netmeg - 2:39 pm on Aug 22, 2012 (gmt 0)

Matt Cutts: If it is already a crowded space with entrenched players, consider focusing on a niche area initially, instead of going head to head with the existing leaders of the space.

I take the context of that comment to be that if I intend to go head to head with Amazon on selling books, and I'm not offering anything that everybody else isn't offering too (or an affiliate offer that 9483 affiliates are also offering the exact same way) I probably shouldn't expect a lot of Google love on that.

In short, add significant value, or find another space.