I'll start - I don't shop a lot, but if I had to buy stuff like hardware parts, I do use Amazon sometimes, but if I can, then I try to use Flipkart. Realizing how it has turned into a monopoly, I try to look for alternative websites, and check if they're trustworthy.
If I remember correctly, the last three items I've bought online were hardware parts from some local websites. The chi-fi IEMs were bought through headphonezone.in, and they were super-fast in delivery - I had to wait for only four days.
I'm avoiding Amazon for many years now. To be fair I usually just... Don't buy things?
But when I have to, I try to go local shop first, second hand websites/markets, other websites and eventually Amazon, I guess? It never came to this.
I have spent 10/20% more than the price on Amazon though.
Last but not least, for niece stuff I have used Amazon as a sort of catalogue to find out what exists and then look for things further by other means.
I've been boycotting Amazon (UK) for a few years now. It's not easy! Sometimes it doesn't take much longer to source items, but other times it takes way longer. I have limits though, and occasionally I end up caving-in and just using Amazon, but it's getting rarer all the time. Now I use them once or twice per year. I tried using onbuy for a while, but we got a couple of faulty items from them and their support completely ignored me, so I stopped using them. Generally, here are some of my most common alternatives:
general stuff and gifts: Argos, ebay, etsy
tech: overclockers, ebuyer, scan.co.uk
electronics: John Lewis, AO, Richer Sounds
books/dvds: hive.co.uk, Waterstones, WH Smith
pharma: boots, simpleonlinepharmacy, well
household: Robert Dyas, Dunelm, John Lewis
pets: zooplus
spare parts: buyspares.co.ukAnd for a wishlist alternative I use wishlist.com. (edited to fix formatting)
Yes. It's the only big tech that I use by choice. It's too damn convinient, and it makese feel guilty that I'm so reliant on it.
I have successfully almost completely cut Amazon shopping out. We would spend hundred of £s every month and would buy everything off Amazon. But the company is terrible (mistreating workers, avoiding tax, etc etc). They've allowed their site to get flooded with (low quality) trash. Reviews are unreliable. Prices are comparable or more expensive to elsewhere. I do still buy from there once in a while for quick delivery and easy returns.
Alternatives:
eBay - sucks for product reviews, but is good if you know what you're getting (e.g. something branded). Delivery is through the post rather than mistreated delivery drivers needing to piss in bottles. I managed to help a hospice by buying excess stock it had via eBay. Also I'm starting to get everything I can secondhand. Makes shopping cheaper and it's better for the environment.
HotUKDeals - a sales sharing website that links through to other small retailers with good bargains. I find stuff here frequently and always search this site first when I want something.
Overall I'm buying a lot less stuff and I'm really happy with that.
We ditched Prime a few months back after they pulled the adverts fuckery with Video. It wasn’t a terribly difficult decision, what with buying less and less from Amazon over the past couple of years.
What it has highlighted though, is how effectively Amazon has fucked our high streets. You want boot laces? Then your options are one chain store or online somewhere and that’s it. Which I guess has made me more mindful of what I’m buying.
Don't use it at all. If I need something I get it from the store
Local. It builds community and helps keep everyone fed and housed
I have never ordered something from Amazon. It was introduced in my country a few years back, but it isn't really that good of a site (at least the few times I have visited it).
Like many here, I do not want to support a monopolistic company like Amazon. Luckily I live in a country where I have better options. I tend to buy things from plenty of well rated sites. Environmentally conscious sites if I can.
I could see myself buying from them if there genuinely isn't another option and it is something I really need, but that has yet to happen.
Not for about 3 years now.
I took a stand against their horrible practices and frequently pay more for goods I could find there cheaper, plus arrive faster.
I really hate to admit it, but I do use amazon quite a bit. It's not "like me" to use a company or service I despise, despite the truth of "no ethical consumption under capitalism," some businesses are just so evil that I feel it is wrong to support them in any way, even at the cost of convenience.
Here's the situation though. I rely on foodstamp benefits to be able to afford food. Amazon allows me to buy food in bulk online with my ebt card. I also have a disability that makes it prohibitively difficult to go to the grocery store as often as I would need to, and bulk buying online also stretches the benefits I get much further than regular grocery visits. Walmart and Target also now allow ebt cards for online food shopping, but they didn't used to, and they are evil as well!
I rationalize using amazon by telling myself that since mostly the only thing I get from them is food via ebt card, then it's really just money going straight from my state government to amazon, and my state government (just like most others) gives amazon free money anyway, so I may as well get something out of their capitalist sweetheart deal too.
Unfortunately the deliveries to the various pickup boxes is critical. I’ve tried looking into general delivery to a post office or to look at specific (eg Home Depot) pickup options with no success.
I avoid it basically wherever possible, but sometimes people give me Amazon giftcards.
I don't buy a huge amount of stuff off the internet, transacting in person is often more convenient. Imo Banggood, Aliexpress, dhgate, taobao, etc. are often some of the best alternatives, because a lot of Amazon is just selling that same stuff, but for more money.
Not sure what "a lot" means but there's some animal veterinary stuff that we buy every 6 weeks or so because... well... shit's expensive and not always easy to find locally. It winds up being either Amazon or Chewie that has the stuff in stock and at prices (even with shipping) that are manageable with our budget.
amazon sent my friend a bottle of animal medicine, which was clearly already opened, with the liquid clearly refilled with a mystery fluid, and filled all the way to the cap.
Most of the stuff is in sealed and tamper evident containers, so at the very least, we'd know something was up before trying to use anything.
I normally try to find a niche site in my country specialising in the thing I'm trying to buy (like OP said in the last paragraph)
I use bookshop.org for books, some of the profits go to Indy bookshops.
Otherwise I use Amazon like a search provider, find the item I like then go straight to retailer or manufacturers website.
