Amazon now has more than 50 people in its sustainability group, working on six teams: social responsibility, energy and environment, customer packaging experience, sustainability services, sustainability technology and sustainability science.
Genuity has moved quickly in recent years to offer corporate customers packages of Internet access, e-commerce software and electronic security systems.
The combined firm would be able to offer phone, high-speed Internet and pay-TV subscriptions to more customers — packages that cable firms such as Comcast have sold most successfully.
A service provider, for example, might offer customers packages of up to four phone numbers with local and long distance service and high-speed Internet access at a discount to what consumers now pay separately for Internet access and multiple phone lines.
Many customers' packages are on hold as the airline struggles to resolve the crisis.
For companies like Amazon, it could mean beginning to ship customers' packages before they even order them, giving the retailer an unparalleled advantage in shipping speed.
It matches them with our inventory so that we can customize packages, improving customer service.
Cloudkick also offers customized packages for customers with larger or more specific needs.
Like many other financial companies, E*Trade built a significant mortgage business during the housing boom, making loans to its customers, packaging them into securities and investing in the bonds backed by mortgages.
Robert A. Maddox, director of marketing for the Connecticut Energy Cooperative, said while competition is taking off slowly, he expected it will soon begin to gather momentum, particularly as smaller providers offer customers package deals.
