Suggestions for online shops to avoid amazon

[TooDamnSarky]

For various (fairly obvious) reasons I'd like to switch my online shopping form automatically going to amazon to using smalller companies.

I thought we could have a thread where we list companies that have given good service and ask for recommendations. Don't mind paying slightly extra if it means benefitting from their expertise in getting good quality stuff.

I recently got some fab garden furniture from:
www.plant-theatre.co.uk/

Currently looking for somewhere for small electricals (eg headphones) and seeds.

For lovely bath stuff including solid shampoo, home scent items and greetings cards,
www.rockways-online.co.uk :)

Cute baby and toddler clothes : www.biddyandbear.com

Someone sent me a sweet little goodie box from here and I in turn sent one to cheer a friend up.
www.fivelittlepiggiesgifts.co.uk/

www.veronicafarmfudge.co.uk/

A brilliant thread, thank you.

Do people not realise amazon employ a hell of a lot of staff? If everyone stops using them that's a lot of people out of work!

Well not really, this thread is suggesting alternative companies, you know ones who probably pay tax, not telling people to stop shopping. If their trade increases, so does the number of these small companies' employees.

For knitting, can I recommend theknitkitcompany.com/ for lovely wool and patterns, plus fantastic service. Also www.woolstack.co.uk/ for wool, very rapid dispatch times and really good prices.

Devon duvets make beautiful natural duvets and toppers and I can't recommend them highly enough www.devonduvets.com/

Am sure there are loads more, will add some later.

Can anyone recommend anywhere for interesting counted cross stitch kits? Something more modern than the norm found in usual online sellers, something more Banksy (but not actually Banksy) than traditional English scene.

So glad someone has recommended the jigsaw shop in Grasmere. It's a wonderful shop and puts me in mind of my late MiL who was an avid jigsaw fab and spent many happy hours in there. Have never seen so many jigsaws in one place.

Brilliant thread - thank you for starting it, @TooDamnSarky

In the last ten minutes I've ordered bird food (RSPB website sold out), a cake birthday card, and found a gluten free cake which I can send to DD next month. I've also found a wee thing to send my teen niece who is driving her family crazy because she's bored.

I use www.wisebadger.com for wool. Great service.
I get fruit and veg delivered by local company who normally supply restaurants. Tremendous quality and value. (www.gardenfreshexotics.com delivering locations between Glasgow and Dundee)
meat (and veg pakora!) from www.falleninchfarm.co.uk - 25 miles radius of Stirling)
Bread, butter, cheese, home made soups, breakfast packs, flour, pasta from www.blairdrummondsmiddy.co.uk (only deliver 9 miles radius)
Smol for laundry and dishwasher tablets.

The only things I'm running short of will be toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning stuff.

More great suggestions. Thanks all.

Great thread

Thanks to MNHQ for moving this thread out of chat so it didn't disappear.

I found this thread on subscription shopping interesting:

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/3898702-aibu-to-ask-what-unusual-subscriptions-you-get

The subscription thread has reminded me that we regularly buy spices from The Spicery - they do great batches of premixed spices that are great for producing a range of curries, as well as one off boxes that come with more particular recipes. It's helped us be a lots more adventurous in our cooking and works out good value because we actually use everything we buy 😀

I’ll shout out for steenbergs for spices too - lovely stuff.

Any suggestions for garden stuff?
We've planted a bunch of seeds and will need pots/stakes etc in the coming weeks.

Talking of herbs and spices I can recommend Nature Kitchen.

www.naturekitchen.co.uk/

Haiths www.haiths.com/ and Vine House Farm www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/ are both excellent for bird food. Ruff and Tumble ruffandtumbledogcoats.com/ do fantastic drying coats for dogs.

I can also highly recommend Tarquins for the best gin in the world. I was due to go on a tour there on Mothering Sunday but unfortunately the lockdown but at least I can still drink my gin

shop.tarquinsgin.com/

Any suggestions for shops that do cycling kit?
I want to do DS1 a birthday bundle of tools/saddlebag/jerseys etc but our usual place is too far to travel to as it is near my work not near my house and they are not properly set up for delivery.

Wiggle www.wiggle.co.uk/ have a good range and excellent service.

Thanks Ann

@AnneofPeeves Thank you very much for the Ruff and Tumble recommendation. I was thrilled to discover they make daschund-specific drying coats!

@Smartcasual we need to see a photo of that in use!

@TooDamnSarky

Haven't put the order in yet but will try and oblige! Dithering over sizes currently ... .

Buy both sizes. And if that means that you need to then buy another dog...