lawsuits against SpaceX …” amid a regulatory spat over the second-generation Starlink network.
Until now, SpaceX had steered clear of using Amazon to sell Starlink, instead opting for third-party retailers and the official Starlink.com domain to distribute the satellite internet service. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment about why it expanded the sales to Amazon. But in recent months, SpaceX has become even more aggressive in promoting the satellite internet service in the US, by offering various discounts and cheaper monthly plans.
Soon, Starlink will also directly compete with Amazon’s Leo satellite internet system. On Monday, Bezos’ company took a shot at Starlink by touting Leo’s ability to deliver gigabit internet speeds to enterprise customers, a goal that SpaceX has also been chasing.
(Amazon)Amazon Leo is also starting to kick off a beta program for select enterprise users before a wider release that could occur as soon as Q1. Although the company faces an uphill battle against Starlink —which already has over 8 million users across the globe— Amazon’s satellite internet service could prove to be worthy competition, especially if it comes through on the speed claims.
We also expect the company to heavily promote Leo on Amazon.com. Hence, the new Starlink store on Amazon might act as a counter for SpaceX.