Moving Away From Amazon

I ordered of a supplier's website last week.
It was delivered by Amazon!

David49

TerriBull

I use Amazon sparingly sometimes for obscure items that would mean trawling umpteen shops. I did sign up for Prime, during lockdown when it was a real asset as I imagine it is for people who have a disability or live in a remote area. I've never been on Twitter or any other social media platform, GN can be time wasting enough. I admonish myself for not having the moral fibre to not use Amazon given I hate the fact that they don't pay what they should in tax, or treat their workers, maybe a thing of the past, with enough basic decency. timed toilet breaks for example. It's not a pleasant world too close to how China operate imo. Talking of which I certainly wouldn't order anything from Shein or Temu. It's a Pandora's Box for sure and I can't see the lid going back on anytime soon. Governments collude in their enablement of allowing these corporations to flourish. It's the world we live in, a dubious progress with a multitude of downsides. It would take a tidal wave to change it.

Chinese companies sending goods directly to US consumers have been stopped, The US allowed them in if the value was less than $800, a massive amount of tax was being avoided.

Similar tax avoidance is happening here VAT and customs duty are being dodged on a large scale.

No, it’s been suspended. Most customers ordering from Temu etc. wouldn’t be spending more than $800 at a time, so won’t now see any difference if they want to carry on.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y7edy35pvo

MaizieD

I haven't used Amazon for years. I can purchase anything I want on line from other retailers and get it delivered very quickly, often next day. I don't understand people's utter dependency on one retailer.

I'm weaning myself off twitter, especially as many of the people I followed have moved to bluesky, which, at the moment is altogether less toxic.

I have a facebook account which I don't access very often an rarely post on.

I do love Whatsapp, though 😢

To be fair Amazon isn’t just a retailer is it, it’s more than that, there are Amazon goods but many many more are other retailers.

I’m with merlotgran- Amazon made life easier for me last year when a fracture stopped me driving for four months. I know, it’s the evil empire but it certainly makes life easier. It’s also providing employment. I also know there are issues about terms and conditions - life throws challenges, we do our best

We use Amazon.
Prime for TV.
Kindle for books
And for shopping, however many of the sellers on Amazon are small businesses within the U.K. shopping delivery charges are included in the Amazon fee.

It’s less time consuming for us to have one delivery a week from Amazon than trek into Town trawling around the different shops and getting everything back to the Park and Ride. It was handy when we needed a new step ladder.
It’s providing plenty of work for employees as well, it would be better if they paid the tax they should but that is down to our Government,
I’ve never use Instagram or Twitter, but I sometimes use Facebook.

TerriBull

I use Amazon sparingly sometimes for obscure items that would mean trawling umpteen shops. I did sign up for Prime, during lockdown when it was a real asset as I imagine it is for people who have a disability or live in a remote area. I've never been on Twitter or any other social media platform, GN can be time wasting enough. I admonish myself for not having the moral fibre to not use Amazon given I hate the fact that they don't pay what they should in tax, or treat their workers, maybe a thing of the past, with enough basic decency. timed toilet breaks for example. It's not a pleasant world too close to how China operate imo. Talking of which I certainly wouldn't order anything from Shein or Temu. It's a Pandora's Box for sure and I can't see the lid going back on anytime soon. Governments collude in their enablement of allowing these corporations to flourish. It's the world we live in, a dubious progress with a multitude of downsides. It would take a tidal wave to change it.

Chinese companies sending goods directly to US consumers have been stopped, The US allowed them in if the value was less than $800, a massive amount of tax was being avoided.

Similar tax avoidance is happening here VAT and customs duty are being dodged on a large scale.

Bezos is rich enough and I haven’t bought from Amazon for years there are plenty more businesses more deserving tham them.

