Alternatives to Amazon

[Karl Henning]

How to Avoid Amazon & Why: 10+ Ethical Alternatives

[hopefullytrusting]

For pop music, I've found nothing that touches Amazon digital (I'm open for suggestions though).

I wish Bandcamp was more popular, but I also understand that Bandcamp pretty much relegates you to having to do all the marketing yourself, which severely limits your exposure aka I doubt any Bandcamper will get famous.

But, I've not used Amazon in months, but I also don't listen to much pop music, and when I do, I use YouTube, which is an evil empire all onto itself.

[DavidW]

Amazon makes most of their money off of AWS these days. Boycotting the store doesn't hurt them, but it sure hurts the mom and pop stores and indie authors whose livelihood comes from their presence on Amazon.

What is a realistic alternative? Not what they listed. Honestly, it is just Walmart, which is also an evil company.

People don't like Amazon now? They should have thought of that before they signed up for Prime twenty years ago and started exclusively shopping there, driving everything but large chains into the dirt.

I've always made an effort to diversify my shopping. So many people don't even realize that Amazon frequently doesn't have the lowest price. And that shipping is fast and cheap from even mom and pop stores. For example, I bought my recent headphones from Bloom Audio, and my stereo has components from multiple stores only one of which is Amazon.

[André]

I cancelled my Amz Prime subscription a few weeks ago when Bezos shut down all 7 of Quebec's plants because one of them had unionized. His right. Amz worker's right. Customer's privilege.

Couple of weeks later Bezos' trumpian d**k sucking WaPo editorial directives... ☠️

I live in a small residential neighbourhood where Amz and UPS trucks regularly deliver parcels. I swear I haven't seen a single Amz one in the last 2 weeks. It probably won't register on the company's balance sheet. But I feel good about my and my neighbours' position.

[brewski]

Since Bezos bought the WAPO, I have only used Amazon maybe 1-2 times a year, and that will likely decrease. I also had maybe 200-300 reviews on the site (mostly CDs) and took them all down a few years ago. It's a convenient platform but not an essential one.

I'm fortunate to have many small businesses within walking distance. The other day I needed a wrench, and went a few blocks to a friendly, local hardware store — and not a chain like Home Depot, either. But I know not everyone has those options.

[Mandryka]

One thing that has started to worry me is this. Given Bezos's connection to the people who are controlling the USA today, should I be paranoid about Alexa? Is she listening to me all the time, and sending the data to some AI system which identifies my political, spiritual and sexual preferences?

That being said I tend to avoid amazon for price reasons most of the time - I can nearly always find the same thing cheaper from other places - ebay, Abe books, discogs. All I buy from them now is coffee and almonds and cans of San Marzano tomatoes,

[AnotherSpin]

I haven't bought anything on Amazon in at least 10 years, maybe longer. Over time, I lost almost all interest in mass-market products. These days, I prefer to buy the few things I need directly from the source, without middlemen, whether from the craftsman or a small specialty shop that ships by mail. My shoes come from Northampton, my jeans from Japan, and my groceries from the farmers' market. So why would I need Amazon or anything like it?

[DavidW]

That being said I tend to avoid amazon for price reasons most of the time - I can nearly always find the same thing cheaper from other places - ebay, Abe books, discogs. All I buy from them now is coffee and almonds and cans of San Marzano tomatoes,

Abe Books is owned by Amazon!

[San Antone]

I have no intention of avoiding Amazon. It is where I purchase 90% of our household items and 100% my books.

I am by and large apolitical, don't follow social media or the news.  So, none of what has been discussed in this thread is of much concern to me, certainly not enough to alter my buying habits which are dictated by convenience.

Also I know a number of people who work for Amazon locally and are very happy with the job, salary, conditions, and benefits.

Y'all can do what makes sense for you; I will do the same.

[Kalevala]

Abe Books is owned by Amazon!

When did Amazon acquire Abe books?  Or was it from the beginning?

I have no intention of avoiding Amazon. It is where I purchase 90% of our household items and 100% my books.

I am by and large apolitical, don't follow social media or the news.  So, none of what has been discussed in this thread is of much concern to me, certainly not enough to alter my buying habits which are dictated by convenience.

Also I know a number of people who work for Amazon locally and are very happy with the job, salary, conditions, and benefits.

Y'all can do what makes sense for you; I will do the same.

Do whatever works for you and makes you happy...and good for you re talking with local workers and asking about their welfare.

K

[DavidW]

When did Amazon acquire Abe books?  Or was it from the beginning?

For many years (since like late 2000s).

[Kalevala]

For many years (since like late 2000s).

K

[71 dB]

I have no intention of avoiding Amazon. It is where I purchase 90% of our household items and 100% my books.

My Amazon purchases have gone toward zero because shipping costs have skyrocketed. Nowadays my online purchases are about avoiding shipping costs. Doing that often takes me elsewhere to do online shopping.

I am by and large apolitical, don't follow social media or the news.

