I try my best not to buy from Amazon, but sometimes it seems it's the only or best option. Even with the few things I buy, I have never had to pay postage and have never been a prime member - well, I've gotten a few free trials, but I have never paid for prime. And would never. I order at least the minimum for free postage and it always comes quickly.

I guess some people do it for their streaming? But it would not be worth it to me to pay that $$ for free shipping and streaming, when you can get the shipping for free and lots to stream elsewhere. I've wanted to watch a couple of things over the years that are only on amazon and have borrowed my friend's account info to be able to sign on and watch. Cheating? I suppose, but it's really no different (in my mind) to being with my friend and watching it with her. And frankly, the less of my $$ Jeff bezo's gets, the happier I am about it.

It’s complicated. I definitely have a love/hate thing with the big A.

DH and I are contemplating if we want to stay members.

Well, now that most of us are addicted, I expect this will become a regular thing.

I am also contemplating not renewing.

I think I will try harder not to use Amazon, more for reasons on principle. Bestyears is right, they got us addicted.

Love/hate here, too. I just ordered some plain Hanes women's underwear from A. Because the last time I bought the same item from A, I had already been to three stores (Target, Walmart) which were all out of stock on the size and style I wanted. Classic gotcha.

Sort of related, cracked me up this morning:

I got a package from FedEx this week … it was torn half open on top, not even where the folds were. I can’t imagine how it was damaged that way, unless it fell off the truck on the way and landed on a giant sharp rock, then a racoon got it, before it was put back on the truck.

The next day, I got a neighbor’s package from FedEx, also damaged.

We avoided Prime until they gave the Top Gear guys their show back. We did not use it much until the plague, and now, it is my husband's primary source of dopamine. We're lifers.

I'd like to use it less or not at all. But I also would like to limit driving to stores in vain. It's one thing if the item is something we might find a local Ace or small independent brick and mortar but try calling HD, Lowe's Blows, Tarjay or heaven forbid Wallymart for a stock check. You may as well commit your self in advance because that process will drive you absolutely nuts. The online stock check at least for our local stores is wrong as many times as it's right since that tells you what they SHOULD have in stock so we've given up on that.

Zalco … ”it is my husband's primary source of dopamine.”

😂😂

(I can relate!)

Only one in the family here who doesn't subscribe to Prime. We've had the free trials a few times, but I just don't see the cost benefit, and there's never anything I need to have right away.

Granted, Prime has some great exclusive TV & movies, but not enough to make it worth it to me.

Ebay & Walmart.com have just about everything Amazon does, and more, often at lower prices too, and I can always find 'free' shipping for the items I buy. Ebay also doesn't seem to have as many bogus reviews.

Marlene! 😆😂

(I’m laughing, but they banned me for that, too.)

Jinx - that was hysterical. Although my last UPS guy was the greatest. He would our packages in large plastic bags with a dog bone on the top for the dog.

My Nest doorbell picks up motion and sends a signal to my iWatch. But yesterday DH brought in a package and I was a little surprised because I hadn't received an alert. Then DH told me that the package had been placed on the very corner of the porch almost behind my planter. The only way that could have happened is if the delivery person crept next to the wall and just nudged it in place - or perhaps my Nest had a momentary nap.

If it were just me, I wouldn't renew, but it's one of my mother's primary forms of entertainment, so as long as she is living, I'll continue my subscription.

I joined Prime for the first time last year. I prefer shopping in stores and have so many nearby. But I moved last year and "needed" stuff, and was concerned about empty shelves locally, etc.

What I don't like is the type of shopping habits that Prime enabled for me: single items, just because I could. Or, ordering a ton of stuff, knowing I'll return half of it because returning to a designated drop off about 1/2 mile away was so very convenient. I often will buy locally and make returns, too, but I'm relatively sure local returns are put back on the floor for actual repurchasing.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/28/amazon-returns-what-really-happens-to-them.html

I feel like I've sold my soul to A. I know it's an important and vital source for many people, but I'm not sure I'm one of them anymore. It will be interesting to see if A follows through on its goal of "zero product disposal."

