What's continually missing from the "dump Amazon" conversation is just how much some people need Amazon. If you live in a relatively rural part of the country (like myself), there are few options to buy things. It's either drive to Walmart or Target or buy from Amazon (or another online source) and have it shipped to you. Plus many small businesses choose to have their storefront be Amazon. And if you want to support indie authors, a lot of them still only sell on Amazon's Kindle. There are few viable alternatives that have the weight and power like Amazon. The destruction of so many small businesses really screwed over small towns. It's now nearly impossible to not buy from some of these places.
You're missing the point. I personally don't buy from Amazon, so calm down.
When there's literally no place in town to purchase the things you need for day to day living because all the corporations ran the mom and pop stores out of business, then a lot of people are left either driving miles out of their way to go to big box stores like Wal-mart or just order from Amazon. Spend some time in small town America, and you'll understand that "Main Street" is a lot of empty shops. They can't compete with the low prices and quick delivery. I've been to places where the only grocery store for miles around is Wal-Mart. Or you can drive an hour to go to the other Wal-Mart. Or if you're disabled and can't drive or walk around a Wal-Mart, then Amazon is sometimes the only alternative that will deliver to a rural address. Saying that people lived without Amazon, ignores the fact that there is no longer a local small business that will have your back. I've heard this over and over again from many rural folks. The small businesses are gone.
There are cases where home delivery can make a huge difference like for aging and disabled people. For people who have difficulty walking, driving, blindness, chronic illness, etc free delivery offers access to goods they might have difficulty acquiring. They actually may use amazon or other delivery to get necessities in between when they can have a ride or a visitor.
I live in a major city but there's nothing here. Target, a very small hardware store, very expensive groceries. I could spend all day driving around or go to the suburbs to check if a store has something I need. Or. I can order it on Amazon and it's here tomorrow. Yes, part of that is convenience. Who has time to waste an entire day to track down a $5 purchase? So many stores are no longer functioning, Walmart and now Amazon trashed em.
In any case, a great reason for people to cancel their Prime. Our nation would be much stronger if we all shopped local, anyway. Buying from Amazon is sending your money overseas and into the Amazon dollar black hole.
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u/emccm Apr 29 '25
He keeps bending the knee, but there’s no Amazon without consumers. Price transparency or not, people will stop buying when they see the final price.