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The Amazon tax

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Re: The Amazon tax

#261

Post by andrewla »

yuck39 wrote: post #56
automatic6131 wrote: post #5

Amazon is almost completely unusable for search at this stage. I think perhaps 3/4 of the results are sponsored ads. Three in four. Trying to find a good deal on a product, even if you know precisely what you're looking for, is a real headache of trying to dodge the advertisement minefield.

I imagine most readers haven't tried tiktok shop (or similar Chinese consumer shopping platforms). ByteDance has reimplemented their now infamous video suggestion algorithm for shopping and it is _very_ effective. Once the infrastructure and logistics of the Chinese eCommerce platforms improve in the US, it will be so much better that I imagine that Bezos only recourse will be to have congress ban them (a la the Chin…

I have used this shop, but I do not agree that the experience is a good one. It is abysmal -- the standard for tiktok shop / aliexpress / temu is to offer you all sorts of "deals" that never actually apply. "Oh, you picked this item? Pick another four items and all of them are FREE!!! FREE!!! Also you have to buy a fifth one. Oh, and this only activates once you've spent more that $100. FREE!! FREE!!!"

Way worse than Amazon because at least Amazon is just showing you products and telling you how much they cost.

Re: The Amazon tax

#262

Post by throwaway2037 »

everforward wrote: post #206
Game_Ender wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have some insight into in what areas it’s better and how that is?

I’ve bought some stuff off there and can tease out some aspects, though they may be after the fact rationalizations of subconscious effects. The first is price. The stuff is cheap, as in so cheap I know it will be terrible and I still sort of don’t care. It’s $2, if I only use it twice I got my moneys worth. That makes it super easy to hit Buy without thinking much. The second is that they appear to target verticals…

    > The third is the marriage of entertainment and shopping. I can be doomscrolling, see an ad and buy it without ever leaving the platform. If I remember right, it doesn’t even interrupt your doomscrolling really.
No trolling: This prose is wonderful. It reads like something out of a sequel to the film "A Scanner Darkly".

Re: The Amazon tax

#264

Post by ptmkenny »

radicality wrote: post #166
toomuchtodo wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have a Costco nearby, highly recommend for the products they carry. I pay for the executive membership, and also ship products to where ever I need using their online shopping. (no affiliation, I just love the company and how they treat their employees and customers, strong value for price paid imho)

Is the Costco shipping good / good inventory / similar or same as in store prices? Should I consider it if living in a city like ny? I live in central nyc, been only a few times to a Costco, and had no idea they even do any shipping! I assumed that part of all those good prices is the smaller selection, large minimum quantities, and that you have to get yourself there with a car to get it in person.

Costco shipping is "free," but the prices on the website are more than in the store. I'm pretty sure it's based on weight; heavy stuff has a more pronounced markup. But, it saves you a trip, and the prices are low to start so it still may be significant savings. There's also a web-only deals section for clearing out inventory (I picked up some Philips Hue lights for half off).

Re: The Amazon tax

#265

Post by StilesCrisis »

I've tried to replace Amazon with other vendors where possible. You can get partway there, but half the time, my orders get delivered from an Amazon warehouse anyway. Smaller vendors have basically surrendered logistics to Amazon entirely. At least I'm not giving Amazon ad revenue if I don't order directly through them!

Re: The Amazon tax

#266

Post by cute_boi »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #149
cute_boi wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would love to support mom and pop stores if they don't charge 25% more than amazon. Here, in NY buying from small store means getting ripped off.

Yeah, those moms and pops are ripping us off, living like… well, not like Bezos.

You are assuming all moms and pops are poor and barely thriving. This isn't case with many stores. I have worked as clerk and I know the margin.

I am sorry, but I will not buy 20 cents water at $2.

Re: The Amazon tax

#267

Post by pixl97 »

mohamedkoubaa wrote: post #66
troupo wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> other online platforms, including Etsy. For the past decade Etsy has been a rebranded Temu/Ali Express. There's almost nothing local, or original, or worth anything on it. All large online shopping services converge onto the same Amazon model.

There are people who rent time at my local makerspace who sell on Etsy. Maybe the issue is that Etsy doesn't make it easy to find them?

Another thing that happens is your local shop will set up one Etsy store, the el cheapo junk stores may set up a huge number of different shops selling the same set of products.

Re: The Amazon tax

#268

Post by Fordec »

I'm honestly at the stage where I'm finding the same product but cheaper in the local retailer. I don't mean a dollar here or there, I mean a full 30% cheaper. Particularly most things food related. I used to be putting in an order weekly, I now haven't in almost three months.

Re: The Amazon tax

#270

Post by muvlon »

micromacrofoot wrote: post #246
muvlon wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This "dark forest" feeling is what has recently driven me back to brick-and-mortar stores. Of course they can and do manipulate me via ads, store layout etc. but at least the store looks the same for me as for the person before or after me. They can't algorithmically optimize the store around my behavior in particular.

ah but what they can manipulate around you is the price , which is a behavior some places are trying to get ahead of https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/2026/20260723a.shtml

Has that actually happened in retail stores? All I can find on the topic is about online purchases (or ordering/paying online and picking it up at the store).

To do this in brick-and-mortar, you'd have to use remotely programmable price tags and detect who is looking at what, which seems doable, but then you still run into all kinds of tough questions with no good answers. If I happen to see the price tag change from $3.49 (perhaps set for the person in front of me) to $4.49 and I put that item in my cart, which price am I getting charged at the register? And did a legal sale even occur if I wasn't aware what I would be paying? I don't think it's going to work.

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