Amazon is another tech-bully. Amazon uses Wall Street speculation money to move into a market, wreck what was there, then move on to the next market. Amazon has single handedly all but destroyed book publishing, pushing more and more authors to self-publish through Amazon for pennies. The treatment of Amazon workers is something out of a Charles Dickens' novel. The quality of the products are iffy--many things are sold by third parties and Amazon allows anyone to sell anything. Back when Sears was the company one mail-ordered from, they tested everything to high standards. But so long as Amazon gets a cut, what does it care? Amazon's owner bought the Washington Post, influential in the media, which means one should not expect the media to point much of this out.
The thing is, very often Amazon does not even have the best prices, or Amazon's prices can be matched elsewhere. The internet was supposed to mean, if anything, the removal of middlemen. Why should one buy something made by company X from Amazon when company X has a website as well? How does that make sense?
Well, after half a year of refusing to buy from Amazon I discovered that not only are there alternatives to Amazon, but often with the same or even better prices and frequently with free shipping. So why does everyone buy from Amazon? Because it is easy. Just go to one site and start clicking. But think of all the sacrifices people have made to build this country, and people support Amazon with their business because they are too lazy to spend a few extra minutes looking around for another vendor.
Just quit. Cold turkey. It can be done. While you are at it, if you have made reviews of Amazon purchases in the past, go and remove them. Why should your labor in writing a review benefit such a creepy company?
More recently Amazon pulled cloud service from a messaging application named Parler. I never used Parler, and did not even know it existed before this. The reason Amazon gave was that said application was used to incite violence. Looking into it, there were no encouragements to violence, but rather ordinary political speech. In an era when pornography and ISIS videos are protected under the 1st amendment, is it odd that the speech that is gone after is precisely the speech that the 1st amendment actually intended to protect?
Shutting down the speech of others to prevent potential violence is a strange accusation from Amazon, when, as of a quick check mid-Janurary 2021, the Amazon website will happily sell you:
So Amazon has a mighty strange set of priorities on how to prevent violence. Through Amazon one can learn how to murder with a knife (and, ever so conveniently, buy a knife for that purpose--and with free shipping too!), break and enter domiciles siltently, build bombs, and make zip guns. And buy a couple of ideological books that played a part in the violent deaths of millions last century just to spice things up. But allowing the other side to have free political speech? Have to draw the line somewhere!
If a person does not like what someone else has to say, then reply with a better argument. But by accusing the other side of inciting violence one can then happily burn books with the best of them. One can imagine Captain Beaty from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: "Must burn the book Montag, someone said it might incite violence. We all know that, really, the accuser simply did not like what the book had to say. But, we should be safe, shouldn't we? So burn the book. Oh, and cut off the cloud service that hosted copies of the writings too, Montag."
Below are links to alternates to Amazon, all but a few have been used by the author. Also, do not forget eBay--there are lots of things for sale there under "buy it now" if one just needs something right away and is not interested in auctions. And how about looking around town first? Might be surprised what is still available not far from where you live in brick and mortar stores staffed by people in your own community.
Alibris New and used books
Barnes and Noble is still around
Christian Book Protestant and some Catholic books and religious goods
Critic's Choice Video A lot of classic movies and TV shows, and music too
8th Day Books Mainly philosophy and religion (esp. Catholic and Orthodox)
Purple House Press
Thrift Books
New and used books American Khakis
Quality men’s pants Bill's Khakis
Quality men’s pants Made In USA Forever
This site carries clothes and shoes for men and women, among many other things Round House Jeans
Tough jeans and jackets Texas Jeans
Tough jeans SAS Shoes
Long wearing shoes, made in San Antonio A place that resoles SAS shoes
Vermont Country Store
This site carries clothes for men and women B&H Photo
TVs, Cameras, stereos, etc. Crutchfield
Audio and consumer entertainment Dell
Dell computers, factory direct. Have had good luck with refurbished business class PCs and laptops. MPJA
Cheap cables (USB, HDMI, etc.)
Clothing and shoes
Consumer Electronics
Black and Decker Factory direct small appliances
Chef's Choice Factory direct knife sharpeners, waffle irons, hot water kettles, etc.
King Arthur Baking All things baking, from flour to pans
Kitchen Aid Factory direct stand mixers, and other small appliances
Lehamns Country / farm style cooking tools and non-electric appliances
Lodge Cast Iron Factory direct iron cookware
Pleasant Hill Grain Food dryers, canners, vacuum sealers, small appliances, etc.
Presto Factory direct air fryers, coffee percolators, grills, etc.
