Should we feel guilty about using Amazon?

[Tierne]

I order about once a week, I've read the arguments for and against. I just feel like a lazy cow!

YABU = Dont feel guilty
YANBU = Feel guilty

Got to say if there was a war on the government could totally get Amazon to handle all the supplies and logistics!

No guilt here anymore.

Found a wall clock I loved in an independent local shop in the market town where I lived, but it was just too expensive for my budget. Liked it so much I looked online, found exactly the same clock on Amazon sold by a garden centre 200 miles from where I live. It was something like 17% cheaper.

Nowadays charity begins at home!!

It must depend on what you buy as I have found the opposite to be true. Some Ebay sellers really take the piss.

Doesn't even cross my mind to feel guilty. It makes my life massively convenient and not bothered beyond that.

I'm not feeling guilty at all. I get things cheaper, quicker and with better customer service than if I were to buy elsewhere.
Regarding taxes - they pay what they are required by law to pay. If that's seen as too low, it's down to the government (and the governments around the world) to implement a taxation system that would require multinational corporations to pay more tax.

Not just clothes, it's everything. A few years ago, I traipsed into town to buy a fax roll (when people still used them) neither stationery shop had any - the shelf marker was there but shelf empty. I also wanted an inkjet cartridge - neither had that either. So I went home and ordered from Amazon instead -arrived next day. I never bothered going to either of those shops again as it's not worth wasting my time, petrol and car park money on unreliable shops.

Samw when we want diy stuff - had far too many wasted journeys to diy shops so Amazon is now first choice.

Chain stores have shot themselves in the foot with having low/limited stocks - actually having stuff in the shops is now their only usp for urgent/impulse buys and far too many can't meet that market.

I understand what you mean OP. I hate the fact I am funding Bezo's billionaire lifestyle and his employees have to pee into cups so they don't take toilet breaks. But as a busy full-time working mum their service is invaluable to me. The number of times kids have been invited to a party and I've had to Prime a gift last minute!

You know that a lot of small businesses sell via Amazon?

TBH, I shop on Amazon all the time, and feel zero guilt.

I use Amazon Smile to donate to SiMBA in memory of my stillborn son and that soothes any guilt I may feel about my lazy consumerism.

We order weekly from Amazon. There is always something we need. We needed quite a few things recently, and Amazon beat the price on every single item from other stores. I just got everything on there.

I feel guilty if it's something small. I try and support local business or shops when I can, but I simply can't get most of what I need in shops anymore.

A lot of times there just isn't an alternative to get the particular items anyway. I've been a customer since 1999, I think they are an excellent business and am happy to support them.

I feel guilty but still use it. Got an Amazon fresh delivery last week and the prices were better than the supermarket. £1.25 for Alpro vanilla instead of £1.80/60 (it seems to change regularly).

Amazon has a horrendous environmental impact.

Surely one vehicle delivering two hundred items is better for the environment than two hundred vehicles being used to collect one item each?

I feel zero guilt shopping on Amazon. The tax loopholes are legal and need to be fixed by government, not me.

As for everything else - they provide jobs to a LOT of people who could not otherwise find work, particularly not flexible work. This also generates significant tax revenue for HMRC. My Amazon grocery order last week was delivered by a man with his child tagging along. Obviously, not ideal for his kid but the point is that he can work and make sure his child is looked after at the same time. That's a win.

Also, I'm all for supporting local blah blah blah, but too often, around here, supporting local means paying twice the price and getting half the service. So, for example, I now buy my pet food on Amazon because the local pet shop was not only expensive, they were rude and unfriendly and unhelpful and I thought, "sod this".

No of course not. I use amazon frequently but then I also shop on the highstreet and also buy from local small businesses. If its cheaper on amazon, I'm gonna buy it on amazon. If its cheaper in B&m, Asda, Smthys Toys I'll go there. If its something special or personalised I'll buy from my friends shops, go to farmers markets, buy on Etsy etc :)

In terms of tax etc., Amazon like many large businesses (see energy suppliers also) are getting away with what they are allowed to get away with. The government has the power to change things. They won't, because sadly politics and big business are so joined up these days they might as well be the same thing.

I agree, especially when the delivery is to a locker rather than individual houses. I'm sure the delivery companies use similar software to my previous company where they plot the most efficient route too.

YABU. I've given up trying to buy things on the high street - they never have the right size / variety. No harm in supporting the businesses who use Amazon as a delivery platform. I also have no shame in supporting such an impressive logistics operation.

well, for starters those 200 people might reconsider whether they really need those items. People buy too much shit they don't need imo. (Now, everyone can jump at me and say they only ever order essential items... and I'll believe that(

I don't feel any guilt at all and I love all my alexas

I don't feel guilty.

I admire amazon. They managed to win the market but offering cut price things o ext day delivery

If Small business cannot compete, theyre not playing the game right. Tough, adapt your business eg in person activities/ crafts.

This is capitalism and I choose how to spend my money

I frequent bars gift shops hairdresser etc so I do spend in the kinds of things amazon couldn't do.

Workers rights.. plenty of other entry level jobs so o be is forcing them and we have good legal minimums in the UK. Eg rest breaks overnight minimums.

Well done Jeff.

Fully agree. Amazon has evolved to meet what customers want, i.e. a very wide range of products and next day delivery (and lockers etc). It's not all about price. People will pay more for convenience i.e. not having to traipse around several shops, driving around finding a parking space, paying expensive car park charges to go to "traditional" shops which these days are very unlikely to have what you want anyway and just direct you to order online!

Sometimes it's just more expensive for the exact same thing if you don't use Amazon.

E.g. I recently bought something from Lakeland. Amazon had it, via the Lakeland online shop, for a certain price with free delivery. If I'd bought it online direct from Lakeland it would have been the same price for the item but I'd have had to pay for delivery. Or, I could have gone to a Lakeland shop and paid for my transport there.