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Original poster

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

385 replies

paperbeatsrock · 27/11/2019 12:06

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?

OP posts:
SunshineAngel · 27/11/2019 15:07

How can I "live with myself"? Bloody hell OP, that's dramatic.

EntropyRising · 27/11/2019 15:11

I use Amazon to buy the vast majority of my branded household purchases (not groceries). I justify as follows:

  1. They're boring/not an impulse buy (no marginal demand created) and,
  2. They're already unethical e.g. diet coke, I don't know that buying it from Tesco is really any better.

Amazon is not without its problems but I think resisting this model is about as effective as resisting gravity.

EntropyRising · 27/11/2019 15:11

How can I "live with myself"? Bloody hell OP, that's dramatic.

She did say she was joking, blessedly.

breakfastpizza · 27/11/2019 15:13

I'm not fussed about taxes (I use my vote to argue that point), but I think they've lost their customer service standards and it's put me off using them.

I had my first issue with a marketplace seller recently. Amazon initially agreed and instructed a refund. Seller raised an A-Z case. Without even checking with me, the A-Z team found in seller's favour. I appealed, providing evidence, emails, photos, etc and thirty seconds later I had an email rejecting it (seriously). Clearly hadn't even read it.

The reasons for rejecting it were incorrect. I tried to contact them to point out they'd got it wrong and they refused to discuss it anymore. You can't talk to a human about it. Or if you do, they have no power. They aren't even allowed to escalate (so they say).

My credit card company is going to do a chargeback, but it's not about the money. I've spent thousands and they're willing to lose my business over a couple of quid.

OverthinkingThis · 27/11/2019 15:14

I buy pretty much everything on Amazon - I have Prime and stuff comes on the day I want, their couriers leave the parcels where I tell them to as well. Other shops give a really vague delivery window and won't tell you which courier they use or let you choose any decent delivery options without a huge surcharge.
I work full time and live fairly rurally - I'd happily shop at other online stores if they could sort out their logistics to be as convenient but they either can't or won't.

EntropyRising · 27/11/2019 15:16

The reasons for rejecting it were incorrect. I tried to contact them to point out they'd got it wrong and they refused to discuss it anymore. You can't talk to a human about it. Or if you do, they have no power. They aren't even allowed to escalate (so they say).

Good on you for cracking on with a chargeback. That's shockingly bad customer service - no humans? Did you try tweeting?

Velveteenfruitbowl · 27/11/2019 15:17

A lot of high street chains have shut down in our town. They e been replaced by local owned cafes and the like. It’s fantastic!

adaline · 27/11/2019 15:17

I work full time and live fairly rurally - I'd happily shop at other online stores if they could sort out their logistics to be as convenient but they either can't or won't.

Yeah, I absolutely agree with this. I've had no end of problems trying to order from other retailers - they either charge a premium for decent delivery slots, or only deliver on days of the week when I won't be home anyway. Or they leave things with neighbours at the other end of the road when I've specifically asked them not to, and I don't get my stuff!

jay55 · 27/11/2019 15:18

We have a central mail room for multiple apartment blocks where I live, so delivery drivers tend to have a pretty full van for drop off, just to one place. Which eases my guilt a little.

And I don't have a car and taking masses of shopping bags on public transport is difficult and annoying for other passengers.
Not that I have a huge shopping habit.

GeePipe · 27/11/2019 15:20

I wish i didnt use it but i have so little money and no matter where else i look for certain things amazon is always much cheaper and delivery is so fast too.

passthetea · 27/11/2019 15:21

I use amazon very rarely but I have managed to get most of my Xmas shopping from there this year. It's saved me loads of money and tbh I really can't be bothered to traipse the shops this year.

breakfastpizza · 27/11/2019 15:22

Good on you for cracking on with a chargeback. That's shockingly bad customer service - no humans? Did you try tweeting?

My Twitter is very much linked to my job, so I'm hesitant to use it. I guess I could direct message? Good tip either way, thanks.

EntropyRising · 27/11/2019 15:23

Or, you could just let the chargeback do the talking (tweeting!) for you.

MintyMabel · 27/11/2019 15:26

There are other websites!!!

I think I'm just going to post this every time somebody says they use Amazon because the only other alternative is going to the shops. Just to highlight how absurd it is.

But just like with shopping, why would I trawl a dozen websites and buy from each of them, paying a separate delivery charge, with different delivery dates which means I'd have to be in all week as they invariably use the shitty Royal Mail service meaning I have to go and collect each package as it arrives? I can order it all under one "roof" and have it delivered in one package which my lovely DPD driver will deliver the next day and leave in the safe place.

Give me another website that does that and you can post this as many times as you wish. Otherwise, probably best not waste your time.

