What exactly are you buying from them? Is it random crap that you don’t need (that’s me) or specific items for the house?
This is what I asked myself, too! LOL.
A bunch of it is groceries that were cheaper than at my grocery store. I don't need to do that, though, so that is easy enough for me to stop. My protein bars that I don't know where else to order (but I could look). I buy presents, but I can start getting those at my local Target.
But some of it is stuff that I don't know where else I would get. As one example, I wanted neon orange tights for a costume. And elf ears, lol. I don't know where I would have gotten those.
Maybe a good first step would be to stop ordering stuff that's cheaper on Amazon than locally -- because yes it's cheaper, and it comes at a great, great cost. OTOH, maybe this isn't something to do in "steps", but just to decide to cut the strings and be done. I guess I'll also be cancelling my Amazon credit card, although it also gets 5% back at Whole Foods which I like.
For orange tights and elf ears I am thinking places like Party City, Dollar Store, Michaels, JoAnne's, even Walgreens might have neon orange tights at Halloween. My issue is more out of season stuff.
I will add, for some reason, I never got on the buy everything online bandwagon. I'm not sure why. Until recently, we didn't have much disposable income. I thought the cheapest option was to go to the store myself and shop, even though H and I both work full time and have other time commitments. I buy a good amount of store brand products and I'm in a rewards club where I earn about $10 a month based on what we spend. So, maybe for me it wouldn't have been cheaper to buy a lot of basics from Amazon. It's an interesting perspective that going to stores in person is privileged. I don't disagree but it's a different mindset.
I live in Manhattan so all of the stores by me are much higher priced than anything online.
Good point. I've only been to NYC once and I was surprised to see so many Walgreens and CVS stores. If I had to depend on them for my basics (I only do in an absolute pinch), I would probably buy a lot online too. I have a Target and a large grocery store/super center type place (not Wal-mart) within a 15 minute drive from my house.
Poverty is a really good teacher. Or a budget category, lol.
I went from probably 50+ Amazon orders to zero. I will not own an Echo or other branded product (Fire stick, Kindle, etc). However, I had a shit ton of digital credit so a lot of my music is there and also Kindle ebooks and Audible.
I live in a large suburb of a major city. I coupon and shop sales and I'm pretty sure it's usually cheaper than Amazon.
A good way to slow your roll is to not auto sign in/save your cc info to the website so if you want to buy something you have to sign in and enter your credit card each time.
For environmental reasons, I have found inspiration in the zero waste movement, and my Amazon orders are minimal (though I was never a heavy Amazon user). My effort towards lower waste is reflected in our spending. I just pulled up mint from this year and last, and the difference is significant. For example, I've bought practically no new clothes for myself this year, and we've bought many things used. Obviously of course we are buying food and other essentials, but I do not feel deprived in the slightest.
I also weigh our trash each week. It's somewhat reverse engineered, but if you have the goal of making the trash number lower, it makes you think a hell of a lot harder about what you bring IN the door. So much of it we (and others) just don't need! For non-essentials, I think about all the resources that go into things, and that if I buy it, it will create a demand for another to be made. At that point, I usually don't want whatever it is any more.
I canceled Prime two or three months ago and honestly it hasn't been as difficult as I built it up in my head to be. I still order from Amazon, but I'm not making the middle of the night purchases that I used to. If there is something I "need" I leave it in my cart rather than pulling the trigger right away, if I actually need something in the future I will combine my items to get over the $25 minimum. I find myself going back and deleting the item more often than not. I figured I could pay for expedited shipping once a month and come out ahead.
I've shifted a lot of the things I buy to Target, they now have two day shipping (that doesn't require a membership fee) and I can return items in store if I change my mind.
If I stream music I just listen to Pandora. My son is probably the one who is missing out the most cause he likes the Super Wings episodes that were included with Prime, but I just bought him one season of ~50 episodes for $10.
The bottom line is I know I don't need a lot of the things I was ordering from Amazon and I certainly didn't need to have them shipped to me in separate orders so they get to me in two days.
This is me. I gave it up in September and haven't truly missed it. I have ordered since then but just did whatever shipping method was offered. I need to figure out Alexa but I am too lazy.
I order a lot of random crap from Amazon for sure but I've found that I buy a lot more random crap I don't actually need when I go to a store. Like, I'll go to Target for shoelaces and dish detergent and come home spending $75.
