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.

I sell on Amazon, along with lots of other small businesses. One bonus on Amazon is that you have to enter all of your business information and tax payer reference, so you are guaranteed to be buying from legitimate businesses who are trading legally. Unlike on eBay and Etsy (and I sell there too) where anyone can masquerade as a "private" seller and shun all their legal responsibilities.
I recommend everyone reads the Consumer Contract Regulations to find out what their online shopping rights are, and not buy from anyone who isn't following the law, because you can bet your bottom dollar they aren't paying their taxes either.

I support indies where I can. Girls Gone By and Topsy Turvy for my Chalet School fix, for instance.

Unfortunately I have a totally stupid fear of eBay so I have to use Amazon, though I’ll use Etsy too sometimes

Oh dear! I have just ordered six items from Amazon but they all seem to be coming from individual smaller shops So that is something

@DisgruntledGuineaPig

In normal times, I'll pay a premium to local shops and physical stores to be able to buy something and take it away immediately, not even wait 24 hours. I'll pay more to be able to touch products, not just see a photo, but how something really looks in real life, what it's size, exact shade etc. I'll pay for advise from shop assistants.

But if I'm ordering online, then the cheapest and easiest wins.

That's the crux of the matter. IF the small/indy has helpful, knowledgeable staff, give advice and can order it in within a day or two, then I'm happy to give them my custom, even if slightly higher price than online.

Trouble is, far too many indies don't have helpful/knowledgeable staff and aren't able to order it in for you in a short timescale (if at all).

The really good indies are few and far between. To survive they need to be at the top of their game when it comes to customer service, advice, availability of stock, etc.

[quote diplodocusinermine]For those saying Amazon employ 1000's. Not for much longer.
www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/11/20982652/robots-amazon-warehouse-jobs-automation[/quote]
Do you think automation is a new concept invented in 2020?

@motheroftwoboys

As an example of why I use amazon and I am kicking myself I didn't do so the other day. I ordered a slip on ebay. £6.99 postage free. It arrived today and is no good so I went to return it and it would cost £4.25 to return! Really? If I had bought it on Amazon it would have been free return and immediate refund. My fault. I won't make that mistake again.

If you pay with PayPal, you can use their the return is on us, 12 free returns a year up to £15 each for postage. I’ve used it and got refunded really quickly for a Millets return that was about £11 as it said it had to be insured return postage for something about £80

does this discussion mean there are no more recommendations for independent retailers? is there another thread somewhere?

To survive they need to be at the top of their game when it comes to customer service, advice, availability of stock, etc
Oh, and cheap of course despite not moving a fraction of the number Amazon does - fat chance

Someone earlier mentioned a thread which linked to independent shops. The first one sold puddings which I'm quite capable of making myself and on their front page announce they can't guarantee day of delivery. How is that of any use to people? The next one, the website no longer existed, 3rd and 4th was full of twee stuff in which I have zero interest.

If I want to buy an item the first place I check is Amazon. I may check elsewhere for price comparisons but rarely are they cheaper than Amazon. I am confident that they will deliver on the stated date and also that if there's a problem with the item, it can be returned with no fuss and I get my money back.

Show me where I can place one order from one place, which may include: soya wax for making candles, face masks, a bottle of alcohol I can't find in my town, a bread bin, a jigsaw puzzle, a plant, free books for my Kindle, a raincover for my mobility scooter, a mouse and mouse mat, large bags of wild bird food +++ which will be delivered on time
and I will give them a try.

Someone earlier mentioned a thread which linked to independent shops. The first one sold puddings which I'm quite capable of making myself and on their front page announce they can't guarantee day of delivery. How is that of any use to people? The next one, the website no longer existed, 3rd and 4th was full of twee stuff in which I have zero interest.

If I want to buy an item the first place I check is Amazon. I may check elsewhere for price comparisons but rarely are they cheaper than Amazon. I am confident that they will deliver on the stated date and also that if there's a problem with the item, it can be returned with no fuss and I get my money back.

Show me where I can place one order from one place, which may include: soya wax for making candles, face masks, a bottle of alcohol I can't find in my town, a bread bin, a jigsaw puzzle, a plant, free books for my Kindle, a raincover for my mobility scooter, a mouse and mouse mat, large bags of wild bird food +++ which will be delivered on time
and I will give them a try.

@stovetopespresso

does this discussion mean there are no more recommendations for independent retailers? is there another thread somewhere?

This is one: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/4034228-Independent-online-shops

Thanks @Donkeeey

I'll continue to use Amazon. I've lost count the amount of times I have been swindled on Ebay.

I still don't have the blood pressure monitor nor do I have confirmation of cancelled order. 8 working days now...
Now that will teach me to not shop on amazon...🤷🏻

I really hope people wake up to the prospect of more responsible shopping.

What, responsible about allowing myself to be screwed out of stuff simply cos i live rural?
Being screwed on price?
Being screwed on choice?
Getting baked in bugs in local supermarkets baked IN STORE bread rolls?
The open hours are a joke, i mean what town has no chemist on a weekend? Ours.....
Local hardware folded cos they add on a huge markup, open odd hours and stock levels were bad and never offered to order in, expected all to just make do

Thats all id get shopping local in our town, its part of the reason we moving

@Caeruleanblue

All this outrage over a company that does its job right

But doesn't pay its taxes - Wed better start planting lots of magic money trees if we want to recover from covid in under 30 years. If amazon isn't paying tax someone else has to cover it - young people?? Pensions??

Maybe you could point us to where you saw the information about Amazon refusing to pay it’s due tax. I haven’t seen or heard this. Businesses pay tax on profit, not revenue and they pay the rate set by govt. If a business re invests all profits instead of paying big dividend to shareholders (and tax), why exactly is that a problem?

@waterthedog

I agree. Jeff Bezos doesn't treat or pay staff well and he doesn't do anything altruistic with his extreme wealth. He has so much money he would struggle to spend it in his lifetime, but he wants to keep making more and more and sod all the small business that go bust in the meantime.

Ah finally, someone who knows him personally has come along to share their enlightened opinion. Please do go on.

Amazon paid a total of £220 million in direct taxes in the UK last year despite its total revenues from doing business in the country amounting to £10.9 billion.
Amazon revealed earlier this year that it paid £63.4 million in business rates, about £40 million less than Next, the high street fashion chain, which made half the sales of Amazon.
The times 2019

Can’t remember when i last bought off Amazon. Christmas probably?

Ebay, dont have an account. But i love etsy, but only buy locsl stuff made in Wales. I have a thing fir prints and jewellery but there is a shop in town which sells my faves so i go there.

I bought some perfume from Perfume Parlour on the recommendation of that Christmas indy shops thread, it's lovely, I'm delighted with it. There are some really great shops on that thread.

Caeruleanblue

50% of sales on Amazon are from 3rd party sellers, many of them based in the UK.
We pay tax!
That is a significant amount of revenue for the UK. Doesn; seem to be included in your calculation.

sst1234

One) I can't afford to buy items at a higher price because they are from an independent unfortunately

Two) as many have pointed out there are a lot of small businesses on Amazon. My friend sells through Amazon and it was the making of her start up during lockdown

Three) while I agree that it's sickening to put money in the pocket of the richest man, there are also a LOT of jobs tied up in Amazon you're effectively saying screw them too