Iggleonkupsy · 27/11/2019 15:28

I use amazon fairly regularly. I also love physically going in to shops but not always possible. I'm naturally a leave things last minute kind of person because I'm always at work / extra activities so amazon has saved my bacon on many occasions. It is nearly always cheaper too.

user1497207191 · 27/11/2019 15:34

My credit card company is going to do a chargeback, but it's not about the money. I've spent thousands and they're willing to lose my business over a couple of quid.

That kind of stupidity isn't limited to Amazon nor internet firms. Both Currys and Argos have lost thousands of pounds of my business over the last decade or so because of stupid/stroppy store managers refusing to replace/refund completely against their published T&Cs over pretty small/irrelevant items. I've bought probably a dozen computers, several printers, phones, etc from Amazon over that time which I probably would have bought from Argos/Currys if they'd given better customer service - I wouldn't use them now if they were the last store open. Whenever I've had problems with Amazon purchases, I've had no problems at all returning them for refund/replacement. Argos and Currys should take lessons from them.

CactusAndCacti · 27/11/2019 15:34

I don't use Amazon for many a reason, not sure why this evokes such strong feelings in others.

Not sure why any of this is relevant

Have children? Yes
Drive? Yes
Live in a bigger house than they need to? No
Use formula? Use Pampers? No
Have a Maccy D's every so often? Yes
Vote Libdem? No
Send their kids to nice schools out of the catchment area? No

Oh and I don't vote Tory, nor fly everywhere.

I have different reasons for what I don't do, I don't need to deflect on to others to justify what I do do.

MintyMabel · 27/11/2019 15:38

How many of you can honestly say you would not take advantage of a rule that lets you pay less tax?

Especially when company law says they have to.

Amazon have not broken company law.

MintyMabel · 27/11/2019 15:39

and sadly a lot of town centres will cease to exist in a few years imo

A decline which set in in the 80s

user1497207191 · 27/11/2019 15:42

and sadly a lot of town centres will cease to exist in a few years imo

The rot set in when people stopped living in town centres and businesses moved out when retail chains took over. The writing was on the wall 30-40 years ago.

tabulahrasa · 27/11/2019 15:49

“For ME PERSONALLY, I can afford a few extra quid, a few more minutes googling the product, and I don't need things next day, so the balance is worth it to avoid lining the pockets of a company I don't like.”

See, I don’t always need things next day and if I’m shopping online a few more minutes looking for something is neither here or there...

But the few quid delivery charges add up to quite a lot of money unless you can get everything you’re looking for from the same place.

My last few orders from amazon have been a specific hair product I like, where my options are a 40 minute drive an hour on the bus or a train journey or order it elsewhere for £1 less, but delivery is more than the product costs, or I suppose I could buy enough for a couple of years and find somewhere to keep it where it’ll not be ok, but I’m not sure where I have room for it.

Two things I needed for work that I ordered 2 weeks in advance and they didn’t arrive, so I needed them next day and Amazon’s next day saved me £10 (even paying for it)

Velcro dots in a specific size - they’re dead cheap anywhere online, but amazon was the only place with free delivery and again delivery costs made them cost more than they’re worth... and I’m not even sure where I could get the ones I wanted in a physical shop anywhere near me, I tried googling but didn’t get very far.

StarClaws · 27/11/2019 15:52

Not sure why any of this is relevant

Have children? Yes
Drive? Yes
etc

Basically if you're not absolutely perfect, you are not allowed to try to improve things in any way. Because if you do you're a hypocrite.

If you have kids, don't even bother recycling, you hypocrite.

MintyMabel · 27/11/2019 15:55

just to support a few smaller (but not exactly small) businesses who very likely don't treat their employees so badly.

Ahh yes, that old mom and pop shop Screwfix. Which, incidentally has similar employee reviews to amazon.

Owned by that teeny tiny Kingfisher group who have paid their CEO a big bonus, despite a loss of profit. Nothing remotely suspicious there. You think they pay all the taxes without using loopholes?

havingtochangeusernameagain · 27/11/2019 16:01

Another justification. My son needed a textbook for one of his A level subjects. I checked our local library service and it was in the store, so used very infrequently. I ordered it (for £1) and collected it for him. Went online to renew it, and someone else had obviously had the same idea and ordered it. I had a tug of war over a book once before where I'd get it and then they'd order it so I couldn't renew it. Then I'd order it so they couldn't renew it. Difference was, I handed it back on time, but they didn't so I'd be waiting ages to get it back. I/son couldn't be doing with that again so went to Amazon and ordered book (from marketplace). I did ask the library to get a second copy of the first book (especially as it was of interest to library staff) but they didn't.

I've now discovered that the college library has a few copies of the book my son is using but they had suggested we buy it. Oh well! Maybe I can sell it on - or donate it to the library - when he's finished his A levels.

havingtochangeusernameagain · 27/11/2019 16:03

One other thing - Amazon is amazing for costumes for school dressing up days. Need a Roman costume? Amazon will relieve you of some cash and send it in time for the day. Removes much of the stress.

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