I use Amazon sparingly sometimes for obscure items that would mean trawling umpteen shops. I did sign up for Prime, during lockdown when it was a real asset as I imagine it is for people who have a disability or live in a remote area. I've never been on Twitter or any other social media platform, GN can be time wasting enough. I admonish myself for not having the moral fibre to not use Amazon given I hate the fact that they don't pay what they should in tax, or treat their workers, maybe a thing of the past, with enough basic decency. timed toilet breaks for example. It's not a pleasant world too close to how China operate imo. Talking of which I certainly wouldn't order anything from Shein or Temu. It's a Pandora's Box for sure and I can't see the lid going back on anytime soon. Governments collude in their enablement of allowing these corporations to flourish. It's the world we live in, a dubious progress with a multitude of downsides. It would take a tidal wave to change it.

Eddiecat78 Yes! This! I don't shop on-line much but always try the small independents first. It can be done.

Every day is a school day on GN. I have just installed DuckDuckGo and will try it out.

Some of you seem to think that if you stop using Amazon you won't be able to shop online - which is nonsense. I recently bought Skechers trainers online from an independent shoe shop - speedy delivery, a hand written note thanking me for supporting a small business, and they were cheaper than Amazon.
Perhaps my actions won't affect Bezos but I don't want to live in a country where there are no small businesses remaining

MaizieD I get different results in different places.
I sometimes use both.

Barleyfields

It might make you feel better Jane, but it won’t make a haporth of difference to Amazon.

There’s no need to be patronising.

NotSpaghetti

I have had DuckDuckGo for many years now but confess I still regularly go back to Google.

I’ve used DuckDuckGo for years, too. Why do you go back to Google?

I have had DuckDuckGo for many years now but confess I still regularly go back to Google.

It might make you feel better Jane, but it won’t make a haporth of difference to Amazon.

I have absolutely nothing against Amazon drivers, they are the best of people who work under immense pressure,nif Bezos had any humanity he'd respect and reward them for the work they do.

I agree with you and all the others who enjoy or need to shop online, I've been conflicted about this for a long time because Amazon is so easy but Bezos has been given power to interfere in politics, power he able to buy from Trump because he became a billionaire by exploiting his workers. It isn't a choice between Amazon and going to the shops, I now use Amazon to find the items I want then search for them from the manufacturers or other retailers. I used Amazon subscribe and save as I need a range of supplements that would be hard to find in my local town but I discovered EBay has most of what I previously bought from Amazon. Trump's tech boys are a real danger to the world in so many ways as their power is immense, like others I want to cut off Facebook & WhatsApp but I need them to communicate with family and friends and although I'm using DuckDuckGo as my search engine I'm still tied to Google because of email and photos but at least they can't see my searches anymore. It's hard to break free but every bit we can take back is a little bit of personal resistance at a time when it's hard not to feel overwhelmed by helplessness in the face of what's happening in the US.

It's a bit difficult for me to boycott Amazon as my lovely brother who lives abroad always send me a generous amount of Amazon vouchers for birthday and Christmas every year.
I love them, and have just bought a new shower and a robot vacuum cleaner with my Christmas vouchers from him.
So it's a dilemma.
I'm not on any social media, apart from this one.

Amazon also deliver for other companies, such as The White Company. So despite your best intentions you may find your parcel dropped off by an Amazon driver.

I dislike Ebay but am very happy with Amazon. Can't imagine life without it.

I use ebay, have never used Amazon, and cannot see what it offers that ebay doesn't, other than higher prices.

I did think about the drivers but yesterday Bezos said he wanted all Amazon workers to be afraid because they work better than way and that was the final straw. If I order from other outlets and others do the same they will need more drivers and maybe they will actually care about their workers.

I do what I need to do to make my life easier.

If it wasn't for online shopping, I dread to think what a mess I'd be in.

I am also thinking of Duckduckgo too!

I was suspicious of that search engine because of the name, but all the names are rather silly anyway. Time to investigate.

Never been on Twitter but I do use Amazon (reluctantly) as I can't trek round shops now, do have a Kindle but only buy 99p or cheap books. I use a local bookshop too.
So many small retailers in the UK sell through Amazon that I'm not going to cancel but, as usual, will try to choose the British firms. If we stopped using Amazon some of these small outlets might suffer as their high street presence is not really enough to sustain a small business these days.