AIBU to please ask you not to plough even more money into Amazon over this lockdown?

[schitter]

I know, it's cheap and easy.
I know you probably need to find the lowest price you can.
I know it being delivered straight to your door is win win on non essential trips out.

But pleeeasssssse let's not make the richest man in the world any richer than he is already if you have any other option.
Even shopping online with the big high street retailers is better than lining JBs pockets.
Look at those little individual eBay shops that'll no doubt have exactly what you're looking for and you only have to wait a couple of days extra, it's not the end of the world.

Please look around you, please look what else is available.
Lots of your local shops have diversified into offering home delivery because their livelihoods depend on it.

My livelihood depends on it! My little business did 3% (yes, three percent) of its usual sales in April. I permanently laid off 4 staff and haven't made a penny personally since.
I feel sick at the thought.

YANBU, OP.

It makes me sick that many decent businesses who treat their workers well and pay their taxes have gone under due to competition from Amazon.

Those who defend Amazon because they provide jobs, should look more closely at kind of jobs Amazon are providing.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/amazon-warehouses-injuries-gmb-trade-union-hellish-work-conditions-a9342521.html

Amazon is usually more expensive.

I understand what you’re saying @NoSquirrels however I’d still buy amazon
I will pay more if there’s a USP an added benefit that appeals to me. Local children book shop,they are knowledgeable, friendly,encourage the kids to be interactive...so yes
Ages ago excitedly went to local bookshop to buy my name is Leon new release knew title not the author. Seller presents me a Leon cookbook, I’m explaining no, it’s fiction, just released.i want to buy, can he look it up?no not possible says he. Really? You can’t type in my name is Leon?no

Left went on iphone ordered it amazon

About the only thing which did deliver through the last lockdown was Amazon.

We couldn’t get food deliveries, as we left them for people who needed them.

That meant of course I had to venture out for food shopping alone.

I’ve no idea really what shops were open, as I didn’t go anywhere

But anything else..you just couldn’t get a delivery.

@SentientAndCognisant

I understand what you’re saying *@NoSquirrels* however I’d still buy amazon I will pay more if there’s a USP an added benefit that appeals to me. Local children book shop,they are knowledgeable, friendly,encourage the kids to be interactive...so yes Ages ago excitedly went to local bookshop to buy my name is Leon new release knew title not the author. Seller presents me a Leon cookbook, I’m explaining no, it’s fiction, just released.i want to buy, can he look it up?no not possible says he. Really? You can’t type in my name is Leon?no

Left went on iphone ordered it amazon

Ah, you’re already one of the good guys if you’ll pay for good customer service - it’s what distinguishes excellent high street retail, in the end. So if the children’s bookshop can do it and the other indie can’t, fair enough if you order from Amazon. (Although I really would make a plea for Wordery or Hive or Waterstones or really anyone but Amazon for books. Basically, we can all wait a couple of days for a book, they’re very rarely time-sensitive, but if you need e.g. size 3 ballet shoes and bun nets by tomorrow before kids dance class on Weds, and 5x black face masks for school who’ve just announced they’re compulsory, and nowhere in your town sells them or is guaranteed to have them in stock in time then yes, order away!)

I would also point out that Amazon do pay UK tax. They pay all the tax they are due to pay like every other business. There is no substance to any claims they don’t pay tax.

Also Jeff Bezos owns about 10% of Amazon shares. It’s listed on NASDAQ and the rest is own by the usual people who own such shares like our pension funds.

We live close to Amazon they have employed lots of people on an economically depressed area.

We live close to Amazon they have employed lots of people on an economically depressed area

Not sure where you are, but that's the same here as in they're taking on lots of people over Christmas to cope with demand.
In other words creating loads of badly needed jobs

Something I was looking at getting Dc for Xmas .. you really have to watch amazon prices, they often aren't cheapest ! I think maybe the most convenient and easy to use app. But often not the cheapest.

£34.99 on Amazon free delivery

£23 on Argos + £3.95 delivery =£26.95

Oops forgot screenshots

I often look on Amazon for items & then if they are sold by independent retailers through Amazon try to go direct to the retailer, I have saved loads of money that way, the independent retailer still gets paid, I save some money, it's a win win situation. I always Google what I want to buy to look for the cheapest deals & check Ebay for anything from Argos or larger retailers as they often have outlet stores, I also look to see where I can get loyalty points as well either going through Nectar or places like Boots kitchen appliances & factor that in to the price.