True story. I need to look more into this order online and pickup at Target thing mentioned up thread, because it's very not good for me to actually go into Target. It's shocking to me that this even exists... don't they know they've lost $100 every time I don't walk through the door?
I order a lot of random crap from Amazon for sure but I've found that I buy a lot more random crap I don't actually need when I go to a store. Like, I'll go to Target for shoelaces and dish detergent and come home spending $75.
True story. I need to look more into this order online and pickup at Target thing mentioned up thread, because it's very not good for me to actually go into Target. It's shocking to me that this even exists... don't they know they've lost $100 every time I don't walk through the door?
I just used the drive up for the first time last weekend and it was life changing. I ordered my grocery online and picked up. So easy. I want to do a better job budgeting next year and I think this will help tremendously. I only ordered exactly what I needed and didn’t make any impulse buys. Also, I could compare prices and make sure I got all of the circle coupons.
Post by SusanBAnthony on Nov 26, 2019 19:51:00 GMT -5
If you order store pickup from Target, obviously store employees are doing the packaging. That is likely a much better situation than an Amazon warehouse.
I just looked at my orders:
-novelty socks for xmas- could have bought at separate trip to local gift store with less selection
-belt for H- could have bought directly from company, pure laziness
-trumpet book and valve oil- this is where Amazon saves my ass. @@kid lost supplies, needed replacements ASAP, no time to run to local music store with 9-5 hours in the middle of the week
-gum- we need a specific kind that is $$$$ at the store if I can even find it. I could order from another website but I'm not convinced it would be any better. I also depend on subscribe and save here (@@@this is a special needs kid related thing)
-toothpaste not sold at Target, imported as it isn't available in the us. Not sure where else to get. I assume some other online store?
You get the idea....
Every time I think about increasing regular household purchases to take advantage of subscribe and save discounts, I fail. It isn't a particularly good deal for regular items. They excel at obscure, occasional things though! Obviously my takeaway is that o should put a little more effort into gifts when I am just being lazy.
Post by lolalolalola on Nov 26, 2019 20:00:15 GMT -5
I order from Amazon a lot. They built a new distribution centre near me a few years ago. I wonder if they have the same issues in Canada as they have in the US? Our labour laws seem much better.
We also don't have Target as an alternative. Walmart would be the closest competitor.
I use Amazon so much for work. It would be hard to give it up, but I should really think long and hard about it.
I mean, even since I posted the OP this AM, there was something I wanted to order. I just ordered it from Target instead. I should have done Target store pickup, I know. I'll get there. This was between a "need" and a "want" -- it was new headphones since the pair I wear nightly has been breaking all week and I"m a few days away from not having headphones. And a new lighting charging cable.
I use Amazon so much for work. It would be hard to give it up, but I should really think long and hard about it.
I mean, even since I posted the OP this AM, there was something I wanted to order. I just ordered it from Target instead. I should have done Target store pickup, I know. I'll get there. This was between a "need" and a "want" -- it was new headphones since the pair I wear nightly has been breaking all week and I"m a few days away from not having headphones. And a new lighting charging cable.
I was going to ask in this thread for people who buy lots of stuff online, what they’re buying.
It’s interesting to be me because buying headphones and a charging cable wouldn’t even register for me to look online to buy. My SO is super picky and he works with sound so he has custom made headphones that he got from a specialty store that he did order online, but for "regular" purchases it just rarely dawns on me to look online. But I live in a large city where I have access to thousands of stores, so I know it’s likely more difficult for people that live in rural communities.
But you’d think I’m a Boomer the way ordering stuff online just doesn’t occur to me!
I have pulled way back on Amazon purchases, too. A lot can be shifted to Target, but I agree it's the specialty, random things that are hard to find elsewhere.
I do still order some from Amazon, but I try to ask myself if it can't be purchased elsewhere, do I really need it? There is the environmental guilt with the production and shipping, and also the article about Chinese Uighur labor/interment camps really haunts me (not that Amazon goods are especially likely to be from labor camps but again, the kinds of things that I can only get from Amazon are often not "needs", so why take the risk?). It's so hard to know what the true costs of these items are.
I don't know, it's a work in progress and as I said, I do still buy from there. But I think it's worthy of being intentional about.
I order from Amazon a lot. They built a new distribution centre near me a few years ago. I wonder if they have the same issues in Canada as they have in the US? Our labour laws seem much better.
We also don't have Target as an alternative. Walmart would be the closest competitor.
