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.

@LolalovesLondon

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.

It’s been said before, but the ‘computer says no’ service from small businesses is not worth the hassle to most people who have real, busy lives to lead. Small high street shops operating 9-4 opening hours, some still closing for half day on a weds, broken card payment machines, terrible returns policies, the number of small food shops and bakeries who run out of supplies at peak lunchtime is unreal so the menu is then reduced. Why would anyone pay for poor service, high prices and low convenience. If you want to, go right ahead, and stop lecturing others about your virtuosity.

@LolalovesLondon
What I tried to say is that you have a valid point.

@hopingforonlychild

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.

In that context O would order from a small,local bakery. It has nothing to do with what it is wrapped in. It has to do with trust

It’s been said before, but the ‘computer says no’ service from small businesses is not worth the hassle to most people who have real, busy lives to lead.
Small high street shops operating 9-4 opening hours, some still closing for half day on a weds, broken card payment machines, terrible returns policies, the number of small food shops and bakeries who run out of supplies at peak lunchtime is unreal so the menu is then reduced.
Why would anyone pay for poor service, high prices and low convenience. If you want to, go right ahead, and stop lecturing others about your virtuosity

I agree.

And although John Lewis isn't a small business, Amazon trounced the with their ad about the ballerina. JL's Christmas ad was boring. Bring back Edgar!

I liked the JL ad as much as the Amazon one

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.

Well in Aus, if you wanna start a small business from home, you have to PROVE you have your own or use of certified commercial standard kitchen.
Even the little old lady selling jam at the market and all ingredients have to be listed on label.
Yes it's shut many down but if they can't comply, not my problem.
Why shouldn't people be picky about food standards? I'd call the health department in to a small or large business, don't care if it closes them.

We don't buy wooden toys cos they didn't appeal to dd as a little kid/baby, still don't. Why would I buy stuff that don't appeal just cos it's from a small business?

If it was a small % more expensive to buy from an independent, then I would. But unfortunately the bind is the postage costs.

I wanted to buy a box of teapigs tea for my mums stocking. The tea is £3.99 and the delivery £2.99. Its just not worth it. I can get the same tea on amazon for £4.20 and free postage. It's a no brainer for me. The manufacturer will still get paid, but maybe less.

I have bought independently when I've spent enough to get free postage. But I dont want to spend £25 on tea bags!

@KitKatastrophe

If it was a small % more expensive to buy from an independent, then I would. But unfortunately the bind is the postage costs.

I wanted to buy a box of teapigs tea for my mums stocking. The tea is £3.99 and the delivery £2.99. Its just not worth it. I can get the same tea on amazon for £4.20 and free postage. It's a no brainer for me. The manufacturer will still get paid, but maybe less.

I have bought independently when I've spent enough to get free postage. But I dont want to spend £25 on tea bags!

That’s the thing, if it was only a small bit more then that’s fine. But it would be irresponsible in terms of my own family’s finances to spend significantly more on the exact same item.

@Redwolf1

Sorry op I want to side with you I really do but it doesn't make financial sense. A mum at my dds school sells usborne books and I really want to buy a load through her but today I realised I could save £2/3/4 or even £5 per book buying on amazon. That makes a huge difference to someone like me who has been made redundant. I wish it wasnt like that but it is

Well Usborne books are a multi level marketing scheme so not supporting this can only be a good thing. I hope your mum does well and doesn't loose money but sadly the odds are well stacked against her. 😔

Sorry redwolf1

That should be this mum. Not your mum.

[quote Redwolf1]@noSquirrels I think I will do that because I feel so guilty about it. Thanks for the tip I will look at wordery[/quote]
Just a heads up, usbourne is a MLM nit a small business. She's basically an unpaid sales person for a large corporation earning comission on sales and only making any money from her down line selling (buying themselves to make targets)

May I also recommend shopping around online rather than just going straight to amazon or JL.
DD wanted an electrical item for Xmas from JL. I went instead to the manufacturer’s own website and got the same item £75 cheaper and with free delivery. I’ve found prices vary quite a bit between different outlets, and Amazon are often not the cheapest.
If Jeff Bezos was a decent philanthropist on the scale of Bill Gates, and also paid more than derisory tax rates, I might not begrudge him my hard earned cash. But he isn’t and doesn’t- so I do!

I sell print on demand notebooks and t-shirts worldwide on Amazon as my side hustle, and their warehouse is a big employer in my local area. I know many people who pay their bills delivering parcels via Amazon Flex. Lots of people use them for same day grocery shopping when self isolating. Yes they need to pay more taxes but there are a lot of people who rely on them.

I really rate John Lewis for electrical items, their warranty is fantastic.

I agree, usually, and try to buy from small businesses on Amazon. However just received a badly damaged item and the seller is being very unhelpful. If item had been sold by Amazon I'd already have a refund. Some small businesses need to work on their customer service skills. Will order another item but one sold by Amazon itself.