I too have quit amazon as well as other big box stores. I find I don't spend as much on impulse buys. I live in a small town, so what I can't buy locally is limited, but always check out the local farmer's market.
For anyone who has taken this bold move, go you. For anyone who wants to dive deeper into the psychology and research behind Amazon's buy now button, watch Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy and yes I know I'm telling you to go to another big tech company's web but let's tackle this one big tech company at a time.
I try very hard not to hit that instant buy button on any site. I will put things in a cart and leave them there. I'll go back days, sometimes a week or more later and review what's in the cart. IE: the Cart had 5 items in it. I do the, do I need or want examination. I bought 1 of the items. I removed 3 others and put the last item in a maybe later list. I am disabled and online shopping had been a lifeline for me. However, I can spend my money anywhere I choose 😁. In the last 5 months I have developed a relationship with my locally owned stores. I can either call and tell them what I need and they will fill my order and bring to my vehicle or I can drive up to my local fresh veggies stand and they will pick out my goods and bring to my car. Where there is a will, there's a way!! P.S. my savings acct is really looking much better! Oh, I live alone... with my dog!
I quit Amazon in January - including Prime, Kindle and Audible - initially as part of a no buy year and then as a boycott. My rage at the billionaires simping for Dumpypants helped my transition immensely, as did my resolve to stop buying stuff I don’t need. I had watched “Buy Now” on Netflix, another service I quit this year, and it points out how our addiction to convenience is killing the planet. Amazon has done something to the search algorithms- either by paid SEO, by sheer volume of product/content in their sites or something more nefarious, so that when you search to buy online, the only options are Amazon, Walmart, Target or Uline. All billionaire corporations that have backed this regime or capitulated to their demands. So now I spend a lot less because shopping is effortful. I spend money in my small town with small businesses. And I have a few online alternatives that I like for when I can’t get something I need (Grove.co and Thrivemarket.com). I have also had to buy off Amazon twice - after hours of driving and looking online and couldn’t find what I needed anywhere (one item was $40 on Amazon but locally it was $245 which swayed my purchase). And once I ordered from the TikTok shop and it came wrapped in Amazon packaging. But I would love for us all to break our addiction to convenience. And see Amazon become a million dollar company instead of a billion dollar force of evil.
I bought my grand niece an entire panoply of Elsa stuff and since I’m also not shopping at Target this kind of stuff is hard to find. But that’s it. Since January. Pretty good considering that I used to get everything thru Amazon. I do pay for video and kindle unlimited subscriptions. Baby steps.
Whenever I think about walking away from Amazon, a little wing of… panic??… starts fluttering in my chest. What?! I will have to actually walk or drive to CVS or Walgreens or Safeway to buy toilet paper/tissues/paper towels/toiletries? My mind glitches at the idea. I admire your fortitude and support your smugness. And would appreciate your tips about weaning myself from Amazon. Thank you for your honest, helpful and funny post!
Your posts are so funny and smart! A spoonful of (humor) sugar makes the medicine go down! Megan can attest to the fact that I don’t really shop anyway, but even no shopping JuJu is hostage to the ease of “one click” “no shipping” lures!
I too have quit amazon as well as other big box stores. I find I don't spend as much on impulse buys. I live in a small town, so what I can't buy locally is limited, but always check out the local farmer's market.
I’m off Amazon for 4 months now. I miss the convenience, but nothing else about them. I appreciate not putting money in Bezos’s pocket most of all.
Yep! But maybe not everything has to be so convenient :)
For anyone who has taken this bold move, go you. For anyone who wants to dive deeper into the psychology and research behind Amazon's buy now button, watch Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy and yes I know I'm telling you to go to another big tech company's web but let's tackle this one big tech company at a time.
This has been my experience too.
I may spend a little more for items that I actually use but it more than offsets what I was buying in curated impulse static.
I do sometimes use amazon to research products but I haven’t bought anything from bezos since January.
I have used Amazon to research as well! But when you're logged out of the platform (one tip I have for using it less) it's much harder to read reviews
I try very hard not to hit that instant buy button on any site. I will put things in a cart and leave them there. I'll go back days, sometimes a week or more later and review what's in the cart. IE: the Cart had 5 items in it. I do the, do I need or want examination. I bought 1 of the items. I removed 3 others and put the last item in a maybe later list. I am disabled and online shopping had been a lifeline for me. However, I can spend my money anywhere I choose 😁. In the last 5 months I have developed a relationship with my locally owned stores. I can either call and tell them what I need and they will fill my order and bring to my vehicle or I can drive up to my local fresh veggies stand and they will pick out my goods and bring to my car. Where there is a will, there's a way!! P.S. my savings acct is really looking much better! Oh, I live alone... with my dog!
I quit Amazon in January - including Prime, Kindle and Audible - initially as part of a no buy year and then as a boycott. My rage at the billionaires simping for Dumpypants helped my transition immensely, as did my resolve to stop buying stuff I don’t need. I had watched “Buy Now” on Netflix, another service I quit this year, and it points out how our addiction to convenience is killing the planet. Amazon has done something to the search algorithms- either by paid SEO, by sheer volume of product/content in their sites or something more nefarious, so that when you search to buy online, the only options are Amazon, Walmart, Target or Uline. All billionaire corporations that have backed this regime or capitulated to their demands. So now I spend a lot less because shopping is effortful. I spend money in my small town with small businesses. And I have a few online alternatives that I like for when I can’t get something I need (Grove.co and Thrivemarket.com). I have also had to buy off Amazon twice - after hours of driving and looking online and couldn’t find what I needed anywhere (one item was $40 on Amazon but locally it was $245 which swayed my purchase). And once I ordered from the TikTok shop and it came wrapped in Amazon packaging. But I would love for us all to break our addiction to convenience. And see Amazon become a million dollar company instead of a billion dollar force of evil.
"our addiction to convenience is killing the planet." perfectly put.
Right there with ya! It's been eye opening. Thanks for sharing this.
What made you quit?
I, too, have quit Amazon, and I, too, have borrowed my mom's Prime account to watch a show (The Better Sister!).
so proud of us! Should I watch the better sister?
I think so? I'm fully invested!
Same! So good & proudly
smug!
I bought my grand niece an entire panoply of Elsa stuff and since I’m also not shopping at Target this kind of stuff is hard to find. But that’s it. Since January. Pretty good considering that I used to get everything thru Amazon. I do pay for video and kindle unlimited subscriptions. Baby steps.
Whenever I think about walking away from Amazon, a little wing of… panic??… starts fluttering in my chest. What?! I will have to actually walk or drive to CVS or Walgreens or Safeway to buy toilet paper/tissues/paper towels/toiletries? My mind glitches at the idea. I admire your fortitude and support your smugness. And would appreciate your tips about weaning myself from Amazon. Thank you for your honest, helpful and funny post!
Completely understand the panic! I have some ideas for quelling.. coming soon
Great work. I have made only two Amazon purchases since January and they were gifts for others. (Darn wish lists)
This is a total win!
Yes! Meeeee toooo
Woohoo!!
You deserve to be smug! I quit Amazon and then went back a month later. Reinspired to try again!
You can do it! I'm curious.. what was the product that brought you back, if you don't mind sharing?
Just don’t do it! 🤪
Your posts are so funny and smart! A spoonful of (humor) sugar makes the medicine go down! Megan can attest to the fact that I don’t really shop anyway, but even no shopping JuJu is hostage to the ease of “one click” “no shipping” lures!
Thank you juj!!