In a bit of surprise, SpaceX is now selling Starlink products through e-commerce giant Amazon, despite Elon Musk’s rivalry with Jeff Bezos.
A support page on Starlink.com was recently updated to note that Amazon is now a US authorized retailer for the satellite internet service, in addition to Best Buy, Home Depot, and Walmart. On Amazon, you can now buy a few Starlink accessories, including the Wi-Fi router, with most items available for Prime overnight or one-day later deliveries.
(Credit: Starlink.com)
DISHYTech, a site that reviews Starlink, initially spotted the official-looking Starlink store on Amazon earlier this month. But SpaceX didn’t say whether its Amazon presence was legit until it quietly updated the support page.
(Credit: Starlink)
Still, the Starlink storefront on Amazon appears to be operating through Virtual Supply, an Oregon-based, third-party distributor that sells a variety of consumer electronics, including Starlink equipment, to big box retailers. The Amazon storefront also previously sold the standard Starlink dish, so it’s possible more products will be offered over time.
The development is surprising since SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has feuded with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. In 2019, Musk alleged that Bezos copied Starlink after Amazon 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. 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 its satellite internet service in the US through various discounts and cheaper monthly plans.
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Soon, Starlink will also directly compete with Amazon Leo. 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.
(Credit: Amazon)
Amazon Leo also kicked off a beta program for select enterprise users before a wider release that could happen 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.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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