I just worked on the construction of a new distribution centre in Ontario and I can tell you with certainty that from a facility construction and operations standpoint this centre is the exact same as those built in the US. There are no extra washrooms and no air conditioning (summer temps with humidity get brutal here).
I strongly dislike Amazon’s business model and I am a champion for local small businesses. I will only order from them if it is not available anywhere else. I also avoid big box stores like the plague since I don’t like them or their business model as well (they all have large distribution centres just the same).
I have the benefit of living in a decently large metropolitan area with access to everything that I need. I also have a job that forces me to drive all over town, and also gives me the flexibility to make my own schedule and stop in at stores as I need or want to. That being said, I try as much as I can to limit buying stuff. Due to my job, I have done a lot of study on anticipated climate change impacts locally as well as sustainability and waste product in construction. It’s depressing as hell.
I mean, even since I posted the OP this AM, there was something I wanted to order. I just ordered it from Target instead. I should have done Target store pickup, I know. I'll get there. This was between a "need" and a "want" -- it was new headphones since the pair I wear nightly has been breaking all week and I"m a few days away from not having headphones. And a new lighting charging cable.
I was going to ask in this thread for people who buy lots of stuff online, what they’re buying.
It’s interesting to be me because buying headphones and a charging cable wouldn’t even register for me to look online to buy. My SO is super picky and he works with sound so he has custom made headphones that he got from a specialty store that he did order online, but for "regular" purchases it just rarely dawns on me to look online. But I live in a large city where I have access to thousands of stores, so I know it’s likely more difficult for people that live in rural communities.
But you’d think I’m a Boomer the way ordering stuff online just doesn’t occur to me!
@@
For me, at least, some of the increase in Amazon ordering is kid-related. After work, I pick her up, go home, and then immediately do dinner/bath/bed. We almost never stop anywhere because our kid turns into a disaster if she doesn’t get her early bedtime (in bed between 6:30 and 7). So then if one of us has any other plans, the other can’t go out. So I figured out what we wanted to get her for Christmas. Very specific items. Are they carried at Target? IDK. In a local toy store? Maybe. But I just didn’t want to spend a weekend running all over town to find these specific items when I could spend it at the zoo with my kid.
I have definitely been trying to be more mindful of my purchases. I’ve also been trying to select no rush shipping because it’s not like I need Christmas presents to arrive in 2 days when it’s still November.
I've been kind of anti-Amazon for a while. I do order from their occasionally, but I'm not a Prime member and really try not to. Stuff I order is mostly gifts for other people (like from their registry), some clothes (cheap stuff bloggers recommend since I'm between sizes at the moment, but I'm trying to quit this. It's all cheap crap from China. As soon as my body is back to normal I will be done with this for sure), and the occasional really good deal (like something I've been shopping for and I see it on lightening deal or something).
I'm not impressed with Amazon customer service and I buy/return stuff a lot and I'd rather just return to a store. I probably average 10 orders a year or so.
I do think buying stuff like 1 bottle of shampoo on Amazon is so incredibly wasteful. I really try not to use Amazon for toiletries or food. That's what grocery stores are for.
I used to be an avid Amazon user but have found I have only made a handful of orders this year. Their pricing in Canada really isnt that much cheaper than in stores anymore - and more recently I am finding its actually more expensive. It also takes so long to sift through the fake China made counterfeit items are and find the actual product. I much prefer shopping and supporting local businesses.
I was going to ask in this thread for people who buy lots of stuff online, what they’re buying.
It’s interesting to be me because buying headphones and a charging cable wouldn’t even register for me to look online to buy. My SO is super picky and he works with sound so he has custom made headphones that he got from a specialty store that he did order online, but for "regular" purchases it just rarely dawns on me to look online. But I live in a large city where I have access to thousands of stores, so I know it’s likely more difficult for people that live in rural communities.
But you’d think I’m a Boomer the way ordering stuff online just doesn’t occur to me!
@@
For me, at least, some of the increase in Amazon ordering is kid-related. After work, I pick her up, go home, and then immediately do dinner/bath/bed. We almost never stop anywhere because our kid turns into a disaster if she doesn’t get her early bedtime (in bed between 6:30 and 7). So then if one of us has any other plans, the other can’t go out. So I figured out what we wanted to get her for Christmas. Very specific items. Are they carried at Target? IDK. In a local toy store? Maybe. But I just didn’t want to spend a weekend running all over town to find these specific items when I could spend it at the zoo with my kid.
