Is Amazon Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution

[transplanted]

Although Jeff Bezos donated $10M toward 'the cause' - it didn't keep one of his California warehouses from being burned down, so I guess he's taken another route. Even though you cannot buy the Oscar winning move Gone With the Wind from Amazon, you can, indeed, by a DVD entitled All Cops are Bastards (ACAB). You can buy police-hate t-shirts, decals, bumper stickers, ACAB merchandise of all kinds, Blue Lives Murder t-shirts, etc. And of course, Black Lives Matter merchandise ad nauseum. I have called and complained and also written an email to him, saying he should donate ANY amount to a police organization that supports families of officers killed in the line of duty since he is profiting off of hate merchandise aimed directly at police officers.
What do you think his response would be if one tried to sell something along the lines of All Blacks are Criminals or something else as equally obnoxious? Do you think hate merchandise is appropriate when people from both sides of the equation are dying? Do you think that is just free speech in action? Or does it fall into the 'fire in a theater' realm?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Although Jeff Bezos donated $10M toward 'the cause' - it didn't keep one of his California warehouses from being burned down, so I guess he's taken another route. Even though you cannot buy the Oscar winning move Gone With the Wind from Amazon, you can, indeed, by a DVD entitled All Cops are Bastards (ACAB). You can buy police-hate t-shirts, decals, bumper stickers, ACAB merchandise of all kinds, Blue Lives Murder t-shirts, etc. And of course, Black Lives Matter merchandise ad nauseum. I have called and complained and also written an email to him, saying he should donate ANY amount to a police organization that supports families of officers killed in the line of duty since he is profiting off of hate merchandise aimed directly at police officers.
What do you think his response would be if one tried to sell something along the lines of All Blacks are Criminals or something else as equally obnoxious? Do you think hate merchandise is appropriate when people from both sides of the equation are dying? Do you think that is just free speech in action? Or does it fall into the 'fire in a theater' realm?

If that were true, it'd be a problem. But you CAN get the download of Gone with the Wind on Amazon, you can rent for $3.99 or buy for $14.99. You can also buy the 75th Anniversary edition on Blu-Ray for $35.99 plus shipping and tax. You can also buy the book, or just read the book, or listen to audiobook.

You can ALSO get "white lives matter" teeshirts bumper stickers and other things on Amazon.

So it sounds to me like you've picked up a piece of fake news, didn't check it out for yourself, and are reacting to what you read somewhere on the internet.

Next time you read something about a public, easily-accessed, website with an easy-to-access built-in search engine that lets you fact-check for yourself, I recommend you do exactly that.

[John41]

bezos owns the washington post so he is part of the problem.

[Stu from NYC]

A different question is Amazon good or bad for our economy?

[JoMar]

A different question is Amazon good or bad for our economy?

Evidently good since a majority of us buy from them on a regular basis.

[Stu from NYC]

Evidently good since a majority of us buy from them on a regular basis.

But how many jobs are lost by the companies they have put out of business.

Look what Walmart did to many main streets in small towns around the country.

[nututv]

I'm a small business owner. Speaking from experience, the only economy Amazon has truly helped is the Chinese. Yes, they sell a ton of products from American companies... and most of those products came from China.
Our desire for wanting goods yesterday, at a discount price is no ones fault but our own though. Bezos just monetized our greed. I think it worked well for him.
Call me old fashioned but I buy local when I can. I have never used a self checkout and still walk into the bank, McDonalds etc vs using a drive thru. If for no other reason than it's exercise and I get to see who I'm doing business with.

[retiredguy123]

Amazon is good for the economy. They are successful because they are giving people what they want. Who wants to wait a week or so to get something when you can get it in 2 days? Last year, I wanted to give some business to Shoe Biz, a local store. None of the 3 stores had the shoes I wanted in a size 9. Really? I got them from Amazon in 2 days for a lower price. Also, stores, banks, and restaurants want you to use their automated systems. They make more profit when you do.

[Stu from NYC]

Amazon is good for the economy. They are successful because they are giving people what they want. Who wants to wait a week or so to get something when you can get it in 2 days? Last year, I wanted to give some business to Shoe Biz, a local store. None of the 3 stores had the shoes I wanted in a size 9. Really? I got them from Amazon in 2 days for a lower price. Also, stores, banks, and restaurants want you to use their automated systems. They make more profit when you do.

Very often we get something the next day that we are in no need to get so quick.

For example my wife found some nail polish she wanted to try that cost $ 7.99 for a small bottle. Comes the next day from Utah.

How in the world did someone make any money at this? Obviously the post office is losing their shirt on the delivery end of this.

[ColdNoMore]

Very often we get something the next day that we are in no need to get so quick.

For example my wife found some nail polish she wanted to try that cost $ 7.99 for a small bottle. Comes the next day from Utah.

How in the world did someone make any money at this?

Obviously the post office is losing their shirt on the delivery end of this.

FALSE!

Or as seems to be popular these days...'Fake News.' :D

Because every link I wanted to put here is political...I'll help you out with a hint.

Go to a legitimate fact-checking site...and type in "USPS + package delivery."

On one, well-known and respected fact-checking site...you'll find this.


Package delivery, however, was one of the few bright spots in its latest financial statement.

In 2017, parcels brought in $19.5 billion, or 28 percent of USPS’ annual revenue.

At $2.1 billion, packages contributed the largest revenue increase.



On another, different, legitimate fact-checking site...you'll find this.

PLUNKETT: The Postal Regulatory Commission does review the Postal Service's contracts, and they've concluded the opposite - that the Postal Service does make money from its shipping contracts.

NAYLOR: Plunkett says the Postal Service's deal with Amazon is probably unlike what it has arranged with other shippers.

PLUNKETT: Amazon probably looks very different from the rest of the Postal Service's shipping business because they have enough volume in their own network of distribution centers, so the vast majority of their packages are being entered locally, and they're very cost-efficient for the Postal Service to handle for the most part.

NAYLOR: In fact, package deliveries have been the bright spot in the Postal Service's financial picture the last several years. It reported more than $19 billion of revenue from package deliveries last year - an increase of 11 percent.

[ColdNoMore]

As for Amazon, Walmart, China, Etc. being bad or good...we only have ourselves to blame.

American consumers (70% of our economy) want a large variety, quick delivery and of course...LOW PRICES.

Until that changes, which also happens to be the foundation of Capitalism...expect more of the same. :ho:

[davem4616]

Amazon 'moved the cheese'...that's all

If you don't understand that phrase, go read the book "Who Moved My Cheese"

The automobile put the horse out in the field...lots of blacksmiths and buggy whip makers had to adapt
The electric light put the folks that sold whale oil out of business along with the 'lamplighter' ...they too had to adapt

I don't agree with everything that is available on the internet...nor what is available on the 'black market' but it is what it is until something causes a change. Malcom Gladwell writes about this in his book "The Tipping Point"

Death and taxes may be certain, but the only thing constant in life is change