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.

Know what's even cheaper? Not buying shit you don't need.

Now THAT woulld shut down most shops - small independents and large companies alike

Why do people think others buy shit they don't need, is it because they do.

I'm about to buy a Blu Ray player so I can use exercise DVDs (I don't like Prime or YouTube). Amazon are way cheaper than anywhere else and will deliver tomorrow for free. I looked at ordering from Richer Sounds or John Lewis, the Blu Ray is more expensive and I have no idea when it will be delivered so Amazon it is.

Why would I pay more for the item, pay for delivery and wait longer than necessary?

I can't wait for my fake candles to arrive. I don't NEED them but they will help my winter SAD. I am a shielder with a lung condition.

I've been sent home from work to self isolate so two weeks inside with a crackers toddler. I've ordered craft supplies, paint etc and they're coming tomorrow and thank god for it.

@ReallySpicyCurry

I've been sent home from work to self isolate so two weeks inside with a crackers toddler. I've ordered craft supplies, paint etc and they're coming tomorrow and thank god for it.

Yep, we’re isolating awaiting test results. 7 year old, 5 year old and 2 year old at home. 7 year old will be here for 2 weeks regardless as she had a case in her class. I’ve ordered things for us to do from Amazon. Ordered yesterday, it’ll come today. No one in the house can get out to buy anything so it’s a godsend.

@WhoopsSomethingWentWrong

virtual fist bump to a fellow sufferer

I coped well with lockdown, but I'm finding this incredibly difficult. It feels like all the staying positive and making plans is for nothing, when you can be told you're not allowed out of your house for two weeks. The temptation to crawl back into bed and shut my eyes for the nese next fourteen days is terrible and it's really unlike me. I'm hyper focusing on doing crafts etc with the toddler because if I don't I'll just stop entirely.

Amazon all the way if the product is at the right price

I've just thought of another reason why I prefer Amazon, I use smile.amazon to donate to the schools PTA.

For those saying small businesses benefit from Amazon - they are making use of your data and probably pinching your ideas, they are a retailer too remember .........

www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/amazon-abuses-third-party-sellers-to-become-more-dominant-says-brussels-02k5kf75c

'Amazon illegally distorts competition by using the huge amount of data it collects from third-party sellers on its platform to benefit its retail business, the European Commission has said.

In a sharp criticism of the online retail group, EU officials said that Amazon abused its dominant dual position as an online marketplace platform and a retailer in its own right on the same platform. The American technology company was accused by Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner. of “marginalising third-party sellers” through this position and capping their ability to grow.'

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4073665-To-think-that-unless-you-know-the-kitchen-they-were-made-in-is-very-clean-homemade-edible-gifts-go-straight-in-the-bin

This thread actually makes me think the problem is bigger than Jeff Bezos and his tax dodging practices and efficient delivery machine. On that thread, 25% of people vote YANBU. Thats 1 in 4 people.

Small businesses often start from people's kitchens, garages and living rooms. If you hate your mate's christmas cookies (think they are unsanitary) or homemade mittens, you are not going to support a lot of small businesses out there who sell similar things. If you are not going to accept it as a gift, why would you pay good money for it?? People have been trained to only accept mass-market food wrapped in plastic packaging i.e. would rather buy a cake from M & S than pay the extra for a home baker. Instead of hand crafted wooden toys, they would rather some plastic toys from amazon. It helps that its a lot cheaper too.

" If you hate your mate's christmas cookies (think they are unsanitary) or homemade mittens, you are not going to support a lot of small businesses out there who sell similar things."

Businesses have to follow certain health and safety laws though, it's different to domestic cooking (not that I would refuse home made food by a friend either).

@Gwenhwyfar They do, but I think if you were that paranoid, you would opt for the big chain over the home kitchen. Esp if it was cheaper. For a lot of home/small businesses, its not clear what conditions they are working in, you assume they have insurance and maintain standards. For a big company, you can write to HQ if there is a problem. In an economy where people appreciate small businesses, the uniqueness/perceived quality of a product would trump any risks. Risk averse consumers would not opt to buy from small businesses when it is so easy to buy from chains.

Not that the OP of that thread also extended it to non food items.

Businesses have to follow certain health and safety laws though, it's different to domestic cooking (not that I would refuse home made food by a friend either).

Well, they are supposed to, yes. But... Let's not be naive. My kitchen is certainly more hygenic, and my oractices too even before food hygiene cert, than some industrial kitchens I visited.👀

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Businesses have to follow certain health and safety laws though, it's different to domestic cooking (not that I would refuse home made food by a friend either).

Well, they are supposed to, yes. But... Let's not be naive. My kitchen is certainly more hygenic, and my oractices too even before food hygiene cert, than some industrial kitchens I visited.👀

How would a friend know that?!

How would a friend know that?!

Why would a friend assume my kitchen isn't clean?

@SchrodingersImmigrant

How would a friend know that?!

Why would a friend assume my kitchen isn't clean?

Who knows? I find a lot of homemade stuff a bit...icky tbh.

Who knows? I find a lot of homemade stuff a bit...icky tbh.

Doesn't mean kitchen and practices were unhygienic. If people really think that homemade is yuck while factory/professional kitchen isn't, they are naive and frankly in some way bit insulting towards their mates, unless they actually know the person isn't clean.

@SchrodingersImmigrant I wouldn't think that someone who thinks homemade is icky or undesirable would appreciate a gift from an independent business (depending on what it is, its probably a jar of jam/chutney from a home kitchen). I would instead buy her something from Boots or Amazon. If its a food gift, I would buy something from M & S or Paul. All these are big high street chains.

But if a signifiicant proportion of the population are like that, I am going to resort to Amazon/Boots for my gift giving needs, not because I want to but because I don't appreciate my gifts landing up in the dustbin.

If people really think that homemade is yuck while factory/professional kitchen isn't, they are naive and frankly in some way bit insulting towards their mates really? Don't take it personalty, naive or not I don't want your weird chutney or biscuits, just my personal preference

Don't take me wrong. I wouldn't press homemade gifts on anyome. Obviously. I just find that notion that homemade is ick and non homemade isn't, bit stupid. That's all. No pushing "weord chutneys or biscuits" on anyone. Mainly because I don't actually make any😂

20 years ago I lived in a smallish town with dying high street, the shopkeepers stopped an M&S moving in as they thought it would take their business....shot themselves in the foot as all the footfall from the M&S could have helped them, it's a shithole now and everyone goes elsewhere

@notafanoftheman

And many don’t really have a choice but to go for cheap, as cheap is all they can afford.

Know what's even cheaper? Not buying shit you don't need. Using library click and collect and swapping stuff.

Everyones needs vary, who are you to say whats a need for me Libraries? Around here? Ha good joke. Click and collect? most of this towns stores refuse to go online, refuse to change the 1950s way of running a store Swapping? Nah, i want new, i spent years of my life using just ok stuff that was 2nd hand, over that shit

I buy loads of stuff I don't need.

I want it rather than need it.

The problem is, Amazon are the only reliable delivery service round here. I’ve never had a problem. I don’t know if they have their own drivers or what.
Other firms use UPS, DPD and Royal Mailand I always seem to have to chase up these orders or work out which house on the street my parcel has gone to.
It really is the easiest option to order from Amazon. Especially if it comes from their warehouse.