1y ago

It’s Surprisingly Easy to Live Without an Amazon Prime Subscription

slate.com It’s Surprisingly Easy to Live Without an Amazon Prime Subscription

Maybe it’s time to consider quitting!

The author canceled their Amazon Prime subscription on a whim and realized they didn't really need it.
Leaving Prime meant slower shipping but the author was happy to wait and still found the selection and delivery speed satisfactory.
Many people love Prime for its fast shipping and convenience, but some readers expressed ambivalence and considered canceling.

Archive link: https://archive.ph/3M27c

Frugal @lemmy.world

return2ozma @lemmy.world

6mo ago

It’s Surprisingly Easy to Live Without an Amazon Prime Subscription

slate.com /technology/2024/01/quit-amazon-prime-how-to-free-shipping.html

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427 comments

I'll go further, I stopped using Amazon entirely and I don't miss it.
The junky shopping experience is especially clear once you leave and come back.
I only ever order books from amazon anymore, and usually only when I get a gift card or a product isn't for sale elsewhere.
The prices aren't even that good anymore.
- if you want to try an Amazon alternative of books, try ThrifBooks, they have new books as well as used ones
  https://www.thriftbooks.com
  
  Most of the books I buy are reference books, that site actually has a decent stock, thanks!
- There's a great website called geizhals.de which gives you a price comparison for a lot of different online stores for each product and there are almost always multiple stores that sell it cheaper than Amazon.
  
  Do you know an English version or alternative?
  
  Unfortunately not
  
  Don't you have a local one where you live? Here, we have two good large (non English) comparison sites that everyone knows about.
  
  Not that I know of, that's why I was asking.
  
  I thought those existed everywhere.
  The more you know.
  
  They probably do, but I don't know about them.
- The junky shopping experience is especially clear once you leave and come back.
  I mean, the junky shopping experience isn't unique to Amazon. You could find it in Walmart and TJ Maxx and any number of other low-income retailers a decade ago.
  But that's largely a result of the pivot to Planned Obsolescence as a universal standard for consumer products. Things are junk because if they don't degrade in quality you won't be inclined to buy new ones. Your shoddy kitchen appliances break after a couple of years. Your electronics die just in time for a new release. Your IKEA furniture can't be disassembled without destroying the particle board its made from, so you need something new every time you change residences. Everything from your AC unit to your car radio to your dishwasher is designed to fail inside ten years, because that's how business gets you back in line to shop.
  The prices aren’t even that good anymore.
  Greedflation, baby. Everyone's got to justify their existence with steadily increasing profits.
- The prices aren't even that good anymore.
  That's because they have been forcing suppliers/sellers to raise their prices.
  
  How so?
  
  they got busted doing it
  
  Amazons average take is over 50%, so naturally it's not cheap to sell on.
- How nice for you. you must live near a metropolis and have much time on your hands and not living with something impacting your ability to leave the house. You must have multiple sources for products are already in your area because in many parts of the world amazon is supplying many things that are not sold even at local brick and mortars. And many people who live in disabilities/injuries/disease to not be able to go very far without passing out while they receive home treatment.
  
  Jesus, they were just saying that they themselves don't miss it, not that no one should ever use it, no need for all the snarky sarcasm.
  
  I will remind you the title of the post ‘it’s surprisingly easy to live’ - no. It isn’t. Representation matters. when people start speaking their experiences for application: Other experiences should count too. You don’t silence me just on unapproval or ‘not shared experiences’ alone. Stop the ableism.
  
  I agree with you that those with disabilities and those in isolated areas rely on it, but you didn't reply to the post - you replied to that comment. I'm not being ableist, but pointing out that you replied to a person who was just stating that they themselves can live without it. The person you replied to wasn't being ableist either.
  
  don’t tell me what to do. That’s all.
  
  I never gave you a directive, just pointed out that there is no need for the snarky sarcasm.

427 comments