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.

Plus I was going to add that some people rely on Amazon for various reasons (as mentioned above) but those that have the energy & resources should shop around.

I'm afraid I will be continuing to use Amazon. I've only ever had two parcels go astray in nearly ten years and I buy a lot from there. I have Prime and so get free next day delivery on everything I want and using Amazon smile means Cat's Protection get money on nearly everything I order.

As well as this, the review system is the best I've seen so I know the quality of the products I'm buying

I shop local and handmade where I can. But for everyday stuff Amazon is a godsend. I won’t be stopping using it.

@notafanoftheman

Pre-covid research demonstrated that for every job created at Amazon 2.4 were lost on the high street. And their employment practices are deeply dodgy especially in the States.

But the 2 are not linked. If amazon didnt exist then the high street jobs would probably still have disappeared. The simpler truth is many issues such as high rents, parking charges and short opening hours are killing the high streets but some people feel more comfortable blaming companies like Amazon.

Amazon is a huge employer in my area (nearby distribution centre). I’d hate to see all those people lose their livelihoods.

I do my best to buy locally and from small businesses, however with very little income this year, I will go for the cheapest price and free delivery wherever I can.
I do always look at all my options instead of just going straight for Amazon.

But the 2 are not linked.

The research explicitly investigated the link. I’ll see if I can find a link to it.

I'll continue to shop on Amazon. I can't find another business that is equal on price, delivery and customer service.

If something goes wrong with something I buy on amazon I know I'll get a refund almost immediately.

I ordered reusable face masks (need more for school run) at 11am today and they'll be delivered by 9pm tonight. Find me another business who can beat that efficency?

They're much cheaper for almost everything. A few exceptions.

They are a huge employer in this area, then there's the couriers and independant retailers....

If there was a more socially aware business offering the same service I'd switch, but there's not. And I can't afford to spend more.

For example i looked to change my coffee subscription to a local store offering one, it was over double the price of my amazon coffee subscription.

@NeverAMillionMilesAway

Are people allowed to post their small business websites on here? There could be a thread for posters with small businesses, if allowed?

Don't know, but here's a link to a thread where people have recommended some: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/4034228-Independent-online-shops

With you OP.
It's like so many big businesses: on the face of it, cheap and easy - and, to be fair to it, in a capitalist society it therefore 'deserves' its customers - but look slightly past the surface and taxpayers are fundamentally subsidising it via both the social systems needed to top up poor wages and employment rights, and the fact that so little tax is paid. Eventually you have a monolith where no one can source things any other way, as well as a business that has more power than many governments, certainly local ones. It's why there are competition laws!
Good luck with your business - hope it picks up.

I also find the portrayal of small businesses as being holy innocents, struggling bravely on, just because they're small and local (while Amazon is all mean to their employers in their big warehouses and all) as a bit facetious

I've worked for small local businesses and had dealings with many more, and frankly some of them are just as greedy and unethical as Jeff Amazon is said to be - they just don't have his money or his clout.

Amazon don't pay taxes as they should - ok- but I and family members have worked for small local businesses that didn't pay taxes either, fudged everyone's hours, didn't put certain people through the books, fudged their tax returns, employed sex offenders, didn't pay minimum wage, failed to safeguard their staff over fairly major issues, lied in order to get grants and loans, bullied local people who objected to planning permission or complained about other things.... You get the idea.

Just because they're small and local doesn't always make them more ethical, admirably, or worthy of more support and custom.

I know I'm wasting my breath... but Op could you at least address the fact that so many small businesses rely on Amazon? My friend has an Amazon Merch account selling tshirts she designs. She also uses RedBubble, but Amazon are more efficient as I understand it. Print on demand - Amazon print the tshirts and ship them and deal with complaints and refunds. It's her living.
So effectively you're telling people that they shouldn't buy from my friend's small business based in Cornwall.

Sorry but no. Amazon works well for my work, delivers quickly which is what I need, it also supports numerous small businesses, I try to make sure I buy from uk ones wherever possible. So why should I stop supporting them?

I just cancelled my Prime membership and told them it was because they don't pay appropriate tax in UK. Thanks for the thread.

I like Amazon - may sound brutal but I want the cheapest, most convenient option. Plus it donates a % to my kids' school whenever I shop there.

I'll happily buy from small businesses if I see something out & about but most of what I see being sold by Facebook friends is overpriced tat. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of indulging uncompetitive pricing etc

I'll continue to use Amazon Prime. I've tried shopping elsewhere online and nothing compares to Amazon for range of products and speed of delivery.

Not a penny will Amazon get from this house.
All gifts being bought from local small businesses.
I feel so strongly about support your own small food/services/gifts etc if you can afford to.
Support local jobs.

@billy1966

Not a penny will Amazon get from this house. All gifts being bought from local small businesses. I feel so strongly about support your own small food/services/gifts etc if you can afford to. Support local jobs.

I assume you don't understand many businesses on Amazon are small local independent businesses?

I've turned away from Amazon and if we didn't use Prime Video so much would cancel it.

I'm an Etsy seller and buy a lot on there now, or other makers I find on insta. I've been looking for a lot of new homey bits as we had some work done over the summer, and while I could easily buy what I want from Zara Home, I've been sourcing from local independent places. Makes me love the things in my home so so much more.

@Covidasaurus

We really need to stop voting for people who don’t tax amazon...

Sorry about your business OP. I wonder if Mumsnet could do a “Christmas market” for seasoned MNers’ businesses?????

My husband works in international tax. It's not as simple as what's you're suggesting. Until every country in the world does the same, there will always be ways to structure (legal) tax avoidance.

Not that I think it's right, by any means.

If small companies can deliver things to me the next or same day like amazon can then I would support them more .

I have Amazon Prime and therefore can order things I need quickly for next day delivery and the delivery is included in my Prime Membership.

Also included in my Prime membership is the ability to shop with Morrison’s and have my shopping from them delivered by Amazon the same day.

So I will continue to use Amazon, as for speed and cost of delivery it’s very helpful to me.

However, I would point out that I do also use places like Etsy and Not on the High Street a lot, so am regularly supporting small businesses through these websites. And I do shop in my local stores frequently also. So I like to think I have a reasonable balance of doing both.

Isn’t amazon a platform for small businesses?

Yes. This.

Lots of small places sell via Amazon. Amazon is also a large employer here. I have prime and often Amazon is cheaper so I will continue to use. eBay is often the same price or more experience, the delivery is longer and ebays customer service is pants.

Schitter, you are right. Amazon is a malignant growth. I’d rather not have something than buy from a tax-dodging parasitical profiteer. DH and I buy from small businesses, little start-ups, family firms etc wherever possible. I mourn those wiped out by unfair competition and by this incompetent, uncaring government. I hope yours survives.