I have definitely been trying to be more mindful of my purchases. I’ve also been trying to select no rush shipping because it’s not like I need Christmas presents to arrive in 2 days when it’s still November.
@@@
Right. This is true for me also. I think what needs to happen is that weekly when I hit the grocery store, I also hit Target for whatever needs have come up during the week. Because our weeknights are like yours, even with a 7 and 9 year old. E.g., last night I picked a kid from afterschool, took him to therapy, we got home about 6:15, then did dinner, a little playtime, and bed. Mine still go to bed very early. In reality, I know I'm not going to go back out to the store at 8 after they're in bed.
I had forgotten about this, but FYI, Amazon has a link where you can create a report of all of your orders over various time periods. It may be helpful for folks who are wanting to see what all they've been ordering as you try to change your buying behavior. (Even though it says b2b, it's not just for businesses. I just used this link to create and view a report of all my 2019 purchases.)
I’m an avid reader and use Amazon a ton for e-books. I always check my library first and borrow from there if possible but I still placed around 75 digital orders for my Kindle. (I’m mostly reading smutty romance, don’t be impressed )
We a couple of subscribe and save things but otherwise aren’t too terrible with ordering random things. I prefer to not use their 2 day shipping when possible to get the digital credits (see also smutty romance addiction).
I love the idea of not saving credit card info in the account.
I use Kindle Unlimited and I’m okay with that. I have no plans to give up Amazon entirely. I have ordered less from amazon in the last year or so. Mostly because their prices aren’t as competitive as they used to be.
I was going to ask in this thread for people who buy lots of stuff online, what they’re buying.
It’s interesting to be me because buying headphones and a charging cable wouldn’t even register for me to look online to buy. My SO is super picky and he works with sound so he has custom made headphones that he got from a specialty store that he did order online, but for "regular" purchases it just rarely dawns on me to look online. But I live in a large city where I have access to thousands of stores, so I know it’s likely more difficult for people that live in rural communities.
But you’d think I’m a Boomer the way ordering stuff online just doesn’t occur to me!
In the winter particularly, we pretty much only shop online. People don't stay home when they're clearly sick and I can't afford to have my household infected. I spend $4.99 to have someone else do the grocery shopping for a drive-up order and just about everything else gets shipped to my house.
Ahh got it. That makes sense if you have special circumstances or someone immunocompromised. I take public transportation plus my job is being around sick people on a daily basis, so it’s something that personally doesn’t phase me in regards to being around sick people. In the winter I still go out to museums, concerts, events, etc. But thankfully I have the privilege of having a healthy immune system!
Post by phunluvin82 on Nov 27, 2019 10:51:30 GMT -5
I don't do a lot of online shopping in general. Living in a city, street level with no yard/porch/fence probably has a bit to do with it. A package left unattended at my house, or in my neighborhood in general, will be gone within 5-10 minutes almost every time.
Most of my other order are e-books for my kindle. Not an issue for warehouse workers, but is still supporting Amazon in general. Not sure how I feel about that.
Possibly the hardest Amazon thing for me to quit though would be Marvelous Mrs. Maisel! Maybe after the next season, I'll cancel Prime. We have Hulu and Netflix, so it's probably overkill anyhow.
Post by Velar Fricative on Nov 27, 2019 12:52:18 GMT -5
I gave up Prime over a year ago. I had just stopped using it like I used to because 1) the search interface is the worst, 2) the reviews are useless, 3) the prices are no longer the best as there is better competition out there, and I've grown to enjoy retail shopping again, 4) there's nothing I've been looking for recently at all that Amazon has and other companies don't, and 5) it reminds me of eBay now, which has been a shitshow for ages. I do not trust most things I find on Amazon.
BUT, like any large company these days, Amazon has infiltrated all parts of life that my lack of Prime and Amazon usage is something they will not give a shit about, even if others do the same. After all, I still read WaPo and occasionally step foot into a Whole Foods.
And I'm also not going to sit here and say that Target, etc. are so much better companies than Amazon either (though Costco can take all my money if they want). Every big company has its problems. But Amazon opened a huge warehouse nearby and they are clamping down on their publicized attempts to organize into a union because conditions are so terrible there (I know a few people who have worked there...all briefly). So I do want to stick it to them as much as possible.
