I came to the realization that I couldn’t think of an example of when vertical integration isn’t just an older name for enshittification. Apple owning an app store, Amazon being a marketplace and seller, etc. What examples of vertical integration aren’t bad? Are there any?
Yes. Vertical integration means a lot more than what you described. In a nutshell it can be described as “A big upfront cost that is cheaper in the long run.” The basic example would go something like this: you make beef jerky. You buy the beef, you rent a kitchen, make the jerky, pay a company for packaging, pay a company to ship it to stores, etc. Then you save up and buy a facility to make the jerky. Then you save up and buy a packaging machine. Then you save up and buy some shipping trucks. Then you save up and buy a farm to raise cattle, etc. That’s vertical integration.