I used to be VERY political as many here know, but now I am DONE with politics. I will vote in Finnish elections (In April will be municipal elections), but that's it. Nothing really matters, because we live on a planet where most people are politically ignorant morons and vote accordingly. Nothing I do seems to matter. I try to manage the misery we live in. I follow the news minimally (to know if world war three or trade wars have started). Social media I have never cared about. Nowadays I only care about things that directly affect myself: The weather in Helsinki. The price of tomatoes in my local grocery store, the availability of MRS Cheng's Panaeng Thai Curry in the Prisma store and when the renovation of the laundry room of my apartment building is over.

So, none of what has been discussed in this thread is of much concern to me, certainly not enough to alter my buying habits which are dictated by convenience.

Pretty much same here. The ridiculous rise of shipping costs, Brexit and the difficulties of physical media have made buying online a challenge. I can't drop sellers based on ethical concerns, but then again I don't use Amazon that much anymore. I have started using Rarewaves and other alternatives. Sometimes Amazon happens to be the place to buy.

Also I know a number of people who work for Amazon locally and are very happy with the job, salary, conditions, and benefits.

That is very nice!

[AnotherSpin]

My Amazon purchases have gone toward zero because shipping costs have skyrocketed. Nowadays my online purchases are about avoiding shipping costs. Doing that often takes me elsewhere to do online shopping.
I used to be VERY political as many here know, but now I am DONE with politics. I will vote in Finnish elections (In April will be municipal elections), but that's it. Nothing really matters, because we live on a planet where most people are politically ignorant morons and vote accordingly. Nothing I do seems to matter. I try to manage the misery we live in. I follow the news minimally (to know if world war three or trade wars have started). Social media I have never cared about. Nowadays I only care about things that directly affect myself: The weather in Helsinki. The price of tomatoes in my local grocery store, the availability of MRS Cheng's Panaeng Thai Curry in the Prisma store and when the renovation of the laundry room of my apartment building is over.
Pretty much same here. The ridiculous rise of shipping costs, Brexit and the difficulties of physical media have made buying online a challenge. I can't drop sellers based on ethical concerns, but then again I don't use Amazon that much anymore. I have started using Rarewaves and other alternatives. Sometimes Amazon happens to be the place to buy.
That is very nice!

They claim this is called "democracy."

[71 dB]

They claim this is called "democracy."

Yeah, they do, but it has become idiocracy.

[San Antone]

Nothing really matters, because we live on a planet where most people are politically ignorant morons and vote accordingly.

I can't agree with you. In my local community (I live in a rural county) I have met very few "ignorant morons" and in fact find that most people are pretty savvy when it comes to politics, i.e., seeing through BS. 

What I DO find, are people so turned off to the political process, and reportage of it, that they have become uninspired and quite cynical.  As a consequence they appear to not care.  But this is an illusion since most people do care about how society is going, and especially how things affect their lives. These people contribute to their local community and manage to make a difference that is not reported, and falls outside the "major issues" that appear in Google News or major media.

I engage at the local level (town, county) and ignore national and, especially, world politics. 

The smaller the scale, the more I am impressed by the goodness of my fellowmen.

[DavidW]

I can't agree with you. In my local community (I live in a rural county) I have met very few "ignorant morons" and in fact find that most people are pretty savvy when it comes to politics, i.e., seeing through BS. 

Yes, I hate the "oh, these people don't think like I do, they must be brainwashed apathetic idiots" narrative. I mostly just see people sometimes having a skewed perspective because they only follow conservative or liberal news.

And then on the local level, political party is not as important. I usually vote for competence and passion, which can come from either side of the aisle.

[AnotherSpin]

I can't agree with you. In my local community (I live in a rural county) I have met very few "ignorant morons" and in fact find that most people are pretty savvy when it comes to politics, i.e., seeing through BS. 

What I DO find, are people so turned off to the political process, and reportage of it, that they have become uninspired and quite cynical.  As a consequence they appear to not care.  But this is an illusion since most people do care about how society is going, and especially how things affect their lives. These people contribute to their local community and manage to make a difference that is not reported, and falls outside the "major issues" that appear in Google News or major media.

I engage at the local level (town, county) and ignore national and, especially, world politics. 

The smaller the scale, the more I am impressed by the goodness of my fellowmen.

Alone, a person is more good than bad. A few together can still do some good. But the more people involved, the less good remains. The result, on a global scale, is anything but unambiguous. Why is that? I don't know. Or rather, I don't want to know. I care only for the smallest scale — my self.

[71 dB]

I can't agree with you. In my local community (I live in a rural county) I have met very few "ignorant morons" and in fact find that most people are pretty savvy when it comes to politics, i.e., seeing through BS. 

What I DO find, are people so turned off to the political process, and reportage of it, that they have become uninspired and quite cynical.  As a consequence they appear to not care.  But this is an illusion since most people do care about how society is going, and especially how things affect their lives. These people contribute to their local community and manage to make a difference that is not reported, and falls outside the "major issues" that appear in Google News or major media.

I engage at the local level (town, county) and ignore national and, especially, world politics. 

The smaller the scale, the more I am impressed by the goodness of my fellowmen.

I am happy to hear you live in a rural county of smart people, but to Canadians and people of Greenland/Denmark/Panama/Gaza etc. it doesn't matter if the people in your local community are politically well-informed, if the man in the White House wants to make colonialism great again.