Amazon

Use this board for general non-cycling-related chat, or to introduce yourself to the forum.
Psamathe
Posts: 17616
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Amazon

Post by Psamathe »

carpetcleaner wrote:
pete75 wrote:
carpetcleaner wrote:I can't understand why Amazon is so popular. One of the great advantages of online shopping is the ability to get the best price for what you want, and in my experience that price is rarely offered by Amazon.



carpetcleaner wrote:I wonder just how much these Remainers really care about low paid workers and workers rights, and if they are simply worried about their own living costs rising as cheap labour becomes harder for employers to find.


Seems to me it's you who's very keen to get the lowest prices.

The flaw in your argument is that Brexiters on average have lower incomes than remainers. If prices do go up as a result it's they who will suffer the most.


I don't pay more for something if I can find it cheaper elsewhere without too much effort. Do you?

Why people shop with Amazon, pay more, and help to support its well publicised employment practices is a mystery to me. No wonder Mr Bezos is so rich.

Amazon is often cheaper than other sources/

Ian
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Amazon

Post by Oldjohnw »

My main gripe is still the smart doorbells which they have given to the police to install at private houses. Sinister.
John
PH
Posts: 13099
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Amazon

Post by PH »

carpetcleaner wrote:I don't pay more for something if I can find it cheaper elsewhere without too much effort. Do you?

I often do, price isn't the only determining factor.
Psamathe
Posts: 17616
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Amazon

Post by Psamathe »

Oldjohnw wrote:My main gripe is still the smart doorbells which they have given to the police to install at private houses. Sinister.

I thought (maybe incorrectly) that those doorbells require those purchasing them to agree to the data/video from them to be passed to the Police. But maybe if you're given one by the Police there is an additional requirement that they get your data - at which point it would become little more than a Police provided surveillance device.

Ian
pete75
Posts: 16356
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Amazon

Post by pete75 »

carpetcleaner wrote:
pete75 wrote:
carpetcleaner wrote:I can't understand why Amazon is so popular. One of the great advantages of online shopping is the ability to get the best price for what you want, and in my experience that price is rarely offered by Amazon.



carpetcleaner wrote:I wonder just how much these Remainers really care about low paid workers and workers rights, and if they are simply worried about their own living costs rising as cheap labour becomes harder for employers to find.


Seems to me it's you who's very keen to get the lowest prices.

The flaw in your argument is that Brexiters on average have lower incomes than remainers. If prices do go up as a result it's they who will suffer the most.


I don't pay more for something if I can find it cheaper elsewhere without too much effort. Do you?

Why people shop with Amazon, pay more, and help to support its well publicised employment practices is a mystery to me. No wonder Mr Bezos is so rich.


You've completely missed my point!
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
carpetcleaner
Posts: 921
Joined: 14 Nov 2019, 1:25pm

Re: Amazon

Post by carpetcleaner »

PH wrote:
carpetcleaner wrote:I don't pay more for something if I can find it cheaper elsewhere without too much effort. Do you?

I often do, price isn't the only determining factor.


It isn't for me either. I avoid Amazon because it seems to be a bad employer, not just because it is often more expensive.

In the absence of information about a company I tend to shop on price and delivery method. I prefer Royal Mail as it pays reasonably well, gives good terms and conditions and recognises unions.
User avatar
NUKe
Posts: 4161
Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 11:07pm
Location: Suffolk

Re: Amazon

Post by NUKe »

But have you not seen the Amazon advert the workers are all happy bunnies who bake cakes for each other :D
NUKe
_____________________________________
irc
Posts: 5189
Joined: 3 Dec 2008, 2:22pm
Location: glasgow

Re: Amazon

Post by irc »

I use Amazon a lot. Prices are competitive if not always te lowest. Delivery faster than anywhere else. Most stuff next day, sometimes same day.

I don't like their tax situation but that is up to the govt to sort out. I paid a local guy £100 in cash to supply and fit a roof aerial last week. I didn't ask to see his tax return.

I'm not convinced their working conditions are worse than many other places. Many busy shop staff work pretty much non stop while they are on the floor. Working in a warehouse may be better than many outside jobs where you are at the mercy of the weather.
roubaixtuesday
Posts: 5801
Joined: 18 Aug 2015, 7:05pm

Re: Amazon

Post by roubaixtuesday »

Oldjohnw wrote:Recently I have increasingly been concerned about my effective support of Amazon. My concerns were mainly around the way warehouse staff earn so little and work in such difficult and often even dangerous workplaces. Also, the company's complete disdain for paying proper taxes, despite using taxpayer funded infrastructure, education, healthcare and police. Bezos decides what tax he will pay and makes an offer. He then sounds good by offering £10bn for green things - he has probably avoided more than that in taxes.

