Amazon Prime Day 2020 was on Oct. 13 and 14. So why isn’t it called Amazon’s Prime Days or something.. but I digress. It may be clear already that I’m not a fan of Amazon. Listen, I experience a definite rising correlation between the level of their clutter and how many Amazon Prime boxes and packaging I help my clients break down and eliminate in their households.
And in regards to your Amazon Prime membership, it may be helpful to know that there is some manipulation going on by Jeff Bezo’s and his team.
“When Amazon first created Prime, in 2005, Bezos insisted that the price be set high enough that the program felt like a genuine commitment. Consumers would then set out to redeem this sizable outlay by faithfully consuming through Amazon… which turned out to be a masterstroke of behavioral economics. Prime members in the U.S spend $1,400 a year on Amazon purchases, compared with $600 by nonmembers”. [The Atlantic, 11/2019, Franklin Foer]
In short, you are likely buying more than you need to recoup your Amazon investment.
These deliveries are at the expense of the planet, local retailers and your dreams of living with less clutter.
I understand the need to shop online during these times of pandemic, but maybe it’s time to stop being sucked in. There are other places to shop besides Amazon.
You have power with your dollar. When you make your shopping decisions, use it!
But, back to that initial point. Why is Amazon Prime Day on October 14th and 15th? I suspect Amazon employees are good with math, so, whaa?? And even Mothers and Presidents only have one Day! Yes, I want you to question this organizations’ integrity which starts, as with most corporations, with it’s founder and CEO.
Jeff Bezos, who is the world’s richest person, has benefited immensely during a time when over 200,000 Americans have died from coronavirus, more then 50 million have lost their jobs and many are struggling financially. According to Rupert Neate [The Guardian, 9/17/2020], his personal fortune, as estimated by Forbes magazine, has risen by $73.2 billion since the start of the crisis to a staggering $186.2 billion. Robert Reich did the math – “Jeff Bezos could give every Amazon employee $105,000 and still be as rich as he was before the pandemic.”
And yet, a google search on recent Amazon news will tell you that employees there face safety issues, poor healthcare and couldn’t even get proper personal protections.
So, I’ll say it one more time:
You have power with your dollar. When you make your shopping decisions, use it!
Decrease your clutter – nix Amazon shopping.
(Search for the price on Amazon. Then buy it somewhere else.)
Amen.