Before you turn to Amazon for shopping...

[MsAmerica]

This Week, Billionaires Made a Strong Case for Abolishing Themselves
One after another, four of our best-known billionaires laid waste to the image of benevolent saviors carefully cultivated by their class. It is a commendable sacrifice, because they exist only because we embrace certain myths about them.
By Anand Giridharadas

For example, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, who this week was doing his part to undermine another pretension of billionaire benevolence: the generosity pose. On Monday, he made a big splash when CNN released an interview in which he announced that he was giving the great bulk of his more than $120 billion fortune away, with a focus on fighting climate change and promoting unity.

That sure sounds impressive, but his gesture wasn’t about generosity any more than Herschel Walker’s Senate candidacy in Georgia is for the children. After all, the money Mr. Bezos is now so magnanimously distributing was made through his dehumanizing labor practices, his tax avoidance, his influence peddling, his monopolistic power and other tactics that make him a cause of the problems of modern American life rather than a swashbuckling solution.

It’s too soon to tell if Mr. Bezos’s philanthropy will help others, but what’s certain is that it will help Mr. Bezos a lot. Mega-philanthropists of his ilk tend to give through foundations, which they establish in ways that save them an immense amount in taxes, sometimes merely by moving the money from one of their own accounts to another. Giving will also burnish Mr. Bezos’s reputation, in that way preserving and protecting his opportunity to earn yet more money — and to do more social damage.

And it will increase his already gigantic power over public life. For plutocrats like Mr. Bezos, that may be the biggest payoff of all. Their wealth is so vast that by distributing even a small fraction of it, they skew the public agenda toward the kind of social change they can stomach — the kind that doesn’t threaten them or their class. Shortly before his big announcement, Mr. Bezos gave Dolly Parton a $100 million “Courage and Civility Award” to spend on her chosen causes. Ms. Parton is indeed courageous and civil, but so are the workers fighting to unionize Amazon facilities, and I don’t see anyone offering them nine-digit thank-you bonuses.

But once again, instead of the usual critics having to make this case, this week Mr. Bezos took the wheel. Just minutes after his philanthropy announcement on CNN, news broke that Amazon would be laying off thousands of workers, reminding everyone of what was really going on.

For the whole article:

www.nytimes.com/2022/11/19/opinion/musk-trump-bezos-bankman-fried-billionaires.html

portside.org/2022-11-21/week-billionaires-made-strong-case-abolishing-themselves

I get your point - but if Amazon is the cheapest price for an item and I get free delivery with Prime, and it’s convenient and arrives in less than 48 hours, then I’m going to buy it from Amazon. It’s purely selfish, I couldn’t care less who I buy it from as long as it’s cheap and easy.

Anyway, what makes you think the rich people who own other companies are any better?

Lots of small businesses also sell on Amazon

First, not many are as heartless as Bezos, who preferred to let his workers faint from heat, rather than get air conditioning in his warehouse. Second, are you aware of how he's undermined book publishers? Third, wouldn't you rather your money helped a store in your own town? And, really, how often do you truly, truly need something in 48 hours?

And are you aware of how badly Amazon treats many of the small businesses (in fact, sometimes driving them out of business), and how Amazon is often deceptive about the products carried by small businesses?

Nah I don’t care. Not my problem. All I care about is the cheapest price and convenience.

Ironically if i was richer i wouldnt buy off any of the big companies but weve got to look after thepennies these days and its often cheaper than others0have to be selfish these days

I am wheelchair dependent and although I can drive, I can't get out of the car -- think drive-thru only. Amazon is a life-line for me. I can get gifts for my family and get them already wrapped. I can get clothing, try and return what doesn't fit. I can get medicine for my dogs. I can watch streaming movies and TV shows.
Between Amazon and grocery delivery of fresh items, I can take care of myself and not depend on the kindness of family to run errands. Life without Amazon would be unbelievably difficult.
If Amazon workers want to unionize and improve their conditions I support them, but I am still grateful for Amazon.

Victorian philanthropists set up public libraries, swimming pools, schools, etc, with the proceeds of their profits.

I think there are all kinds of things wrong with the way that modern day billionaires are treated for tax, ways to which you usefully draw attention, and a situation which is disgrace. But I can also see that rich people might want choice concerning how they spend money which they've earned. Maybe they will be more generous if they have choice. I'd like to see Jeff Bezoz investing in projects to alleviate human and animal suffering very immediately.

You're right OP, of course you are. I had a ridiculous Amazon habit, as it's so easy yo buy things and it's often cheap. But I haven't shopped there or any other big warehouse companies (ASOS, Next, etc etc...) for a year now and it's saved me lots of money, as well as ensured I'm not contributing to their vile ethics.
I shop around for second hand or in independent businesses and find things for a price I can afford, if I can't afford it without compromising my values then I don't buy it.
If we don't think about the most vulnerable people (those whose rights are abused by these companies) then we are contributing to their abuse - directly. People can bury their heads all they like- but that's the truth.
We buy too much and that means we don't buy consciously -but it has to stop, for people and for the planet.