I have a niece who has just become head of sustainability in Europe. She earns a telephone number salary at a mere 32. It appears that sustainability to Amazon is how can they continue doing what they are doing but, by a little tinkering, look good but really do nothing.

Then on Monday BBC panorama did a documentary on Alexa. Whilst I have always worried about Alexa and don't and won't have it, to discover Amazon's developing relationship with UK police in Alexa related surveillance doorbells made me seriously troubled. Added to this is the way they deliberately hurt smaller organisations using their marketplace out of business, and their utterly devious way of making people think they need something and selling them things they never knew they wanted.

Yesterday I deleted my Amazon Account.

Am I alone in this concern or am I being paranoid? Of course, I know that every time I go online or use a pi CE of plastic I am surrendering some privacy, but Amazon is taking it to lengths that horrify, especially with their police connection. Ok with a relatively benign government and an independent police force. But we have already witnessed government using the police as an arm of the state (banning XR marches).

PS Panorama alone is worth the TVL! If there was a commercial interest this programme would never have been made.


You are not alone. IMV Amazon's business is based on three pillars:

1. Tax avoidance
2. Exploitation of a monopoly position
3. Exploitation of workers

Additionally, there's market failure through information asymmetry - you cannot tell whether the goods are real or fake, good quality or shoddy, from the website. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_asymmetry

I never use them for anything. Stick to reputable retailers whether online or in person. Bezos is the Rockefeller of his day, and Amazon deserves the same fate as Standard oil.
Syd
Posts: 1230
Joined: 23 Sep 2018, 2:27pm

Re: Amazon

Post by Syd »

I get Amazon Prime ‘free’ via an insurance provided.

For that I get their music and video service, free kindle content and free delivery on a whole host of things.

I also have three Amazon Echo devices at home and use it to control my lights, heating and power to my network printer.

So what if Amazon are amassing data? Google have been doing the same for even longer.
carpetcleaner
Posts: 921
Joined: 14 Nov 2019, 1:25pm

Re: Amazon

Post by carpetcleaner »

NUKe wrote:But have you not seen the Amazon advert the workers are all happy bunnies who bake cakes for each other :D


Those adverts are a bad idea.

Everyone knows that companies do not need to run TV ads for jobs unless those jobs are dreadful.

The ads remind me of the banners I see outside care homes and call centres which tell of wonderful careers for applicants.

Everyone, even people desperate for work, know they are lies.
Psamathe
Posts: 17616
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Amazon

Post by Psamathe »

irc wrote:....
I'm not convinced their working conditions are worse than many other places. Many busy shop staff work pretty much non stop while they are on the floor. Working in a warehouse may be better than many outside jobs where you are at the mercy of the weather.

15 years ago I put is a warehouse picking system for one of the UK major high street clothing retailers. Of course it involved some work at their main warehouse. I was surprised how warehouse staff were searched on leaving, even more surprised when I was searched as well.

I can't compare their warehouse staff working conditions to Amazon, but their productivity was well tracked and I can't see any point in tracking productivity if you don't have expectations and are looking to improve productivity, etc.

The system I put in has long since been replaced so I can't comment on their practices these days but I'm sure amazon are far from the only warehouse using such practices. Maybe all those working for Sports Direct should be relieved they have such a considerate employer?

Ian
Tangled Metal
Posts: 9505
Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

Re: Amazon

Post by Tangled Metal »

About 10 years ago I had a friend who worked as a nurse. One year with overtime and extra lists she earnt in one year £30k+. Not bad for a registered nurse. She later left to earn more as a bank nurse. The last time I had contact she worked at Amazon. She was very money orientated and obsessed.

She always had extra sources of income besides nursing so I can only think there's something that worked to her advantage working for them.
pete75
Posts: 16356
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Amazon

Post by pete75 »

carpetcleaner wrote:
NUKe wrote:But have you not seen the Amazon advert the workers are all happy bunnies who bake cakes for each other :D


Those adverts are a bad idea.

Everyone knows that companies do not need to run TV ads for jobs unless those jobs are dreadful.

The ads remind me of the banners I see outside care homes and call centres which tell of wonderful careers for applicants.

Everyone, even people desperate for work, know they are lies.


If what you say is correct it doesn't say much for the armed forces. They've been running TV recruitment adverts for years.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
philvantwo
Posts: 1730
Joined: 8 Dec 2012, 6:08pm

Re: Amazon

Post by philvantwo »

Yeah like the navy! I think Mick F was in the navy.......has he mentioned it on this forum??
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Post Reply