Monday 30 December 2013

Is Amazon taking over the world..

...of retailing? I find myself using Amazon more and more; partly because it's easy, and I don't have to brave the wind and the rain, and partly because the delivery is prompt, the service second to none, and sending things back (usually such a chore) so easy.

Ad yet....our high streets are emptying, the book shops are struggling, Amazon don't pay much tax (this is apparently complicated) and they are (again apparently) uncaring slave-drivers for those who work for them (I was shocked by the Panorama programme. Can it really be as bad as that?).

I admire those who stick to their principles and eschew the delights of all those next-day  brown paper parcels. I have at least one friend for whom the very name A***** is a dirty word (rivers being an exception). I have a dilemma.

I was discussing this possible monopoly with John, who said "ah. But you couldn't buy a leg of lamb from Amazon!"

Guess what? You can.

14 comments:

  1. We have only ourselves to blame for losing the local greengrocers, bakers etc and I'm as guilty as the next person.
    My son lives in Sweden and I'm sure he gets his food delivered from A*****, though I doubt if he gets legs of lamb!

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    1. L, I know we have ourselves to blame. The trouble is that guilt doesn't stop me from using them!

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  2. For a stay-at-home, almost recluse, person like myself, Amazon is a blessing. I don't have to go out of the house. I don't have to speak to a live person. It suits me to a "T"

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    1. I can understand, Jill. My disabled sister is a self-confessed "Amazon addict".

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  3. Principles are all very well but we don't seek out clothes not made in sweat shops or buy....the list is endless. We buy from Amazon because they are cheap and very, very convenient. We tut tut about their labour practices (well I would have done but I didn't know about them until just now) but it won't deter us because that would inconvenience us and hurt our pockets.

    We are hypocrites.

    However people living in remote areas like the Western Isles of Scotland (as I do) have an additional thing for which to thank Amazon: they deliver there! The number of times that I have tried to order something that can easily be sent through the post from companies that end up saying they do not sell to the Highlands and offshore islands is considerable. The big exception was a company from whom I bought a double mattress. They phoned immediately I placed the on-line order to say most apologetically (it did say on their website) that they couldn't guarantee next-day delivery to Scottish Islands and that it would be quite a few days. It wasn't. It arrived next day. A double mattress! I'd have had difficulty getting one delivered from a local shop that quickly (if I could have bought what I wanted, which I could not).

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    1. You said, it, GB. We're hypocrites. Another reason I love internet shopping is that I'm very indecisive, and can't handle assistants hovering to "help". This way, I can dither to my heart's content.

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  4. Two of my this year's Christmas presents were from A; wrapped-up including their own wrapping. Almost as if they were presents from A.

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    1. I generally draw the line at that, CM. I did wrap all my Christmas presents myself.

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  5. Shopping on line has advantages and disadvantages. I prefer to visit the shops, partly because I have the time and partly because I enjoy the whole experience, which always includes a stop for coffee. I'm quite happy that the high street seems less crowded. Most shops offer both services so everybody wins.

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    1. Not in Devizes, Maggie. Shops are closing almost monthly, and we're being left with just the "three Cs" (charity, cards and coffee).

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  6. I want to help preserve the little and local and varied. They make the world more interesting than do the multinational chains that appear nearly everywhere you travel. And we might need the local when oil prices rise and flying parcels around the globe becomes less economical. Jean

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    1. Jean, I quite agree. As GB says, I'm one of the hypocrites.

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  7. I like having options.....so we use Amazon but also use all the local shops.

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    1. Yes, Libby. I agree. Ideally a balance is good

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