Ya, the price increase made me think twice about continuing. I just cancelled Netflix after they announced their increase. There's nothing we're currently watching there but we are still watching a few things on Prime. I order more things from other stores than I used to but I still get a lot from Prime and I do appreciate how conveniently and quickly I can get things and how easy the return process is. I was only willing to drive all over town trying in vain to find something for so long before I realized A is a much better option for me.

We pay for A-Music because DH needs the full selection in HD and I don't know if you can get that without Prime - never had to investigate. So I'll continue for now. I've never been one to boycott a company that provides me with a good product/service at a reasonable price; i.e. a good value. I'm only hurting myself by doing so. It's kind of funny - people used to despise Walmart and now they turn to Walmart because they despise Amazon.

With the current level of inflation the price of everything is going up so Netflix and Amazon increases are no surprise.

Yeah, but don't be too quick to assume all price increases are due solely to inflation. Saw some analysis recently concluding a certain amount is due to greed.

I feel like I've sold my soul to A. I know it's an important and vital source for many people, but I'm not sure I'm one of them anymore.

Totally get and feel the same way but the time for me to have done something to prevent the current status was long before now and before I allowed the convenience to impact what used to be brick and mortar normal. Amazon is a vital source in more ways than we like to think about - it's a major part of some big mutual funds. As my son pointed out, he would hate to see a mass exodus from Amazon because of what it could do to his investments!

Turns out our Prime is free for us this year because they screwed up which account to charge. And it's not the first time we've gotten refunds on membership or other things - takes some battling but I turn that stuff over to my son - he knows how to navigate their systems.

In light of all this we just had a family conference and discussed how our use has changed since a few years ago. Ticked my calendar with a reminder to have a discussion again in Dec to decide if we'll re-up the family Prime.

The thing abot Prime is if you already have it Amazon automatically renews your membership on your cc without notice. I suppose I'll keep it since I loathe shopping in person.

I'm not advocating a boycott of any sorts. I myself renewed my Prime membership a few weeks ago. I'm just noting that situations (moving and the pandemic) caused me to adopt a style of shopping that I do not want to continue.

Oakley, you can manage your Prime subscription to send you reminders about renewal. (Log in, click on Account-->Prime-->Manage Membership, then click "Remind me before renewing.")

I've never paid for Prime. Shipping is always free with a minimum order.

Took advantage of a free trial last year so dh could watch Bosch. I may pay for a month later this year to watch As We See It, Being the Ricardos, and the Anthony Bourdain documentary.

The thing abot Prime is if you already have it Amazon automatically renews your membership on your cc without notice

You can go to your setting and check the box for notificaiton (I believe it's) 3 days before renewal.

I also have a love/hate relationship with the Big A.

You do not have to have a Prime account to shop from Amazon. Like Judi, I get free shipping with minimum purchases - I think it's only $25...?

We have to pay extra so that Bezos can pay to have a bridge dismantled to get his $485 million yacht out of Rotterdam.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/02/rotterdam-to-partly-dismantle-historic-bridge-for-jeff-bezoss-superyacht

Terri, I saw that yesterday. Ugh.

They’re all so out of touch with reality. The Wal-Mart heiress with initials AW used to have a ranch in a neighboring town and we’d see her at horse shows in Fort Worth (knew her horse trainers, etc). I could tell some firsthand stories.

.

*cough*DUI *cough*

Prime is still worth the cost for us. We use it a lot.

I don't give a hoot about what bennies Bezos gets. I detest in-person shopping and having to go to multiple stores to locate what I want. That was proven to the nth degree in early 2020. I refuse to go backward.

There are a gazillion online shopping options besides Amazon. Maybe even some of your local stores. I never, ever buy books from Amazon because I want my local book stores to survive. I can online order and they will ship to my house (at media mail rate which is very affordable) or they will do curbside. So, you CAN have the convenience of online shopping without using Amazon all the time.

Olychick, good point. It seems many smaller businesses are taking an approach to attract customers directly, too. I just booked rooms with a "boutique" beach inn that offered a 10% discount if you booked directly on their web site rather than through expedia, orbitz, etc. And, many restaurants in my area are offering similar promotions if you order directly from them instead of opentable, ubereats, etc.

I absolutely order most of my books locally.

Your local library is an incredible resource --- and absolutely free.

It's hard to get books from the library to give for gifts!

