Boycotting Amazon

The whole tax system needs simplifying and that would go a long way towards closing loopholes. It is so complicated the Revenue and Customs don't even understand it, especially since they got rid of their most senior people as a cost cutting exercise. Btw did you know that their London offices were sold to a company and then rented back on the basis that this would save money. I don't know if it was an economical move but the company in question is incorporated offshore and pays no tax in the UK.

You couldn't make it up...

Thing is, a boycott would not have to last long. A massive short sharp shock, with Christmas sales seriously down, would deliver a strong message. Totally disagree that it is not worthwhile because of sales in other countries. The UK market is huge for them- and I am sure they would take notice.

Which does not mean that we need to put pressure for those loopholes to be closed.

How about boycotting all the British companies that avoid corporation tax by having their HQs in Dublin, the channel islands and other low tax areas?

need to get National WI to start campaigning on this... all GN /WI members should write to Ruth Bond and ask that this be considered for a main resolution for the coming year!

https://www.facebook.com/TRAPTheRealArtofProtest

This link has some interesting stuff too!

Amazon will have paid all the tax that they need to pay.

Who here will contact the Inland Revenue and say 'You've taken the tax I owe - now here's a cheque for some more...'?

Well... who?

They have paid zero taxes in the UK - so how can they have paid the tax they owe? How many of us, either as individuals or via our business, get away with paying zero tax on multi-billion profits. How can you even begin to try and condone this?

Just received an e-mail from Amazon giving me a £10 voucher. I used the opportunity to tell them I will not be using it, and the reasons why. If more people did this, I am sure they will take notice.

I'm afraid if I were earning a vast amount of money and paying lots of tax and my accountant informed me there was a legal way to reduce that amount, I'd do it.

Therefore the way forward seems to be to close the loophole.

Of course, and better than that- write to them to say you have not ordered, and why. Of course the loophole has to be closed by the Government- but we also can make ourselves heard.

Must say it truly annoys me, that people complain on Forums, say it is wrong- and then say 'oh but I couldn't do without'- even for a short while to make a strong point/impact.

How many of us would really 'suffer' from not using Amazon until the New Year? None.

I'm sorry, granjura, but a handful of Gransnetters withholding their orders isn't going to affect or sway Amazon one jot. If it's a matter of principle for you, fair enough, but I don't think they will care!

They took advantage of an opportunity that would benefit them, who wouldn't? They have done nothing illegal.

Nothing illegal - something immoral. Of course a few Gransnetter won't make much difference - but if a significant proportion of UK tax payers did, it would.

Can't see that happening somehow.

Amazon is a lifeline for me. We live miles away from any shops and trips to Peterborough or Cambridge would cost a lot in petrol. Christmas shopping has to be done online and all the DGCs can update their wish lists which helps me to choose the right gifts.

We reap what we sow, sadly.
Must say I am so disappointed with this apathy and lack of being able to take a bit of inconvenience to make a necessary point. I live right out in the sticks, and abroad too. But I can order from Argos and the Gift Company, and sidestep Amazon. Hardly going to kill us, is it! Over and out.

I think you've got a bit of a cheek granjura. You don't know me or my circumstances. I have subscribed to Amazon Prime so I'm not going to waste that and I also have a Kindle. I will shop where I like

And do Argos and the Gift Company pay more tax than they are legally obliged to pay? I doubt it. And if their accountants found a way for them to pay less, though still within the law, would they not choose to pay less?

It is the government's responsibility to make effective tax laws and companies' responsibility to maximise their profits for their shareholders. Company managements actually must do this by law. They would be acting illegally otherwise.

If we think tax laws are wrong, our democratic duty is to apply pressure on politicians to reform tax laws.

By the way, I won't be buying xmas presents from Amazon this year, but I never did anyhow, so no change there.

merlotgran, my comment was not personal- but a general comment re the many people here who say not paying tax is fine and dandy, and that a boycott serves no purpose. I disagree- you do as you like, of course.

I am heartened to see the response to my initial post but sad to see that there is relatively little support, and even less recognition of the fact that we, as consumers, have enormous power. We all managed without Amazon not so very long ago and as others have pointed out, there are alternatives. I have decided to buy from my local independent book seller, rather than Amazon. I have a Kindle (which is not without problems) but managed for most of my life without one and can do so again.

Of course it is up to government to close the loopholes, but we can ramp up the pressure by letting Amazon AND our MPs know just how angry we are. No, a few Gransnet boycotters will not do the trick, but just do a search on "Amazon boycott" and you will see that there is a feeling that such a mass movement could apply the necessary pressure for change.

My mother used to say that you have to hit them where it hurts - i.e. in the wallet. She was right. A mass boycott, which is gaining ground, would, I'm certain, make the powers that be sit up and take notice.

I agree with Granjura here.
It is not okay for companies to be immoral or for people to encourage it.
For all those of you who have a Kindle, you can google Calibreto convert EPUB to a Kindle friendly version, which is opensource, and download the software.
This is from the Guardian today.
Haven't done it myself as although I have a Kindle, it was bought for Ken for his 65th birthday last year as he was having difficulty reading and holding a book.
It has all the 20 books we bought for him to read, and all I have done so far is recharge it when needed. Can't bring myself to use it yet.
Of course you could say that Google is as bad as Amazon and make excuses that way. That's all they are.
I get fed up of Google telling me I can download Google Chrome because it's so much better than anything else. It really messes up my computer. Whenever my computer is running slowly I check and sure enough, I have managed to download Chrome without being aware. I get rid of it and the computer is okay again!

Agree about Google Chrome, Jen!

Bags, it's nothing to do with legal. It's the morality of it.
All these companies that say they only make their profits in the Cayman or Virgin Islands must have one coffeeshop per person out there. Have holidaymakers there noticed the enormous warehouses built by Amazon?
Did you know that there are companies that store stuff in this country, ship it to the US and reimport it to avoid VAT?
Perfectly legal but immoral.

Read Tax Research UK to find out about the above.