alternative to Amazon...

[forgottoremember]

... i've got into the habit of using them all the time for books, toys, just general stuff.

but they don't pay tax, and I'd rather put my money elsewhere.

where else is similarly comprehensive, competitively priced, efficient?

Ditto

Play (or are they the same )

I know it's not as easy but try shopping around at high street stores online shops. I have found stuff that is cheaper in John Lewis and Argos than on Amazon this year and quite a few shops are the same price (especially for books and toys)

well, answering my own question (at least in part)

guardian report on book prices

Our Family have decided to have a 'charity shop' Christmas (we're all skint!!) and buy all presents in Charity Shops - a lot of recent books can be found in good condition in charity shops and we have an Oxfam near us that just does books.

Sorry but I would never stop shopping at amazon. Where else would I get a DVD for 1p plus £1.26 delivery (though that a 3rd party seller usually zooverstocks lol)

But yes I agree with charity shops a lot of books are like new.

I love the book people!
great selections and brilliant prices
I dunno if they pay tax?? I don't know that they avoid it though like I do with Amazon

still use amazon for DVDs but the book people for books

I am feeling full of guilt for using Amazon this year, however I tried to do online shops on both Waterstones and The Book People and neither of them had the books I wanted in stock.

I read the guardian online a lot so figure that using their online bookshop is a way of 'paying' for the news given I don't use a newspaper (and not using Amazon). Obviously that only works for books.

The other problem I had with Waterstone's was that it kept losing my shopping cart every time I switched page and sometimes not updating when I tried to add to it. V frustrating when you are used to Amazon making life so easy. I hope Waterstone's improves as I'd much rather support a high street shop.

On The Guardian, I am furious that they have the nerve to print stories in the paper days after they've posted them online. Do they think we won't notice? They are so busy chasing the hits they've lost interest in their paying customers.

They all avoid tax - makes no difference really. It's just that those particular places have been publicised for it. At the end of the day, Amazon have been expanding in the UK, they do pay tax for those UK based operations - e.g. business rates for distribution centres, they also provide employment which also brings in tax revenue.....as do Starbucks and whatever other company it was that was in the press.

The problem is globalisation - if a company is not based in this country, exactly what tax should they pay? It is not an easy one to answer and companies like Amazon don't just sell in the UK but base themselves elsewhere to avoid tax. They are based elsewhere and happen to operate in the UK. It would be nice to get in more tax revenue, don't get me wrong. But, as long as they are providing employment and paying their local taxes then I don't have a problem really.

If you do want to minimise the chances that the people you buy from are paying their way, then you need to buy from UK based companies - but you still can't guarantee that they are paying what they should.