How to avoid buying stuff online from Amazon - a list of alternative retailers

[editor]

Here's a handy guide from the Guardian. I've tried to buy stuff from other sources, but sometimes long delivery times for much-needed items means that I end up using Amazon.

Wilko have good prices but I've been waiting 9 days for something I ordered off them.

How to avoid Amazon: the definitive guide to online shopping – without the retail titan

Amazon is now making up to £8,800 a second, while concerns persist about its tax affairs, treatment of staff and effect on small retailers. Here’s how to buy everything from technology to beauty to books without it

www.theguardian.com

 

[Humberto]

I get the feeling they could give you several hundred pounds worth of products for free and still make a profit whilst impoverishing everyone and still give most of it to some cunt called Bezos

 

[Petcha]

It's worth noting Amazon is far from the only business Jeff Bezos owns. Whole Foods a notable one that a lot of people earnestly boycotting Amazon probably have no problem with.

 

[editor]

It's worth noting Amazon is far from the only business Jeff Bezos owns. Whole Foods a notable one that a lot of people earnestly boycotting Amazon probably have no problem with.

I've never been in, or bought a single item from Whole Foods.

 

[Petcha]

I've never been in, or bought a single item from Whole Foods.

Me neither. But it mightly pissed off my other half who hates Amazon with a passion and regularly gives me shit for using them but does shop at Whole Foods.

Also worth noting they've set up a scheme during this crisis where you can choose the charity of your choice and they'll give (a very small percentage) of your payment to it. Gratingly called Amazon Smile.

 

[Petcha]

It would also be interesting to know if the Guardian had actually researched the working practices and supply chains of some of the larger companies on their list there. I'm not Curry's would cover themselves in glory.

 

[ddraig]

Here's a handy guide from the Guardian. I've tried to buy stuff from other sources, but sometimes long delivery times can for much-needed items means that I end up using Amazon.

Wilko have good prices but I've been waiting 9 days for something I ordered off them.

How to avoid Amazon: the definitive guide to online shopping – without the retail titan

Amazon is now making up to £8,800 a second, while concerns persist about its tax affairs, treatment of staff and effect on small retailers. Here’s how to buy everything from technology to beauty to books without it

www.theguardian.com

Don't Wilko use prison labour?

 

[Wilf]

Don't Wilko use prison labour?

Yep.

 

[editor]

Don't Wilko use prison labour?

I didn't know that but looked it up and can only find links for 2004. Are they still at it?

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Me neither. But it mightly pissed off my other half who hates Amazon with a passion and regularly gives me shit for using them but does shop at Whole Foods.

Also worth noting they've set up a scheme during this crisis where you can choose the charity of your choice and they'll give (a very small percentage) of your payment to it. Gratingly called Amazon Smile.

Amazon Smile has been around for aaaages. Pre-pandemic.

 

[BristolEcho]

Don't Wilko use prison labour?

And there is the problem with boycotting. Most of the companies are utter shites.

 

[Maggot]

And there is the problem with boycotting. Most of the companies are utter shites.

That's your conclusion, because one company is rumoured to have dodgy practices? There are a number of ethical companies in the article.
Even if they're not all saints, it's good to try to reduce Amazon's market dominance.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Wilko are also on the C19 shitlist. Which is annoying, as the local one is quite handy for household items.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oh, and this thread has some pretty good suggestions

 

[BristolEcho]

That's your conclusion, because one company is rumoured to have dodgy practices? There are a number of ethical companies in the article.
Even if they're not all saints, it's good to try to reduce Amazon's market dominance.

It's not just one company though is it? I'm not against reducing use of Amazon it was through my own research of Amazon alternatives that I realised how futile it is overall. That's not to say not to do it, but it highlights wider problems with supply chains that will never be resolved by ineffective boycotting.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

The main thing I used amazon for was specialist books. I now order them on the Waterstones website for collection at my local bookstore. I do this both to boycott Amazon and keep a high street store open. I’m under no illusions about Waterstones - which itself drove many independent book shops out of business and doesn’t have a great workers rights record - but I do see it as a lessor evil to the Bezos empire. I also see value in maintaining sites of human visibility and contact, even if it’s just for commercial transactions. A world of more workers hidden away in giant amazon warehouses is a grimmer one imo.

 

[Lord Camomile]

The main thing I used amazon for was specialist books. I now order them on the Waterstones website for collection at my local bookstore. I do this both to boycott Amazon and keep a high street store open. I’m under no illusions about Waterstones - which itself drove many independent book shops out of business and doesn’t have a great workers rights record - but I do see it as a lessor evil to the Bezos empire. I also see value in maintaining sites of human visibility and contact, even if it’s just for commercial transactions. A world of more workers hidden away in giant amazon warehouses is a grimmer one imo.

