- Convenience.
- Don’t have to run around.
- All in one place.
- Low prices.
- Comparison shopping.
- Arrives at my doorstep.
- Free shipping.
- Discounts.
All these are reasons I recognize to use Amazon.com for shopping, not just for books, but for anything and everything from personal body care products to electronics to groceries.
I believe in voting with your dollars. Everything we do has an impact, so let’s take a look at it.
What is the impact of shopping on Amazon.com?
According to a report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Amazon has a stranglehold on our economy.
The Power of Half
- half of all online shopping searches start directly on Amazon
- half of all U.S. households are subscribed to the membership program Amazon Prime
- nearly half of all US dollars spent online are captured by Amazon
This is a big hit to locally owned retailers like those in Old Town and throughout Cottonwood as well as independent manufacturers.
Amazon increasingly controls
- the underlying infrastructure of the economy
- competition with other companies
- the terms by which these same rivals can reach the market
Sound like a stranglehold?
Monopolizing the Economy
- Amazon is using its market power to eliminate competition
- by taking control of one industry after another,
- resulting in an economy that is less diverse and innovative
- and fewer opportunities for businesses to start and grow.
Undermining Jobs and Wages
Amazon’s labor model: workers
- performing grueling and under-paid jobs,
- getting trapped in precarious temporary positions
- doing on-demand assignments that are paid by the piece
Weakening Communities
Amazon is upending the longstanding relationship between commerce and place,
- changing the way that our communities feel
- threatening the revenue streams and social capital that they depend on to function.
The Government Response to Amazon
Amazon has been heavily assisted by government support, including
- subsidies and
- tax advantages worth billions of dollars.
What to do about it: ILRS view
- steps policymakers should take to check the company’s power
- bring about a more competitive and equitable economy
Read the details in this 79 page referenced report: ILSR Amazon Report
Now that you are somewhat aware . . .
Shop Local
Our Old Town Cottonwood has a lively street of shops, restaurants, and wine-tasting outlets. I was there recently on the Chocolate Walk and I’m gravitating to several stores to return to again and again as my favorites. I always seem to find something I can’t live without within the store.
There are plenty of small businesses outside of Old Town that provide local employment, local products, and local services.
The Local First Arizona website is a great resource for finding locally owned shops and ways to support them.
One product that you may not realize is local . . .
Natural Action Water Units
The inventor and company was based in Camp Verde. The units themselves are manufactured in the United States.
As the years go by, I am giving away more and more of what I have accumulated and look to spend my money on a few big things that really Make A Difference.
Natural Action water Makes a Difference.
It has become so much a part of my life, that I am startled when others talk about the hard water stains on their dishes or accumulations in their sink. Or having to filter water before they drink it.
I wipe down my shower, and have not had to use a de-scaler because there is nothing accumulating. My clothes are clean with only pre-spotting and no detergent because the Natural Action Water intrinsically has a low surface tension, which gets into the clothes to lift the dirt out, which is what you would need detergent for in other water. I love drinking the water put through a Natural Action Water unit because it is so satisfying, I can almost hear my cells thanking me for hydration that can penetrate the cell membrane.
If you have not experienced the Natural Action Water difference, please call me to arrange a time to stop by and do so. 928-649-9234
You can also read more about it in previous blogs:
If you have experienced Natural Action water, please share your experience with a friend.
If not, please consider what you would like out of the water that flows in your house?
Then, call me. 928-649-9234
