this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2025
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submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

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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[–] [email protected] 8 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 3 points 15 hours 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...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 20 hours 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.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours 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.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 15 hours 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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day 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.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago

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

[–] [email protected] 110 points 2 days ago (3 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 days ago

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

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 6 points 20 hours ago

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

How does Temu compare to Crapazon?

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 day 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!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 22 hours 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.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The only reason you need - it's a monopoly. Fuck its all.

And I also hate with passion that 5 years ago you'd need AWS in your CV.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 22 hours ago

People also use it a ton in Europe where they do not have a monopoly.

Heck even in the US they don't have a monopoly come to think about it, Aliexpress is selling the same crap

[–] [email protected] 1 points 22 hours ago

Also, AWS is so much more expensive than going with your own server.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 2 days ago (1 children)

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.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Thanks to my country here is no amazon

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

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

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I have yet to see a single item have a significant discount on prime day, it's not even a sale.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (7 children)

~~Owned by Amazon, FYI.~~

Turns out I'm full of shit.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 22 hours ago

Not owned by Amazon, but there's a big but.

Their source of income is from Amazon affiliates link. Whenever you follow the price of a product, if you click on the links on their websites or in their emails, they will earn a commission from Amazon.

Amazon recently started vetting their affiliates more. I'm 100% sure that camelcamelcamel now shows data in a way that doesn't hurt Amazon (e.g. they won't show sudden drops in prices, i.e. pricing mistakes) or even themselves (commissions are a percentage of the price paid by the user).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What's the source for this? Can't seem to find details about this online.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

Oops I was wrong.. My bad. Not sure where I got that from.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I can't seem to find evidence of that. All I see is they're Amazon affiliates, which pretty much anybody can be.

Do you have a source?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Looks like I was wrong! Consider it a human hallucination.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Fair enough. Honestly it was probably a safe bet too considering how much they have their hands in.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Prices mysteriously go up about a week before prime day sales, then drop to a few dollars below normal, scream “39% off” and you feel like you beat the system.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 22 hours ago

Not the stores don't use this trick during sales... This is probably the only thing Amazon has in common with everyoen else...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Prices mysteriously go up about a week before prime day sales, then drop to a few dollars below normal, scream “39% off” and you feel like you beat the system.

Gladly this practice is illegal in Finland at lest. Here companies having sales have to show the lowest price of that product within the last 30 days just for this very reason.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 2 days ago (3 children)

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

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

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

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