I buy from them for a few reasons.

1. I live by an Amazon warehouse and get things mostly same day.
2. they are quick and cheaper.
3. their delivery’s are amazing. I am fed up with being told by other delivery companies that I wasn’t there. Or putting by the wrong front door. Totally fed up with it.

when other places can do the same service I will buy from them. I am busy and have chronic illness. I have neither the time or the energy to deal with rubbish deliveries. As to their practices on how they treat their staff. It would take more than me to stop buying from them to change that. I know it sounds harsh what I’m saying. But after having non delivery after non delivery.

Being out of pocket for a fair few things as I was accused of having things delivered and keeping them and asking for my money back.
the phone call I had where I was accused of lying. I’m not doing that anymore. Any problems I have with anything is sorted quickly and easily with Amazon.

I know people don’t like the way they are huge and take over. But maybe people could learn from their customer service attitude.

How depressing.

Ive just ordered something from the white company, and delighted to find out they are using Amazon distribution as delivery.

They are the only reliable delivery company.

The working conditions in the warehouse in the UK are absolutely fine; I know loads of students and parents who work there as it’s so flexible.

I agree with Dr Marcia.

Amazon UK is not a bad place to work and it is a very good place to buy, especially for the housebound. I wouldn't be without it..

I am actively choosing to buy my Christmas presents from Amazon as they will deliver them for me quickly and efficiently, something that I doubt will happen if I had Royal Mail deliver it.

I LOVE Amazon.
I have had Amazon Prime for years and I love it .
Who doesn’t love Next Day delivery?

Their customer services is amazing as you can track every single item getting delivered and if there is ever a problem with a delivery and you Do NOT Receive a item then Amazon will look into it and either replace it or refund the amount to your account.

Just seen this is in 'what we're reading'??

Cheapest price and good consumer service, quick delivery, that what I look at.

You need to get this moved as it is in the section on book discussions and will clog it up.

I love Amazon Prime. I've never had a problem with a product, I know when it's going to arrive (usually the next day or two, not sometime in the next two weeks, I have no idea when). I have a lot of challenges I am already dealing with without having to run around all over the place to pick up things in person. I favour retailers with quick postage (including small companies, which I also use). I do still use slower delivering places plenty. It depends how urgently I need something.

Another one that chooses Amazon given its delivery and customer service.

9/10 I have found a cheaper product outside of Amazon & prime isn't great. Many things are cheaper without prime so you pay for the subscription & the products price is often inflated.

All I care about is the cheapest price and convenience.

which is fair enough but businesses like Amazon are one reason salaries haven't grown in years & that ripples out to other industries plus we are all paying increased taxes which are often subsiding big business so I think cheap can be a false economy.

I can understand where you are coming from. However, I use Amazon for very specific purchases.

If I can use a small retailer I will.

But I buy my books from Amazon because our pretty little local bookshop either hides or refuses to stock mainstream feminist writers (I’m talking widely reviewed Sunday Times bestsellers). They claim either to have never heard of them, or that there is a problem at the warehouse.
Instead they prominently display books by male writers explaining feminism.

If they really want me to buy from them, they can stop insulting my intelligence.

And one of the assistants is so fecking grumpy that it is an active downer to be served by him.

Amazon, on the other hand, will sell me both feminist and what I consider to be anti- feminist books with either next or same day delivery.

Exactly my main reason for shopping with Amazon so much. In the last 3 months Royal Mail do not deliver any parcels at all. I need to go to my local sorting office every few weeks, complain and then I'll get a bundle a couple of days later. Amazon delivery is superb.

Agreed, I won’t buy anything from companies that use Royal Mail.

I work full time, and have huge demands on me when I’m not at work.
For me, it’s that I’m not prepared to try a dozen shops to get the specific item I want, only to find that hours later, it’s not possible. As opposed to finding the exact item in less than 5 minutes. The delivery service is excellent.

I’d support unionisation and clarity about reasonable working conditions, but Amazon UK seems a very different beast to the US. As is the case for most of our labour laws, maternity leave and holiday benefits.

2 weeks ago I ordered Christmas cards for my neighbour, off a charity website, delivered by royal mail. Still waiting.

Over the course of this week I've been adding to my Amazon order which will all get delivered today ( you can choose your Amazon day)
I've done it all through smile.amazon so my charity of choice gets (granted a tiny) percentage of the purchases I make.

If we all used smile.amazon, lots more charities could gain funds, even the tiny local ones if they are on the list.

So while I'm not a fan of making Bezos richer, I'll take a next day or my choice of day delivery over waiting weeks.