Your library requires your returning the books, and not marking them up ... :-(

We live so remotely and have so few retail and grocery shopping options I would never divorce from Amazon Prime. These past 2 years of Covid, especially, and with my serious health issues it has been a lifeline. I have my VISA card with Amazon, so the money I get back from using the card more than pays for the membership fee.

If I can’t get book loans thru Libby, I search on-line used book sellers like Thrift Books, ABE and World of Books.

I don't have an Amazon VISA, but they keep trying. LOL I do use subscribe and save and with multiple items each month save 5-20% on each item. I have a small order coming this month and the savings will be about $10 (they say nearly $23, but I'm not sure how they calculate that). That alone probably pays for the membership -- especially when I get our boxy AC filters twice a year. I also use Smile to donate with each purchase. I was able to keep pet food, supplements and other supplies through the pandemic and A was the only place I could find certain cleaning supplies. Books I want are generally less on Amazon and local options include one very difficult to get to and navigate B&N with a limited selection past the bestsellers list and a small handful of used stores. This past week, I did use the library, but also shopped for certain books online and locally, including used copies from Thriftbooks, Half Price Books and others. I wound up ordering one used copy but the new ones from Amazon were less than the used books on the other 2 -- and the shipping was free. Prime was the best way to send many things to my sons when they were in college and continues to be a good way to send gifts as well as the only way to find things I used to find in stores locally and no longer can. I'd like to be able to use it less, but until I can, at least I am getting value from it.

I will always choose Amazon over local most of the time just because returning is no hassle and free. I do support local plant nurseries over box stores....

We will keep it. It pays for us to do so. I prefer to support local small businesses, and do, but, when you are in a small town area you don't always have many to support. We do not have a bookstore. I am guessing the closest bookstore is about 45 minutes away. Ya'll know I hate to shop and even more I hate running from one store to another looking for something. So yes to online shopping and yes to Amazon where I can find many items I need or want. I have always found their customer service to be excellent as well as returns.

Interestingly, I just read this today - it's certainly a clickbait-y headline, but the article makes a good point:

https://www.inc.com/kelly-main/amazon-primes-20-price-increase-comes-with-1-strange-perk-now-im-saving-over-1000-a-year.html

Amazon Prime's $20 Price Increase Comes With 1 Strange Perk-Now I'm Saving Over $1,000 a Year

The silver lining that the eCommerce conglomerate was banking on no one noticing.

"...Like millions of other Prime members, I depend on Amazon for nearly every, everyday item, from toothpaste to pet supplies. But while Amazon enables us to shop in our pajamas-without schlepping to the store, it isn't the only modern-day mall where you can go to find just about anything in one location online.

So as Amazon makes the short-sighted mistake of thinking it is, I found myself forced to do something I admittedly don't love to do. I went shopping. But not on Amazon.

I went back to the first place you would go just a decade ago when you wanted the simplicity of knowing you were getting the lowest price: Walmart. Being the adult that I am, I took off my pajamas and put on my yoga pants for the event. And I was amazed.

After years of shopping on Amazon, I knew that while Amazon was convenient, it wasn't the cheapest. But I didn't realize how much more expensive it is for a number of everyday products I purchase frequently...."

Oh Carol, WALMART is a place I dearly hate. If Amazon went belly-up, I am not going to Walmart.

I check prices on items I buy at Amazon. While somethings may be cheaper elsewhere, there are still many good deals. I think about my time and gas too, which is worth something.

We do use some of the prime benefits and I love amazon music.

Not trying to push Amazon on anyone though, to each their own and (as I have learned during this pandemic and seem to say alot)" you do what is best for you and your family."

The article isn't about going inside Walmart. It's about how Walmart is comparable to shopping Amazon online.

Target is another source for good deals you can have delivered without a fee for minimum purchases.

I really appreciate the thoughts and input from every one of you. Great discussion, and you’ve given me lots to think about. (And TIA to any future posts.)

I’m pretty obsessive about finding the lowest price for what I’m looking at, so do shop around. There’s just no excuse not to, when we can find so much information literally at our fingertips.

I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart. I don’t want to go into why (I hinted above, but there’s so much more) because it’s firsthand knowledge and involves people I know. But they will not be getting my money.