I mean, even since I posted the OP this AM, there was something I wanted to order. I just ordered it from Target instead. I should have done Target store pickup, I know. I'll get there. This was between a "need" and a "want" -- it was new headphones since the pair I wear nightly has been breaking all week and I"m a few days away from not having headphones. And a new lighting charging cable.
I was going to ask in this thread for people who buy lots of stuff online, what they’re buying.
It’s interesting to be me because buying headphones and a charging cable wouldn’t even register for me to look online to buy. My SO is super picky and he works with sound so he has custom made headphones that he got from a specialty store that he did order online, but for "regular" purchases it just rarely dawns on me to look online. But I live in a large city where I have access to thousands of stores, so I know it’s likely more difficult for people that live in rural communities.
But you’d think I’m a Boomer the way ordering stuff online just doesn’t occur to me!
I have to say, headphones is one of the things I can only buy online because earbuds hurt my ears but I need portable headphones so those giant ones won’t work and now stores only carry those two options and none of the old ones.
The past year, I have really been trying to purchase more locally from the brick and mortar stores in my small city. However, I am finding that what I want to buy is now no longer available. Other than the grocery store, the last 6 or so shopping expeditions I have made for things like toiletries, socks, small electronics, small appliances and shoes I have utterly struck out. Added to this is that I am disabled and actually going into a B&M store is more difficult for me, so the idea of trying 3-4 stores to find what I am looking for, in quantities I want to buy just is not going to happen. So Amazon is my default. If my choice is paying $94 plus shipping for a new pair of shoes from REI (needing to order online because the store did not have my size) or paying $55 from Amazon with free shipping, it seems like a no brainer. When I go to restock my toiletries and Target only has 2 small bottles stocked of the unscented body wash I use, and I am looking to buy 8 big bottles, why bother going to Target?
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are stores downsizing their stock because of Amazon, or is their choice to downsize stock driving people to Amazon? Stores downsizing their stock happened long before Amazon got so popular. I remember over 12 years ago looking for a dress to wear to a wedding. I lived in a small city with a population of about 300K, and I could not find a single dress for the wedding. Over the following weeks, I wound up ordering 27 dresses from online retailers, returning 26 to find what I needed.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are stores downsizing their stock because of Amazon, or is their choice to downsize stock driving people to Amazon? Stores downsizing their stock happened long before Amazon got so popular. I remember over 12 years ago looking for a dress to wear to a wedding. I lived in a small city with a population of about 300K, and I could not find a single dress for the wedding. Over the following weeks, I wound up ordering 27 dresses from online retailers, returning 26 to find what I needed.
I think some of it is expectation. There were many times when I was growing up that I didn't find exactly what I wanted in my small town shops. And I just dealt. I either didn't get anything or I bought what was available (usually at Boscov's).
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are stores downsizing their stock because of Amazon, or is their choice to downsize stock driving people to Amazon? Stores downsizing their stock happened long before Amazon got so popular. I remember over 12 years ago looking for a dress to wear to a wedding. I lived in a small city with a population of about 300K, and I could not find a single dress for the wedding. Over the following weeks, I wound up ordering 27 dresses from online retailers, returning 26 to find what I needed.
I think some of it is expectation. There were many times when I was growing up that I didn't find exactly what I wanted in my small town shops. And I just dealt. I either didn't get anything or I bought what was available (usually at Boscov's).
I think this is a good point. Online shopping has definitely let people know what their options are. I didn't have that growing up.
And yet, last night I did a search at Amazon for some Bluetooth earbuds and I agree it's become so difficult to separate the good stuff from the likely crap. Their search options are crap, and they insert so much "Sponsored" product on every page.
All of that said, I'm actually not convinced that Amazon is worse than the other huge big box stores in general. I just wish it were easier to identify the actual gems in terms of worker treatment, business practices, environmental care, etc.
I don’t think in person stores ever had super great stock. I remember many times as a kid going on a hunt with my mom for whatever item that she needed. We went to over 20 JoAnn stores so she could find more material for curtains. She never did find them. That kind of thing can be solved online. I am not going to hunt for an item at 5 stores or spend all weekend doing errands, but we are definitely going back to the physical store first and then online for hard to find items.
@@ We are just emerging from the young kids no time to shop after work. Kids are 9 and 7 as well, but we are at the point where we can leave the oldest home alone for 20 minutes. Lots of activities but no more meltdowns over food or bedtime. So we are definitely returning to more brick and motor stores.