To ask how you can live with yourself if you use Amazon

[paperbeatsrock]

Just kidding! All those political threads asking how people can possibly vote for X or Y must be getting to me.

I use Amazon. (While I’m frequently ordering from a vendor rather than Amazon themselves, Bezos still gets his cut.) Yet, the more I read about them, the more I realise I’m part of the problem. So I guess my question is, do you have stern words with yourself for using them, but keep doing it anyway?

Not that it helps much 😆

They still have 20%!

Lol

Some categories more so than others. So Amazon isn’t particularly good on say clothes and soft furnishings

I guess because this is where I spend my money. I would be bereft without John Lewis or Liberty & weirdly I love Argos because I like getting stuff immediately but could easily live without Amazon.

I welcome the challenge of sourcing items from elsewhere.

I bought some new basin taps yesterday, even with the substantial postage charge (two sets I imagine will be quite heavy) I got them cheaper from an independent than on Amazon.

I understand that for many Amazon offers a service and a convenience that isn't always available elsewhere, but it doesn't have to be that immediate 'go-to' all the time. If you are buying from a third party, go direct to their site, it maybe cheaper and you are not paying the fees. A lot of sellers (especially books) on Amazon are also on eBay.

Just don't presume that Amazon is always cheaper and always more convenient. I do other really 'bad' things, not shopping at Amazon is something I have found very easy to do. If it hadn't been as easy (I live in a town and drive etc) I would maybe have looked at reducing what I do get from there.

I hadn't used them for several years until last week, when it was the only place I could find the shoes my mum wanted. I sometimes do pay a little bit more, but I really try and stay away and mostly can, although it's a bit of a faff. Whole Foods is the other exception; I do buy the odd thing from them.
Apart from the tax and the employee treatment I don't think it's healthy for one company to have that much of the market. Does mean I use ebay for some stuff, which isn't ideal, (tax again) but you do what you can. For books I try to use Hive (nominate an independent book shop to get a small cut of your spend), Blackwells near work or my local bookshop, who are struggling a bit.

I don't like myself for using Amazon and I know I should support the High Street. However working full time, at Christmas time Amazon is an absolute lifeline and they have delivered my entire Christmas shopping so far.

I do try to avoid them at times other than Christmas.

I often wonder if all the pro brexit people put their money where their mouths are and only use companies that pay proper tax etc.

What the fuck has Brexit got to do with Amazon? I'm beginning to wonder if there is any subject on the planet where Brexit can't be dragged into it.

I often wonder if all the pro brexit people put their money where their mouths are and only use companies that pay proper tax etc.

I'd also like to know what this means?

I use them all the time. Like a past poster, a trip into town involves a wheelchair, and needing someone to accompany me. Then not necessarily finding what I want, or the shop not being accessible anyway.
It’s down to the government to close tax loopholes, and ensure businesses pay, rather than expecting businesses not to use those loopholes.

I stopped buying from amazon in January 2018, haven’t bought anything since. Found a lot of things are cheaper elsewhere such as ebay.

Turning point for me was adding up how much I spent on amazon, mostly non essential stuff. It was crazy. I would say most things were not really needed.