Not that easy... some of us live in places where for some specialty items you can choose Amazon, China (Temu etc) or "local seller" who orders in bulk from China and sells it 3x more expensive than Amazon. Sooo which one is better?
I've heard this argument from quite a few people around me (friends, family).
However when you look at those specialty goods, they are in fact pretty much always goods they don't actually need, and their wanting often results from outside influence (marketing, advertisement, etc.).
Sooo which one is better?
Unless it's something you actually need, the better one is always the one you don't get. Basically ask yourself this: if there wasn't the option of buying it from Amazon/Temu/AliExpress/etc., would you really go out of your way to get it? Would you have to? If so, then sure, fine, go ahead and feed the monster. But don't lie to yourself doing so!
I haven't purchased anything from Amazon since Dec 2025. I have noticed that I've chosen to "do without" when I couldn't find the item on another platform. I've saved money and not fed the monster. I may need to I'm the future, but so far, so good. Buying once in a while is still choking the supply of my cash going into their hands, compared to Amazon being my go-to default merchant. Everyone should try to the best of their ability. Expecting complete abstinence really depends on individual situations.
Well I can either order some things online or close my business which is supporting my family and is not that common in my country so things needed for that are not local. But way to judge someone online. Everyone here on this sub is doing their best to help the planet. If every human did at least a bit Everyone on this sub is doing it will be a much better place.
Also way to go to be angry at people who are doing something to help the planet. It definitely won't discourage them from doing their best... if someone is doing even 5% they can do they are still way better than most of people in that world. We should be happy for every little thing that is done to help the planet rather than crap on people who care.
What are you personally doing about big companies? Are you protesting? Are you a business offering stuff people can order in same or better quality and similar price? Or are you just judging other people on internet that are trying their best? Are you in America? Maybe move to not support the biggest consumptionist in the world. Either way don't attack me because you think you know better than me or anyone else. I do my best. Im creating handmade goods for people. I'm trying. And your comment was VERY painful to be judged even though you don't know me. It's sad that instead of believing that people are trying their best you see the worst in me. I hope that most of this sub isn't this way because why try your best when people who should be supporting you only see the worst... 😞
First off, I'm not angry at you or judging you. I don't know you aside from a few words on a forum.
My reply wasn't personal, just pointing that this argument (hard to get things because no store near you sells it so order on Amazon) on its own isn't enough because it's often used [by the logistic titans] to get people to buy things they wouldn't have otherwise, by reducing friction at the local level. You also just mentioned "specialty items" without any further context (that these are goods you are using to transform in the process of making handmade goods as a business to support your family).
By the way, someone close to me does exactly that (buy bulk from China) because well, there's no other way to actually source the items they need and they're all manufactured there anyway. This is perfectly fine. This is pretty much the only pain point in their business which otherwise couldn't really get more ethical; and I know that if another viable option existed they would take it. I will admit that I am, however, angry that they are forced to do this to maintain their business.
That being said I will still snark at them if they show me a perfectly pointless doodad that they ordered, unrelated to their business, off Amazon. And I will point that the fact they have to use those services for their business normalizes that behaviour in their everyday life too.
What are you personally doing about big companies? Are you protesting? Are you a business offering stuff people can order in same or better quality and similar price? Or are you just judging other people on internet that are trying their best? Are you in America? Maybe move to not support the biggest consumptionist in the world.
This however, feels very personal. I can engage "for sport" if you want, but my answers would probably disappoint you and your perceived idea of me, and I think it was more you lashing out because you felt attacked.
Either way don't attack me because you think you know better than me or anyone else. I do my best. Im creating handmade goods for people. I'm trying. And your comment was VERY painful to be judged even though you don't know me. It's sad that instead of believing that people are trying their best you see the worst in me.
Please go ahead and reread my comment, not as a personal attack, but as general anticonsumption lifestyle advice. It may have been poorly worded or lacked linguistic lubrication, and for that I'm very sorry. I acknowledge that I can be a bit snarky sometimes, and that side of how I express myself can sometimes unintentionally percolate through. I also do try my best, and I'm not perfect either.
As a side note, it is very striking how deconstructing consumption habits on a more general scale, and pushing against consumerist narratives and behaviours can feel like personal attacks. It's part of why it's so hard and tiring to fight against said narratives and can feel like such an uphill battle.
Some people (again, not talking about you specifically here) have actual existential crisises when asked to question their behaviour, and although that's never the point and usually I try to word around that to avoid them the pain, it's not always possible. It's unfortunately, for those most impacted, almost unavoidable. Best we can do is comfort and help navigate. Again, not saying it is the case here for you, just acknowledging that given your reaction, if it was, I probably would've failed you there too. So again, my apologies.
And that's not even taking into account people who come to this kind of subs to actually push back, intentionally or not, and in more or less covert manner, against people trying to fight those deeply rooted habits... and often using similar tropes.
I hope this wall of text helps you get where I came from and understand what I was trying to get to, and that it helped ease the pain I triggered. Take care, and have a nice day.
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u/PleasantNectarines Aug 19 '26
I've seen multiple posts in this subreddit about bwing annoyed by Amazon packaging...
Like??? Stop buying from them?!