Might be worth looking at Hive - you can have books sent to your local independent bookshop or have them delivered to you door. I think either way your 'nominated' bookshop gets a share of the money.

 

[MickiQ]

I bought my washing machine off AO.com (which is not only not Amazon it is not even American), they not only delivered it, they installed it (including moving the unit door from the old one to the new one), taking away the old one and the packaging with them.
The downside is that at the moment they only do deliveries and not installations, when they start doing that again I will get a dishwasher off them.
If you do go to Amazon, check out whether it is off them or a third party supplier and google the supplier, many of go through Amazon Marketplace for the convenience but you can contact a lot direct.

 

[kebabking]

I've never used Amazon - as much because I find it pretty clunky compared to eBay as because they are a bunch of cunts - can someone show me what service amazon provide that I can't get from eBay or doing a quick Google search and going straight to a retailer or manufacturer? coz I'm puzzled by this assumption that Amazon is somehow indespensible to modern life....

My local bookshop - Wyre Forest Books if you're interested interested.... Is doing both delivery from stock and from the suppliers, and very quick they too.

Some of the outdoor clothing and equipment manufacturers are doing a scheme where you order direct from them, put in a code and your local outdoor shop (Outdoor Depot in Church Stretton, fantastic service..) gets a slice.

So how is it I can order books, electronics, food, white goods, and all the other stuff without using Amazon?

 

[Marty1]

My gf still orders shit off Amazon, she recently needed a wireless headset for work - but she wants to watch some TV series and she wants it on physical media (Blu-ray), so rather than order from Amazon she’s going to wait until HMV reopens as they could do with the support.

She’s not boycotting Amazon outright but now reviewing whether she can get something elsewhere instead if it’s not something that is essential during this lockdown and taking it further when things go back to normal.

 

[MickiQ]

My gf still orders shit off Amazon, she recently needed a wireless headset for work - but she wants to watch some TV series and she wants it on physical media (Blu-ray), so rather than order from Amazon she’s going to wait until HMV reopens as they could do with the support.

She’s not boycotting Amazon outright but now reviewing whether she can get something elsewhere instead if it’s not something that is essential during this lockdown and taking it further when things go back to normal.

Do you not get a staff discount?

 

[xes]

I've only ever used Amazon once. It really is quite easy to not use them.

 

[Marty1]

Do you not get a staff discount?

No.

But technically I don’t work for Amazon, I’m classed as ‘self employed’ and get work off the driver agency I’m with who have a contract with Amazon for delivery routes.

All a big scam really to negate paying holiday pay or giving drivers any rights. We’re just a disposable workforce.

 

[equationgirl]

No.

But technically I don’t work for Amazon, I’m classed as ‘self employed’ and get work off the driver agency I’m with who have a contract with Amazon for delivery routes.

All a big scam really to negate paying holiday pay or giving drivers any rights. We’re just a disposable workforce.

Shouldn't the agency should be paying you holiday pay?

 

[Flavour]

I get the feeling they could give you several hundred pounds worth of products for free and still make a profit whilst impoverishing everyone and still give most of it to some cunt called Bezos

They can and do give away hundreds if not thousands of pounds worth of products every year to members of their secret in-club, "amazon vine", which you get invited to join if you write a shitload of reviews on there. i know cos my mum's in it.

personally i only ever buy from amazon if there's literally nowhere else that has the item in stock. i made a grand total of one purchase from them in 2019 for a card game, one in 2018 for a PC component, and none so far in 2020. i use ebay for almost everything

 

[Flavour]

Shouldn't the agency should be paying you holiday pay?

Seen the film "Sorry we missed you?" Marty1 is basically that.

 

[strung out]

Me neither. But it mightly pissed off my other half who hates Amazon with a passion and regularly gives me shit for using them but does shop at Whole Foods.

Also worth noting they've set up a scheme during this crisis where you can choose the charity of your choice and they'll give (a very small percentage) of your payment to it. Gratingly called Amazon Smile.

Amazon Smile has been going for quite a while, not just during the pandemic crisis. I get them to donate money to Bristol Refugee Rights.

 

[Spymaster]

Shouldn't the agency should be paying you holiday pay?

No. He'll be self employed and a contractor to the agency.

 

[Lord Camomile]

i use ebay for almost everything

As mentioned elsewhere, I basically moved most of my purchasing habits to eBay, which I'm not sure is much better, to be honest! Marginally so, I guess.

Do also try to use companies like Hive, though.

 

[existentialist]

Shouldn't the agency should be paying you holiday pay?

THey have this shit sewn up very tight. These "workers" are usually, legally, "self-employed contractors" or similar, and the contracts are very careful not to even imply any kind of employer/employee relationship. IR35 regulations are quite a good way to see where the (fuzzy) lines get drawn...