@Quaagars

We live close to Amazon they have employed lots of people on an economically depressed area

Not sure where you are, but that's the same here as in they're taking on lots of people over Christmas to cope with demand.
In other words creating loads of badly needed jobs

They only seem to employ foreigners where I live

@Georgeoftheinternet
Why is that such a problem?

They only seem to employ foreigners where I live

My husband’s small business only survived the first lockdown because it was able to sell the products on Amazon.
The sole employee was able to work throughout so no taxpayers money was needed for furlough.
The products are purchased from British suppliers, which kept their employees in work.
VAT continued to be paid, contributing to the economy.
Yes it would be ideal to have a different selling platform, with the reach of Amazon, which paid their taxes.
But the only way that will happen is if we insist through the ballot box that large corporations pay their fair share.
But we don’t.
So don’t stop buying from small businesses through the Amazon platform just to make yourself feel virtuous about not supporting Amazon.
Actually do something instead.

@tentative3 ahh patronising poor people too!

[quote MiddleClassMother]@Georgeoftheinternet
Why is that such a problem? [/quote]
Because if these people weren’t in the country than there would be more housing, more jobs and less drain on resources such as PT.

So no I don’t find casual employment found in amazon and the like to be beneficial to the economy or how I went the country to be.

@Almostlegible

My husband’s small business only survived the first lockdown because it was able to sell the products on Amazon. The sole employee was able to work throughout so no taxpayers money was needed for furlough. The products are purchased from British suppliers, which kept their employees in work. VAT continued to be paid, contributing to the economy. Yes it would be ideal to have a different selling platform, with the reach of Amazon, which paid their taxes. But the only way that will happen is if we insist through the ballot box that large corporations pay their fair share. But we don’t. So don’t stop buying from small businesses through the Amazon platform just to make yourself feel virtuous about not supporting Amazon. Actually do something instead.

Does he also have his own website/insta etc?

Because if these people weren’t in the country than there would be more housing, more jobs and less drain on resources such as PT

Oh dear.
What do you suggest then?
Send them "back home?" whatever the fuck that means
All I said was Amazon are taking on lots of people over the Christmas period, not sure how this has turned into a race war lol

Couldn’t agree more we’ve discovered some great small retailers and small department stores during lockdown. Often cheaper than the big high street retailers and they’ve all seemed to use decent couriers.

As a caveat though I will say lots of small businesses do use Amazon as a channel. I do make a point of buying directly tho when I have discovered these.

What do you OP?

As others have pointed out, OP is talking about a subject about which she seems to have very little knowledge. There are many many small traders selling through Amazon.
Ever heard the phrase that a little knowledge is dangerous. Do some homework, OP before ou start talking nonsense.

@IcandothisactuallyIcan definitely not always the cheapest I agree. It’s pure convenience for me.

Agree with you @schitter! I also won't vote in those who don't properly tax Amazon either.

There are almost always alternatives. I'm not wealthy, I'm not even comfortable and I find a way. Small businesses need us. It isn't amazon that helps the village or local primary fete.

@schitter

I know, it's cheap and easy. I know you probably need to find the lowest price you can. I know it being delivered straight to your door is win win on non essential trips out.

But pleeeasssssse let's not make the richest man in the world any richer than he is already if you have any other option.
Even shopping online with the big high street retailers is better than lining JBs pockets.
Look at those little individual eBay shops that'll no doubt have exactly what you're looking for and you only have to wait a couple of days extra, it's not the end of the world.

Please look around you, please look what else is available.
Lots of your local shops have diversified into offering home delivery because their livelihoods depend on it.

My livelihood depends on it! My little business did 3% (yes, three percent) of its usual sales in April. I permanently laid off 4 staff and haven't made a penny personally since.
I feel sick at the thought.

Oh dear, OP, here’s someone who doesn’t know anything about the subject matter they’re posting about. Here’s a fact for you, Amazon makes very little from selling online, it makes it’s money from AWS, a cloud service. If you feel so strongly about Amazon, you may need to lose Netflix and many many many other businesses as they’re hosted by AWS. Good luck.

@tentative3 Amazon’s not cheap by far maybe a looooong time ago, not now. Now It’s propositions are around service/convenience and depth of choice. Service and convenience are actually really easy things to implement and lots of the smaller retailers get this and will use similar things like, multiple ways to pay, auto form filling, one click, next day delivery, using high quality couriers. It’s our traditional high street stores who seem to struggle with this.