from the moment I heard of it, I never trusted Amazon

[The Wandering Harper]

if we get through this, I hope we come out the other side as less suckers for convenience

[Littlered]

1. For those of us that are t plugged into

The collective, would you be so kind to elaborate please. Thanks in advance.

[The Wandering Harper]

2. are you sarcasming me or being sincere?

[Littlered]

3. I believe I misread your op.

My brain read it as, from the moment I heard it…

Why don’t you trust Amazon?

[The Wandering Harper]

5. as soon as I found out what it was, I thought, "this is dangerous"

I just sensed it would make things harder for brick & mortar, small business, and community in general. You don't have to leave your house to get just about anything you need or want? Why go out? Why shop locally? When you can have so much convenience! So your money leaves your community and goes to one of the big billionaire ***** toadies. Suckered by convenience into a world of shit

[Littlered]

8. I suppose that is one way to look at it.

Where I'm from Kmart had already gutted local businesses. Kroger put the local grocers out of business. Walmart and a few others cleaned out what was left.

As far as Amazon goes. They bring products and services to those that may not have other means to obtain them.

[Littlered]

9. That is one way to look at it.

Where I'm from Kmart had already gutted local businesses. Kroger put the local grocers out of business. Walmart and a few others cleaned out what was left.

As far as Amazon goes. They bring products and services to those that may not have other means to obtain them.

[The Wandering Harper]

12. yes it is helpful for remote or disabled people etc.

but it sucks that it has to be help from something that is robbing you,
just the robbery is a lot more gradual than the help. Until it's not.

There were a lot of mom and pop groceries and other small business where I grew up.
many of them are gone, replaced by chains or upscale cafes.
And it's happened where I live now

[Polybius]

24. There's certain things that you just can't find locally

For that, Amazon is a tremendous advantage.

[Mariana]

10. You don't have to leave your house to get just about anything you need or want?

When the Sears Catalog Sold Everything from Houses to Hubcaps

[The Wandering Harper]

11. were Sears catalogs as widespread as the internet?

could you just type in what you were looking for and bring it up?
could you just make the order and pay from the comfort of your chair with some typing and a few clicks?

[Mariana]

13. You had to flip through the pages and write a check

from the comfort of your chair. And you didn't need a computer, internet, or even a telephone!

[H2O Man]

14. As an old person,

I can say we were a tougher lot back in those days. We didn't fear the thought of sitting in a comfortable chair, make a list as we flipped through the pages, and writing the very check you noted. However, the mere thought of pulling out our abacus to add up the price total was overwhelming at times -- usually understood as the actual wart on Christmas. We had to pray for "Dr. Scholl's" in our stocking. Fucking young people today show us no respect.

[The Wandering Harper]

25. thanks for the kick

[flying rabbit]

29. ...

[The Wandering Harper]

15. were computers widespread?

makes the point of not needing a computer moot if they weren't.
On that note, are Sears catalogs still an option?
Did they sell brands that others sold also?

[Mariana]

23. You're really reaching hard.

You don't have to leave your house to get just about anything you need or want? Why go out? Why shop locally? When you can have so much convenience! So your money leaves your community and goes to one of the big billionaire ***** toadies.

This isn't a new thing. It didn't start with Amazon.

[The Wandering Harper]

26. maybe it didn't start with Amazon, but where does it stop?

[Hekate]

32. Sears catalogs were more widespread than the internet. They were recyclable, too, in places with no indoor plumbing

By cracky, that they were.

Mail-order catalogs were NOT invented by Amazon — the idea was stolen (or “repurposed” ) from Sears Roebuck. Get over it.

Throw your energy into better wages, working conditions, and labor unions.

[The Wandering Harper]

33. is that energy worth spending with the current goons in charge?

don't we need to get them out first?

[Hekate]

34. I'm sure the owner of Amazon will be glad to sell for the right price

[The Wandering Harper]

35. if you're insulting my intelligence, you got me

I don't get how that relates to the conversation

[Hekate]

36. Seems like your go-to response, but I'm sure we'll converse productively in the future...

[radical noodle]

16. That ship has sailed in most small towns

When Walmart came into town, years before Amazon, every other store went out of business. I saw it in every town in my county when I lived in Indiana. Choice there now is Walmart or Amazon.

[The Wandering Harper]

17. looks like the choice now is

buy only what you absolutely need until these goons are fucked off

[radical noodle]

18. I've already decided that I'm only buying

what I absolutely need until these goons are out of trump's backside. I have more shopping choices where I am now, but I'm not convinced that any of their corporate offices have the spine to defy trump.

[The Wandering Harper]

27. Awesome!

[Abolishinist]

28. I have no problem shopping at Amazon.

First of all, I would say 98% plus of what I buy from them IS NOT locally produced.

Beyond that, I like their return policy.

And beyond beyond that, there are SO many options for items I could never find shopping locally.

PLUS... I like the reviews.

[The Wandering Harper]

30. what does your username refer to?

[Abolishinist]

31. My username has NOTHING to do with this 'conversation'.

[The Wandering Harper]

6. Right?

[GP6971]

7. Hi!! How things today?

[Mossfern]

19. I saw this coming 35 years ago

when a Home Depot came into our area. I honestly had a conniption fit.

To paraphrase:
Holy shit! There goes the neighborhood lumber yard, hardware store - out of business- gone from the town. Then there will be more big box stores being built in our area - people will no longer have a choice in what they buy. Main Street will be decimated, become a ghost town - people will no longer have to have the opportunity of a friendly chat while doing their errands. Everything will be coming from the same sources and everyone will look the same - except for the wealthy people who will be able to buy at boutique markets. There will be a splitting of people pitting the privileged rich against the hoi polloi . The Country will be split between the haves and have nots and there will be a civil war of some kind. This is the end of civilization!

I was quite worked up - and I remind my husband of my prophetic melt down that day - I even stood atop our picnic table broadcasting my distress. How embarrassed I was after I calmed down.

And then CVS and Walgreens came in and drove the neighborhood drugs stores out of business, and clothing stores and local butchers and bakeries ...... and now there are hair and nail salons and gyms - many store fronts are empty.

Unfortunately, I was correct in my assessment.
My heart rate is rising again. Devastating.

[The Wandering Harper]

21. sucks being able to see,

am I right?

[Mossfern]

22. Just critical thinking

The ability to predict the logical consequences of actions.
Unfortunately many who can do that are rarely believed.

[Callie1979]

20. I dont use it because they mistreat their workers & are a Chinese pipeline.

[Celerity]

37. Same for Walmart.