It’s been a few weeks since I’ve stopped using Amazon. How have things changed? What have I discovered?

Nothing Compares to Amazon when it comes to shipping

I've made a few Target orders and once was delayed by several days. Another never arrived. Other sites seem to take weeks before you're delivery arrives

My world has opened to other retailers

This is objectively good. I shouldn't be supporting one single company. I've spent more time looking for better prices. I've discovered using AI for price comparisons. 

I'm buying less

We're 21 days into November and my 'Household' spending is down from $600 (average over the first 10 months of 2024) to $130 so far. I was more impulsive in the past, buying things immediately when I would think of them. Because the process isn't as easy, shipping takes longer, I have put purchasing things off and eventually forget about it. 

I'm impacting the planet less

With Amazon, I'd just buy something and have it shipped the next day. I've used Target since to buy household items and I just load up a cart and wait until it's "full" before actually shipping it. I'd like to think this saves the planet in a small way. Less van visits to my home, less boxes.

I’m not too far into this experience but so far the change has been overall positive. I’m interested to see how it goes for the holidays, specifically around shipping. I haven’t shopped for a gift in a store for years and I don’t intend on changing that this year. We’ll see how it goes!

With the news that Jeff Bezos stopped the endorsement of Kamala Harris in his newspaper, The Washington Post, I decided that I would cancel Amazon. If his paper just made any endorsement, I would have kept using the retailer however, he took the cowards way out. He’s afraid of Trump and has proven that money is more important than principals. He can suggest otherwise but there is no doubt in my mind he is a coward. I’ve had many issues with Amazon in the past but this one was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for me.

I’ve been a user of Amazon since 2007, my first purchase appears to have been a wireless router for $39.99. In 2013, I joined Amazon Prime for $79. The current price for a membership is now $139. According to my records, I’ve made over 3,200 orders and spent $81,477 with Amazon in my lifetime. I once had Amazon Echos in my house. I currently read on a Kindle. I have been an active user of their service “Subscribe and Save” for at least 5+ years. I have an Amazon Prime credit card since 2018, receiving 5% cash back on every Amazon purchase ($1,560 according to my records). Removing Amazon from my life is going to impact my lifestyle.

The easiest step is cancelling Amazon Prime. Surprisingly, that took a few clicks and my benefits officially end in January. Besides fast shipping, the 5% cash back on the card and Amazon Prime video, I’m not sure what else I’m getting from it. It did feel good canceling it on the day the news broke about the Washington Post not endorsing, hoping it’ll send some type of message. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a comment field where I could write “You are a coward, Bezos!”. It does feel good knowing I won’t be paying $140 in January. I’ve always justified the cost thinking I was easily making that back on the 5% cash back. I’m sure that’s baked in all their product costs anyway. Rough math shows that I was receiving about $223 annually in cashback. I think I’ll survive.

After deleting apps and shortcuts, the next step up was removing Subscribe and Save. I did not want any unexpected chargers. It proved to be a little more difficult than expected. Subscribe and Save sends you items on regular intervals at a small discount if you get more than 4 items each month. I rely on Subscribe and Save to manage many routine home items. Cat flea collars would arrive every 6 months, when they expire. Air filters would arrive every three months when I would need to change them. Delicious handmade grits arrive every two months when I need delicious grits. But Amazon does not make removing Subscribe and Save easy. You have to unsubscribe for each subscription. It takes 4 clicks for each. I know this because I had over 50 subscriptions. I now have zero.

My plan is to shift my shopping through Target and Walmart from here on out. I don’t have a car, so driving to a store and picking things up is not an option. I need home delivery. Target does seem to work well and is cheaper at times. And as for Walmart, I need to do some research around the Walton family to see if I should be supporting them.

A future step will be to replace my Kindle. The battery is weak and I’ve wanted a color one anyway. I’m tired of seeing black and white cover “art”. Another option is to ditch digital reading all together. I don’t love the thought of having more clutter in my home (books on book shelves) though. And I don’t love having another digital device. However, the thought of being able to actually read a chart instead of squinting to see a digital version is appealing. A wall of books in my home to impress guests is not all that appeal. Imagine the dust! Portability of a Kindle is handy. Makes my flight carry-on bag might lighter. I’m planning doing research and adding an non-Kindle e-reader to my Christmas list if it appears to be a good option. I’m not even sure where you can buy e-books other than Amazon (just how Bezos wants it!). For now, I’ll read my kindle and finish out all the books on there before likely moving to another device and never buying another e-book on Amazon ever again.

I’m aware there’s going to be challenges but I already feel free. I’ll be trying new products and likely supporting smaller businesses. I feel like I’ve sent a very small message and hope others have joined me. I know I’m going to miss the convenience of the highly reliable and fast delivery of products but this is worth it. Jeff Bezos is a coward and doesn’t deserve any more of our money.

I had a thought this weekend that I had thoughts. And I wanted to share those thoughts. I don’t have social media, I’m primarily online to read United States based news. I don’t expect anyone to even read this. I don’t really know what or why I’m even doing this. I think I want a voice. Even if I’m shouting into nowhere, this will be that nowhere. And I’ll see where it goes from there.