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submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by Pro@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world

Amazon’s now-legendary “Prime Day” is July 8-11. Much like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, this means sales on lots of items on Amazon’s vast marketplace, and as such many people flock to the giant’s website to get sweet deals on everything from computers to small kitchen appliances and more. While many of us are feeling the financial crunch more than ever, I urge you, dear reader, to resist the allure. I don’t typically have strong opinions about where people chose to shop or how they decide to spend their heard-earned money, but in this post I hope to lay out a convincing case for why Amazon is full-stop evil, no caveats, and is undeserving of your money on a moral and ethical level no matter what your values are. Amazon needs to be stopped, and legislation will not do so. Only its loyal consumers – who keep the beast alive – can do that by taking their money elsewhere. No matter your political or personal beliefs, I'm certain Amazon violates them in one way or another, and you should vote with your dollar by buying from other places whenever possible. Here’s why.

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[-] IHeartBadCode@fedia.io 116 points 6 days ago

Amazon makes the majority of its money from AWS. Literally using the Internet makes them buckets of money.

People can boycott it all they want. I just don't use them, but none of that really hurts Amazon in the end.

If people want to actually hurt Amazon they need to call on the Government to break up AWS, Ma Bell style.

[-] AlecSadler 24 points 6 days ago

Hell, I guarantee there are Lemmy instances running on AWS.

[-] Xulai@mander.xyz 24 points 5 days ago

Amazon is already dead to us. Just like Tesla, Target, Starbucks, and Meta.

They will never be purchased from, or supported in any way- ever again.

[-] toddestan@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

I avoid buying from Amazon as much as possible, but good luck doing anything online and avoiding AWS.

[-] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 days ago

good luck doing anything online and avoiding AWS.

Don't let perfect stand in the way of good.

It's not possible in most cases to even know if a given online resource is using AWS behind the scenes, so it's not something you can really control.

On the other hand, if you happen to be a web developer, that is a different story, but for normal users it's not something you can do much about.

[-] Xulai@mander.xyz 1 points 4 days ago

Yeah, not a choice any of us who work in tech can make. But the small choices we CAN make do add up significantly.

[-] traceur301 31 points 6 days ago

ITT: "I agree they're systematically fucking us over (and don't get me started on their horrible politics!) but will continue to enable them because it's convenient and saves me a few bucks" this defense doesn't make you look reasonable it makes you look like a clown

The thing is, it doesn't save money to shop there, either. 90% of what you see is Amazon Marketplace, where you're just paying people to dropship you trash from Aliexpress

[-] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 55 points 6 days ago

I try to use local stores or other websites, and only use Amazon if I can't find what I need there. But at least half the time I end up having to use Amazon because I can't find what I need.

It's probably a kind of vicious cycle: as Amazon eats further into profits of other companies they are more limited in what they can offer.

[-] Quik@infosec.pub 3 points 6 days ago

Know the struggle, just keep trying local stores or other sites first, maybe we can be a small part of change for the better ;)

[-] Geodad@lemmy.world 30 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Amazon is a parasite. That's all the reason I need.

[-] Vinstaal0@feddit.nl 8 points 5 days ago

I only use Amazon/Aliexpress/Temu etc if I don't have a choice. Things that are so god damn specific that the normal retailers I have access to in Europe don't have it. Specific cables or things for modding that are in gray area so retailers here don't want to sell it etc.

But I hate everything surrounding Amazon

[-] vorpuni@jlai.lu 6 points 5 days ago

AliExpress at least lets you buy close to the source of a lot of goods that you won't find made elsewhere than China. Some stuff I find there exists from European makers, latest example, trim clips for cars: you can buy Restagraf but you need to live near a car body shop supplier that will be willing to sell you a few clips without insane markups.

[-] Rolive@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 4 days ago

I hope aliexpress is better. I buy a lot of stuff from there like electronics components which aren't really sold locally anymore. Also tools and arduino related things...

[-] Brotha_Jaufrey@lemmy.world 29 points 6 days ago

I’ve gone 3 years without ordering a single thing from amazon. I never intend to give them anymore money.

[-] mitrosus@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 6 days ago

Thanks to my country here is no amazon

[-] AusatKeyboardPremi@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Which country, if you don’t mind telling?

Alternatively, is that a decision made by your country’s people/government? Or did Amazon just not want to operate there?

Very inspiring, if it is the former.

[-] mitrosus@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 5 days ago

I think former. It is really because we don't have much dollar reserve. Central bank is very conservative in dollar export. International transaction is Virtually nil for public.

[-] Broken@lemmy.ml 13 points 6 days ago

I dont agree with every point made, but agree with the overall sentinent. My problem is that the same thing can be said about other retailers, especially the brick and mortar ones. Walmart, Target, Home Depot, ...whoever. They've all done it, and continue to do it.

Small business? Yeah, those essentially don't exist in this context.

