Microsoft considered opening online marketplace to compete with Amazon, says WSJ

Microsoft considered building an online marketplace to take on Amazon before it ultimately decided against the venture, reports The Wall Street Journal. Microsoft had reportedly entered into talks with both technology companies and retailers as it explored setting up the marketplace, and it had even begun devising business models to set it apart from the competition. Under one scenario, Microsoft would have subsidized the price of goods with the revenue it made from ads placed on Bing or the marketplace itself. Microsoft confirmed to WSJ that it had stopped developing the marketplace, which was being developed under the codename “Brazil.”

It’s unclear why Microsoft decided to cancel the marketplace product in the end, but a company spokesperson told WSJ that it’s still interested in finding new ways to build a better online shopping experience. The marketplace reportedly would have been integrated into Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox, bringing into question what exactly the service would have been focused on selling. There’s no word about whether Microsoft had planned a web-accessible option, nor if a wide range of consumer products would have been offered or if it would have retained a focus on electronics.