We have all heard about how Amazon is horrible and how we should not use it. The impact of Amazon on the environment, the questionable workers’ rights and conditions and the economic impact of drowning out small businesses are well discussed elsewhere (which I would recommend researching). Here are some good articles to start with: 10 Reasong not to shop Amazon and Why I Refuse to Shop on Amazon (but there are so many more), However, I would like to focus on how to actually give up shopping at Amazon. Because while other articles are great at giving us information about the evils Amazon does, it does not provide people with practical advice on how to distance their shopping behaviours from it.
I have started thinking about this mostly during the first lockdown last year. I have tried to drown out the boredom, anxiety, , and mundanity of each day with mindless online shopping. After the first month of me trying to find any sort of excitement from the delivery man knocking at the door and me opening another package, I remembered that this is not the way. That is when I started to make conscious choices not to shop unnecessarily, and if I needed to, then not to shop at Amazon. I was also inspired by my friend who vowed not to shop at Amazon ever again.
The last purchase I have made on Amazon was for books for my dissertation, as they were the only place, I could find them. But apart from that, my last purchase on Amazon was placed in May:
These are the things that have helped me reduce my shopping on Amazon:
1. Reuse, repair, take care of the things you already have.
Before looking to buy a new thing altogether, try to repair, reuse, or primarily take care of what you already own. I think is especially true for things that have to do with the zero-waste movement. You don’t need fancy stainless-steel lunchboxes or bamboo cutlery. Use the jars from the pickles you bought at Lidl. If you are working outside of home, bring your normal cutlery with you. You don’t need to buy new products to start better habits.
Secondly, investigate options of repairing things that you already have. This can take time or skill but look around you for people who might be able to help you. Whenever any of my electronic devices breaks or is faulty, I ask my boyfriend for help. When my clothes need mending, I ask my mum and grandma for their help. In return, I offer baked goods, help in the garden or anything they might struggle with on their own. Through this exchange, we help each other out and stop another thing from going to the landfill.
And lastly, take care of the things you have in the first place. Buy the protective case for your laptop. Service your bike regularly. They will save you money and the decision of where to buy their replacement.
I know these things don’t directly relate to Amazon. But in my decision to not continue shop there, these principles have helped me to reduce my need to shop in the first place.
2. Second-hand shopping – Facebook marketplace and Gumtree
A great alternative to Amazon is buying things second hand directly from the people who own them. I have started checking local listings for things that I would be happy to buy second hand, like when I needed a new blender for example. I usually use Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree as they offer the option to directly connect with people without any bigger platform being involved. What tends to be convenient is that you might be able to find what you need locally so you can save on shipping costs too.
A great alternative available in Edinburgh is also the Facebook group The Meadows Share, where people give away things they no longer need for free. It is worth checking if you have a similar group in your area.
3. Small businesses
This is something that seems obvious, but I have found ways that have helped me to adopt this practice. Finding local businesses that I could really align my values with has helped me stay loyal and focused on supporting them. It also helps if you follow them on social media or visit their shop regularly, so that you don’t forget about their existence. I know that this sounds like an advertisement for an unnamed coffee shop, but these things have helped me enormously in staying engaged with small businesses. Plus, if you know the owner, or take the time to build up a personal relationship with the staff, the experience of shopping is elevated by another level!
4. Use other platforms that support small businesses – E-Bay or Etsy
If I can’t repair something or buy it in another way, I use other platforms that better support small businesses or sellers in a more direct way. Etsy, for example, almost exclusively hosts small business owners or makers. I know Etsy has a reputation of a hippie shop with strange DIYs, but it has so much more to offer.
While E-Bay works similarly to Amazon, it allows business owners to have a bit more control. Moreover, they have a useful tool of searching for products made in UK and being shipped from the UK.
5. Use amazon as a search engine for other shops.
Amazon can be a great tool for searching for small businesses and the product you need. The only way I use Amazon is as a search engine. Basically, like you would use Google to find anything else. The way to do this is to search for the exact thing you want, look what business is selling it, and then go to their website and purchase directly from them. This way, the small business gets all the profit and Amazon does not take a cut. I have used this method many times to find small British businesses. It works really well!
6. If there is no other place, buy it on Amazon.
Some things are impossible to find outside of Amazon. So buy them there. This guide is not meant to make you feel guilty about buying something you really need or cannot find elsewhere on Amazon. Maybe just don’t make Amazon your default option when shopping online.
To wrap up, giving up Amazon can seem a bit daunting. It feels like giving up Facebook, or YouTube. That is where you get all your social information or content, and it fells like you won’t be able to fill that gap left by it. But that feeling won’t last. There is so much to online shopping than Amazon. You will find unique businesses and products that you would never find on Amazon. You will support businesses that depend on your order. And once you start thinking about your shopping patterns and behaviours, it will become increasingly easier to shop outside of Amazon.
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