Amazon to take on Dixons

Internet superstar Amazon will go head-to-head with Dixons -- the UK's biggest electronics retailer -- with an online consumer electronics store.

Billionaire founder of the company, Jeff Bezos, said he was looking to capitalise on the poor view many people have of high street electronics stores -- namely, that the sales staff are aggressive, badly trained and haven't got a bloody clue what they're talking about.

The online store will, according to Amazon, stock a wider range of goods at a lower price than its land-based equivalents. Don't get your hopes up yet though -- it may take more than a year to set up the site in the UK.

The announcement sets the stage for what will be an interesting battle for the hearts and minds of UK Net users. Dixons has been making forays into Amazon territory through its subsidiary Freeserve, the leading ISP and content provider in the UK.

If Amazon responds by attacking Dixons' core retail business, things could turn nasty. Fortunately, the Internet being what it is, this would probably mean lower prices and better service. We'll keep you posted. ®