To feel bad for using amazon prime?

[iwannaseeyou]

So, to begin with I wanted to get my money's worth. I'd order a couple of items a week, especially school resources when we were home schooling.
But now I've fallen into a habit where if I can't be arsed to go to the shop, or forget something on the weekly shop then I'll just amazon prime it.
So a single bottle of deodorant, £2 with free postage, shower gel £1 with free postage, hot chocolate powder £1.50, batteries, kitchen roll, antibac wipes, etc etc.
I know that in theory I'm taking money away from the high street, but on the other hand I'm saving petrol, reducing the risk of spreading covid, saving time, less pollution.
Plus the amazon vans are all electric, and they come to my neighbours pretty much every day anyway, so they are still coming this way whether I use them or not.
The packaging situation annoys me, but I recycle almost all of their packaging.
Is it ok to use prime this often, or should I be using supermarkets?

Admittedly we have been self isolating for one reason or another for the best part of a couple of months on and off.
But it does feel very wasteful to think that someone is picking my bottle of deodorant in a warehouse, packaging it, putting it on a van and delivering it to my door the very next day when I could just pop to the corner shop.
In my defence amazon prime is cheaper than the corner shop for most basics.

I think you should just organise yourself better. Electric vehicles still take energy, plus as you say the package is extremely wasteful- recycling takes energy and its far better not to generate it in the first place. The arguement that every one else is using it doesn't wash - you could say that about anything.

Someone is getting paid to do it. Don’t feel guilty.

Perhaps I do need to organise myself better.
Currently looking after a small child that is self isolating for the second time as per track and trace, so only being able to go out once DH is home is a bit of a pain lately.

You are keeping an online business going! (Amazon is a selling platform not a retailer, you can even support small businesses by buying online.) So yes just do what's best for you.
I agree with the packaging and have left some bad feedback with images lately. If more people do this, they will have to reduce the waste! 😉
As for the energy argument, you drive ... they drive, it's probably a similar amount of pollution.

I suppose the packaging isn't horrific. Usually just a piece of cardboard folded over. At least it can be recycled unlike a plastic envelope.
And they do put all my orders in one box if I've bought multiple things.

My next door neighbour is an Amazon deliver driver. He doesn’t always drive the same van and they are all diesel

They’re not electric yet
I use amazon a lot more these days but still try to combine deliveries if you are literally buying household items one at a time that is a bit slack and you should get a bit more organised

Around here the amazon vans are electric and the warehouse isn’t far away. We get same day delivery. No guilt here because all I’m doing is trying to keep my family afloat under some very difficult circumstances. Personal as well as pandemic.

I don't feel guilty. I really don't. I hate retail shopping and my mh can't cope with it right now.

Amazon are a big employer where I live which is very positive for the area which is deprived. A few dads from school are now drivers for Amazon. They like it - they can take the kids to school in the morning. It's pretty good money for a random job to see them through covid.

You can't buy all sorts of things on Amazon. I actively support all businesses in my area - art and jewellery etc and I always search them on Instagram and share them and promote them.

Yeah I'm not too far from one of the huge warehouses.
And the vans here are the grey ones which are definitely electric as I spoke to a driver about how quiet they are.
Perhaps I'll try to combine all my purchases into a couple of deliveries a week.

If you have delivery from a supermarket online (Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrissons or whomever), is it not from a local store, so some local benefit? A UK based company as well. Most will deliver without packaging too.

I think given that the items you quote are not perishable, you do need to be better organised.

Reduce before you reuse and recycle, every box was a tree and recycling uses loads of energy. No judgement on the use of prime though, just write a list or add to cart and only checkout when you've a few things

It's fine. I buy loads from Amazon.
I buy soecific things from smaller local business because they don't have that on amazon.
Not a big fan of shops physically even without the virus

You don’t need to feel guilty.

The high street has fucked itself over with extortionate prices and lack of decent offerings.

Amazon offers you what you want at a low price the next day without leaving your house. Of course you should use it for everything you can!

Well a Tesco delivery comes from one of the big superstores around 10 miles away, as we only have Tesco extras in the town. So it's not benefitting this exact town I suppose.
But at least they're bringing 60 items with no packaging yes.
Although the no packaging is slightly annoying, as I pay for it to be bagged but they still bring it unbagged so I have 60 individual items piled on my doorstep!

Use smile.amazon.co.uk, a small percentage of what you spend goes to charity. I specify the British Red Cross, but other excellent charities are there to choose from. You do what you have to at the moment and at least it's better than nothing.

@Hopeisnotastrategy

Use smile.]] a small percentage of what you spend goes to charity. I specify the British Red Cross, but other excellent charities are there to choose from. You do what you have to at the moment and at least it's better than nothing.

I have help for heroes

In terms of ethics, I can guarantee you that Amazon pay their staff better than Tesco and other retail outlets - so at the least you're helping a lot of people earn a good income.

Dh started at a local Amazon warehouse in September. At the moment he's earning over £900 a week (60 hours). For unskilled packing work. We couldn't quite believe how well paid it is!

For me it all depends on whether you want local shops and high streets to stay open. If we don’t use the local shops they’ll not make enough to keep open. If that happens they could close for good so we have to buy everything on line in the future.
If you are happy with that, then there’s no problem with buying everything on line. If you may need your shop to be there in a year or two, use it now.

So a single bottle of deodorant, £2 with free postage, shower gel £1 with free postage, hot chocolate powder £1.50, batteries, kitchen roll, antibac wipes, etc etc.

These are ridiculous items to use Prime for, especially as single items. I’m actually disgusted.

I use prime a lot and I don't feel bad about it. Of course if they were required to pay their full share of taxes I'd like it better.

Local shops are not going to survive unless they can do something that amazon and only online stores can't. It's inevitable that most will go. Sometimes browsing a shop was nice, but what would be the point of say a shop that sells some screws and a selection of hinges when every screw and hinge sold anywhere can be had with a click.

Don’t feel Guilty. Too much Amazon bashing in here. Amazon provides jobs. Our local on line delivery driver (not just Amazon) stared as a warehouse picker and is now the franchise owner of the depot. Amazon and other on line stores help create local jobs too.

Look at subscribe and save, you could save some money.

And when Amazon has a monopoly they’ll be able to ramp up prices. And those of use who don’t use it or use it rarely will also suffer.