Azon has it’s own evils, I’m not saying they’re better. That’s why it’s conflicting. I try to shop anywhere but those two, but inevitably read something bad about Overstock, or Wayfair, or [insert online company or superstore here]. So I try to go local, or smaller online companies, or Etsy, or Ebay, etc etc … but they aren’t always ideal, either. Any one of those can be problematic for various reasons.

We watched an interesting movie yesterday, ”Land” with Robin Wright. It’s about a grieving woman going completely off the grid to try to come to terms with the new life she certainly didn’t want (I could relate to it very well at a certain time in my life). Anyway, I thought of this topic a bit. It’s pretty much the only way to stay pure. No matter where we shop, there can be, or is, something bad about it.

Unless we grow 100% of our own food, spin our own rugs and blankets, carve our own furniture, and boil our own soap … we are going to be part of the capitalistic cog in society. An overly simplistic view? Maybe.

My dilemma is: what makes any of these better or worse than the other? We all want to do the right thing … what is the right thing? What is the perfect way to acquire goods?

I’m kind of all over the place with my thoughts, conflicted, as I said …. if I’ve said something you don’t agree with, let me know! I’d like to hear it, I promise. We’re all trying to figure things out; the more information shared, the better.

PS: Finance and budget limitations are of course another societal factor in all this. Not everyone has the same choices … but that could be another thread, I guess.

I don’t particularly care for Amazon, but I am hostage to Prime, even though I use NONE of the perks, except shipping! I gave it up at the last price increase, and may do that again. Sure as I do, then DH needs a car or tractor part that is not available in town.

I WILL tell you why I have boycotted Wal Mart for many years!! I wass studying for my insurance exam I had JUST covered the ”peasant insurance” portion, which was illegal in Texas. In the car with NPR, and I heard a piece about them being found to have ”peasant insurance” policies on former employees.

It is one thing (In my feeble brain) to maximize profits, but to make tax-free money off of people for whom you have ZERO insurable interest, and who’s families most likely needed the money WAY more than they did? Nope, not one nickel from me. (A nickel is about all I have, too, so…..)

Gotcha @carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10. I just do not like Walmart. I do like Target though!

ETA: @Jilly No matter where we shop, there can be, or is, something bad about it. So true!!

I don't like giving Walmart or Target my business either. But, I do go sometimes, only when I have too. I go to a neighborhood grocery store most of the time, even though they are more expensive. Jinx is right, we will find something bad about everywhere if we look hard enough.

springroz, would you explain peasant insurance? I have never shopped at walmart and never will because of the way they structure their payroll/hours so the taxpayers are on the hook for their employee's health insurance and food stamp benefits. I hate that they moved into places and drove small town local businesses out of business because they were unable to compete.
I never paid for postage when ordering from amazon. Their minimum for free shipping is low, so unless you are in the habit of buying lots of small priced items that you need immediately, you can just wait until you get to the minimum amount. And if there was something needed faster than their usual fast shipping (but maybe a bit slower than prime, but I don't even think it is) you could pay for fast shipping once or twice a year and still come out saving over a hundred dollars over paying for prime.
I've come to love Target; free shipping with their credit card, 5% off on everything if you pay with their cc. Really fast/easy curbside service. They pay their employees fairly and treat them well, from what I know. They are starting to sell from other vendors/suppliers like Amazon does and I've gotten some really good prices on a few things that way - things they don't sell in their stores, but I still get 5% off and free shipping from those suppliers.

@ oly - I think springroz may have been referring to news that came out some years ago that employers like Walmart had life insurance policies on employees without their knowledge or permission and profited off it.

AFAIK, they don't do that now.

Thank you, @carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10 ! I had to run a couple of errands! Yes, in AR, it was legal to have an insurance policy on someone, even if you had no insurable interest….like me having a policy on you….it makes no moral sense, but they did it.

Remember the ”Made In America” push, years ago? DH’s aunt worked in a lingerie factory….they closed, then brought her back to work to sew Made In America labels into imported goods. Scheisters….

Ha - back when I was in college, I worked for a small motorcycle leathers manufacturer who did that with imported t-shirts. Their customers were mostly Harley Davidson bikers.