Ethical Alternatives to Amazon
This Christmas, Let’s All Try To Shop Ethically
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat…
Well, if by “goose” we mean the wallets of people like Jeff Bezos, then it’s getting fatter than ever. And I, for one, am fed up with this.
Whatever your opinions on capitalism and the “free” market, it can’t be denied modern economies are structured to benefit the people at the top. Need proof? Since the beginning of the pandemic, when so many people have lost so much, the 10 richest people in the world have made over $400bn profit. That’s right. The global pandemic, where over five million people have died, has been one long profit boom for those in the right places.
So this Christmas, I implore you all to try and keep from giving any more money to the company that treats its workers like scum while its owner spends the pandemic building his own private spaceship.
This year, let's try to avoid using Amazon.
Online Alternatives
Independent Shops
Okay, so when it comes to ethical alternatives to Amazon, let’s start with the obvious one. If you can, try to do your shopping in actual stores. And, where possible, try and find independent ones.
I know this isn't always possible. There are hundreds of valid reasons why you might not be able to get out to the shops. And thanks to the 1980s, finding smaller, independent shops can be even harder. But if you can, please try. Maybe make a day of it. Support your local high streets.
Bookshop.org
Thinking of buying books this Christmas? Well, that's when Amazon really comes to mind, isn't it?
Obviously, supporting your local bookshop is the best choice. But if you truly have no choice other than to order online, why not use Bookshop.org. Essentially it does exactly the same as Amazon, but ethically. Yes, postage may cost a little extra, and delivery might not be quite as fast as you'll get with Prime, but you will be supporting local bookshops. Because Bookshop.org puts their profits into a fund they share with local bookshops across the country.
And… you can even support me! When you click the links in this post (which are affiliate links), a portion of your purchases will come to me. How about that for a Christmas gift to your favourite struggling writer?
Etsy
Amazon has a history of shitting on smaller, independent creators. So if you are looking for ethical alternatives to Amazon for this kind of gift, there are few places quite as good as Etsy.
Etsy is a platform for makers of handmade products all over the world. Everything from food to clothing to crafts can be found here. If it can be made by hand, someone will be selling it on Etsy. It can be hard to find something that fits exactly what you're looking for, but if you're willing to put in a little time - or have a specific item to search for - you should be able to find what you need.
There are some ethical concerns about Etsy. Exactly how ethical or sustainable the things on sale are will depend on the individual seller, so you will need to pay attention to who you are buying from. And be careful to limit your search to sellers in your country, unless you want to have to deal with rather excessive delivery times.
Wishlistr
This one was recommended to me by a friend, so I have no personal experience of it myself.
Wishlistr is an online gift list service. When you find something you want, you add not only the item but where you would like it purchased from. So if you’re concerned about finding ethical alternatives to Amazon but worry your friends and family aren’t, you can pick where you would like them to buy your gift for them. They don’t even have to think about it.
Find the original brand
You know who deserves your money more than Amazon? The people who actually made the product in the first place.
In most cases, there will be no real difference between the cost of an item on Amazon and the cost on the brand's website. The only difference when you buy on Amazon, Amazon takes a cut of the money.
So why not use Amazon to find the item you want and then search for their website to purchase it directly. In most cases, the cost will be the same.
Smile.Amazon
Sometimes you just have no choice. There will be times when you have no choice but to use Amazon for your Christmas Shopping. It might be Amazon has a deal you simply cannot afford to ignore, or it might be that a supplier only sells on Amazon, and so you have no choice.
What can you do when there are no possible ethical alternatives to Amazon? Why, use smile.Amazon.com, of course.
What is this? Well, it changes nothing about the Amazon experience. But for every purchase you make, a donation will be made to a charity of your choice. It's quick to register, and you pick from a list of charities.
You might have to still give money to Amazon, but you can at least do some good at the same time.
Search for yourself
These are, of course, just a tiny sample of the options available that allow us to avoid using Amazon.
Can't see any that help you on here? Then just search "Ethical alternatives to Amazon for [insert desired item here]" into your Search Engine, and see what comes up.
There are all sorts of websites out there. Wikaniko, Tropic, The Plastic Free Shop, to name just three. Yes, you may spend a little more for the same products. But if you actually take a moment to think about the damage that tiny saving causes, you have to ask yourself, is it really worth it?
Why you should care
Okay, I know what I'm going to hear from some people.
"Why should I bother. It's not like my buying from ethical alternatives to Amazon is going to make a difference in the bigger picture. All it means is I end up spending more money."
Why is Amazon so popular? Convenience and cost. But I ask you to take a minute to think about how and why it's so convenient and cheap.
I think it's best said by the famous scholar, Krusty the Clown:
Take a moment to read up on all the company's ethical black marks. Hell, the fact that there is a substantial article on Wikipedia devoted to the collected criticisms of Amazon says it all. From price control, to monopolising markets, to weaponising patents as competitive hindrances, their entire business model is corrupt.
And add to that how they treat their staff. Next time you decide to order something with Next Day Delivery, think about the workers forced to spend 12-hour shifts checking and scanning an item every 2 seconds, and where it takes up their entire allotted 15-minute break to walk to and from the toilet. Or the drivers forced to poop in bags in their vans because they don't have time for a single break throughout the day.
All this, remember, in a company that make £20 billion in 2020. They're not strapped for money. They just don't believe that their workers are human. And they know if they keep things cheap, the public won't care.
Okay, I've taken up enough of your time. I'll leave you now with a final plea. Take a moment to think about how you do your Christmas shopping. Convenience and making that slight saving it all well and good, but if you take a moment, it's all too easy to recognise how much damage we do by thoughtlessly supporting unethical businesses.
And I know we're not going to save the world all in one Christmas simply by using ethical alternatives to Amazon, or any other single corporation. And I know I support far too many evil monopolies in my life. But maybe just thinking about this one step might be enough to get us all thinking differently about how we use the world around us.
Merry Christmas.