I have always said, ecommerce isn't killing brick and mortar retail. They are killing themselves. Why? Because I've never felt like a valued customer at any of the retailers out there. I've been absolutely shit on by all the big retailers out there. And that's not even getting into their policies, politics, and other behind the scenes stuff that I do care about, but it doesn't directly impact my shopping experience.

So then I can buy something online, from a wide selection, with competitive prices, have it delivered to my door quickly, and if there's any issues have zero problem with returns? That works for me.

Now in modern times I can argue that they don't always have great customer service, don't always have great pricing (for what you get), and its not all sunshine and roses. But I don't see a viable alternative.

Find me another retailer online or brick and mortar that can supply me well and treat me well and I'll go. But small business cant compete. And big retailers when they had all the money and power they didn't do that so now that they are the underdogs why would they do it? So it's just not happening.

[-] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago

I've never felt like a valued customer

I only have once, and it's made all the other ones seem so much worse by comparison.

Thank you Ace Hardware. You fucking ruined me.

[-] athairmor@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

ACE is more like a franchise than other retailers. Most are locally-owned. Some are employee-owned.

[-] grue@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

That's because Ace Hardware is franchised. It's essentially a bunch of small businesses that use the same branding.

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[-] Fredthefishlord 2 points 6 days ago

Strictly, over consumption is the enemy. Less so where you buy, but the rampant rush to the bottom in price and quality is what the issue is. I shop where I get the best quality, rather than the best price

[-] 3dcadmin@lemmy.relayeasy.com 8 points 6 days ago

Not a fan of Amazon in any way shape or form, but for some purchases here in the UK they are simply miles ahead of other firms. Latest purchase by me, though not paid for by me is 2 x batteries for my wifes mobility scooter. 20% cheaper than anywhere else, took 1 week to arrive (not bad, not the best) but was so easy to order without all the hassle other solutions involve. We have a prime account still as there is some streaming stuff we also like to watch. Still (just) more pros than cons

[-] jaupsinluggies@feddit.uk 4 points 6 days ago

True. I ordered a book from them last week; it arrived in 2 days. Everywhere else, including Waterstones, was "oh we might be able to get it out the door sometime next year, if we can be arsed" so Amazon got the order.

[-] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 5 points 5 days ago

Shut up! If you don't use Amazon how will the rich people go to space?

[-] Almacca@aussie.zone 7 points 5 days ago

I don't mind them going into space. It's the coming back I have a problem with.

[-] PTSDwarrior@lemmy.ml 4 points 5 days ago

How does Temu compare to Crapazon?

[-] HereIAm@lemmy.world 20 points 5 days ago

If you love the Chinese low quality drop shipped items on Amazon, and wish that was the only thing they stocked, then Temu is great!

[-] Scrollone@feddit.it 4 points 5 days ago

It's worse than Amazon. It's just cheap crap that will break in two weeks without any of the quality products that Amazon sometimes has.

[-] Penny7@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 days ago

I have never bought anything from Amazon and I don't plan on it. I do understand that sometimes it's the only place to find something that a person might NEED though - and at a price they can afford, so I don't hate on the people on tight budgets that can't find an item anywhere else. (It's like when people buy stuff from Walmart, Target, etc. sometimes it's the only place where you can get necessities.) However, if you can afford to get it somewhere else then do it...or if you can only find it on Amazon maybe reassess if you ACTUALLY need it.

[-] qyron@sopuli.xyz 5 points 6 days ago

Amazon basically solved this problem for me: they locked me out.

[-] griff@lemmings.world 4 points 6 days ago

Defund Bezzzos!!!

[-] NotProLemmy@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 days ago

Enshittification.

[-] romantired@shibanu.app 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It's time to admit that any of the commentators here would dream of being at the helm of Amazon, but simply aren't talented enough to build such an empire.

[-] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 14 points 6 days ago

I accepted a position at Amazon as a finance director for one of their many divisions, and it was hands down the most toxic work environment I have ever experienced-- and I've worked in public accounting for other a decade, so that's saying something.

I resigned within a couple weeks and found myself a much better job elsewhere.

[-] Vreyan31@reddthat.com 6 points 6 days ago

This matches every account I've heard from friends in Seattle that have worked for the HQ.

[-] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Precisely where I was.

I was the third finance director for that division in two years, which is a terrible sign.

When interviewing, always ask about those who last filled the position and for how long.

[-] romantired@shibanu.app 1 points 6 days ago

Not your business, so you're getting annoyed, which means the problem is with you...

[-] voytrekk@sopuli.xyz 11 points 5 days ago

If a company's culture causes a high turnover rate, that is a company problem.

[-] Blemgo@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

I'd argue most people just aren't parasitic enough to willingly exploit both their sellers, workers and customers in the scale of how Amazon did and still does.

[-] very_well_lost@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Projection is a hell of a drug, dude...

[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 6 days ago

if you ever been a manager, admin or even a developer, you wouldnt be saying that. they are worked to being burnt out comparatively to other tech companies.

this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2025
396 points (100.0% liked)

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