Rada Factory direct made-in-USA kitchen knives
VitaMix Factory Direct Blenders
Vermont Country Store Some kitchen related items
Appliance Parts Pros Repair parts for appliances
Garrett Wade Quality tools
Harry Epstein Lots of tools, many closeout American made tool
Highland Woodowrking
Lee-Valley Classic woodworking tools
Lehmans Some Amish-type tools
McMaster-Carr Industrial supplies and parts
Rockler Woodworking, cabinet hardware, etc.
Tooltopia Mechanic’s tools
Wilde Tools Factory direct pliers, punches, etc. Made in USA
WL Lenk Factory direct soldering irons, etc. Made in USA
Woodcraft Woodworking
Performance Bike Parts and accessories for bikes
Title Boxing Punching bags and other boxing training supplies
Boxed.com Bulk staples. Food, cleaning supplies, etc.
King Arthur All things baking, from the flour they mill to pans and books on how to bake
Nuts.com Snacks, nuts, etc.
Pleasant Hill Some bulk items
Apogee Rockets All things model rockets. How could watching YouTube videos compare to building and then launching model rockets? For kids it combines science, hand-craft, and excitment. Kits and supplies for all skill levels.
Blick An exhaustive assortment of art supplies.
Green Toys Plastic toys made of recycled materials, made in USA.
Home Science Science supplies and kits.
Mega Hobby Model airplane kits, model trains, etc.
Miniature Market Board games, role playing games, etc.
Mouser Why not try electronics as a hobby, either making things or repairing them? This place has just about everything, and after placing dozens of orders with them, they have yet to get a single thing wrong. They will sell you a single resistor, if that is all you need. A wonderful resource after Radio Shack closed up retail operations. If you need vintage parts (like vacuum tubes) try this source
Tandy Leather Supplies for leather craft.
TimMee USA The old made-in-USA army men.
Burpees Seeds and other garden supply
Gurneys Seeds and other garden supply
Lehmans Some Amish-style gardening tools
Hay Needle Indoor and outdoor furinture
MadeInUSAForever Flatware, dinnerware, etc.
My Pillow - towels, bedding, and pillows
Vermont Country Store Curtains, sheets, etc.
Quill General office supplies
Typewriters.com Put in a piece of paper. Press a key. The letter appears on the paper. It does not argue with you, try to "fix" anything, or try to force you to use margins you do not like. Is it possible? Yes, it is called a typewriter. Some do not even require electricity, not even batteries. Surely a wonder of the age. My favorite manual is a Hermes Rocket ($4 from a thrift store), and I have a Smith Corona electric ($10 from an estate sale) as well. The Smith Corona has a word-erase feature and will beep if it thinks spelling is wrong. Supper handy things to have. Can even use them to fill out paper forms, and address envelopes. If you need two copies of what you type, use carbon paper. Typewriters make an author think about what they are writing, and keep things from becoming overwrought. If you want to make someone's day, type a personal leter and mail it to them.
Campor Tents, sleeping bags, trail food, stoves, etc.
Knife Depot Pocket and belt knives
Water Bottles Pocket and belt knives
Three Rivers Archery Traditional long bows and recurve bows. Get out side and shoot some arrows.
What does it say about our society when the richest man in the world became rich off of people buying stuff in the laziest way possible?
Is it not odd that as manufacturing went off shore at slave-labor prices, in countries with no environmental constraints, the net savings of consumers here did not go up. How do lower prices equate to a lack of net savings? Because more stuff is bought, and what is bought does not tend to last.
People returning from the mailbox, or the store, seem to think of themselves as a hunter, victorious and bringing home the meal so the family will survive. No, often they are squandering their earnings for a cheap thrill in the present.
It is odd as well that in an age when protecting the environment is all the rage, the only aspect of that considered is usually the amount of energy something uses, at the point of use. What of the energy and resources used to make something, and the pollution that entails? How much fuel oil is burned to get it across the Pacific Ocean, and how much diesel fuel to then get it to your house. Is going through multiple distribution centers and then everything delivered in a box efficient? And how long do these things last? Quality goods, manufactured as close to home as possible, is surely the best for the environment. As it is, we have the worst possible system, but sanctify it by tossing a stack of Amazon boxes into the recycle bin.
So do you really need it, and if so what will last the longest? Can it be bought used? Is it something that can be repaired? In the past few years, I have personally repaired a microwave oven, a DVD player, several radios, two mechanical clocks, a computer tablet, an electric drill, a belt sander, a dish washer, a clothes dryer, a back-pack, etc. Looking for a hobby? Learn how to fix things.
A draw of Amazon Prime is getting the loot delivered in two days. What is that doing? Teaching people to be impatient? “I want it now!” Is that what toddlers say? Are we turning into children?
The other day I got a paper catalog from a publisher. There was a book that I thought would be really good to read, that I had been thinking about getting for a while. So, I pulled out the typewriter, filled out the order slip, wrote a check, and mailed it in. Some places still do that. I will get the book, but not in a few days. It was liberating. Try it sometime.