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Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

nytimes.com

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Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#41

Post by jermaustin1 »

undefined3840 wrote: post #26
shoes_for_thee wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That'd be pretty to think so, but the wide majority of the Satmar community lives in poverty and is dependent on government benefits. The tendency towards entrepreneurship -- if there is one -- is more likely to be the result of being unwilling or unable to assimilate into a non-religious society. I can't speak for the LDSs, since I don't know them.

I grew up with a lot of Mormons...anecdotally would say their families were more often SMB owners than not. Utah also has a pretty happening tech scene nowadays.

I grew up in a small Texas town with an outsized population of Mormons, and the ones I knew were either public sector or business owners.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#43

Post by fortran77 »

microcolonel wrote: post #42
fortran77 wrote: post #2

Buzz Feed News (yes!) covered this same story with much more sensitivity several weeks ago. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leticiamiranda/amazon-o...

Honestly asking what due sensitivity was missed here.

They talk about the Hasidic community as if they were Martians.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#44

Post by jermaustin1 »

richeyrw wrote: post #34
undefined3840 wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I grew up with a lot of Mormons...anecdotally would say their families were more often SMB owners than not. Utah also has a pretty happening tech scene nowadays.

I am a Mormon SMB owner, and I agree with your point, but in the interest of full disclosure, there is a darker side to this tendency as well. Utah (read Mormons) is the MLM capital of the world, with other get rich quick schemes being pretty popular as well. https://talkingpointsmemo.com/theslice/mormon-utah-valley-mu...

I had always wondered if there was a link between MLMs and Mormons. They are always overly upbeat and Christian (classic Mormon stereotypes) in their marketing, and so many of them are in Utah.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#45

Post by electriclove »

gbear605 wrote: post #10
electriclove wrote: post #6

People making a business selling on Amazon.. If you left out the religion, would this be a story? Is the point to get NYT and BuzzFeed clicks? Is it to get more attendance at the 'how you can get rich selling on Amazon' conferences? For better or worse, is it to show how a certain demographic is making a lot of money? I'm not a fan of these articles..

It’s interesting that a extremely disproportionate number of Orthodox Jews sell on Amazon. The mesh (as opposed to clash) of religion and modern technology and culture makes the article meaningful.

This type of article panders to a couple audiences:

- 'Gee, those super religious Jews who I though are technologically deficient.. well they are really quite capable and successful selling on Amazon'

- 'Those Jews are making a lot of money selling on Amazon'

I have issues with both of those responses

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#46

Post by ska »

undefined3840 wrote: post #9

I think there’s something about knowing you need to care for a large family (e.g. a member of a religion that values having lots of kids) that is motivating for entrepreneurs in a way I don’t always hear about e.g. entrepreneurial tendencies among Hasidic Jews and Mormons

Self-employment of any kind gives you a lot more freedom to integrate your religious practice into your working life without friction. I suspect that has much more to do with it than family size or any inherent entrepreneurialism.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#47

Post by yellowstuff »

supahfly_remix wrote: post #7

Does the Hasidic community have any advantages in the reseller market? With some of their traditional businesses, such as the diamond trade they do: evaluating gems, connections for sourcing stones, etc.

B&H, an electronics super store in Manhattan, is owned by Hasidic Jews, and it sells new and used gear. The web site won't even take orders on Shabbat. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people selling new or used electronics have some connection to B&H or another brick and mortar store.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#48

Post by snarf21 »

pchristensen wrote: post #32
undefined3840 wrote: post #9

I think there’s something about knowing you need to care for a large family (e.g. a member of a religion that values having lots of kids) that is motivating for entrepreneurs in a way I don’t always hear about e.g. entrepreneurial tendencies among Hasidic Jews and Mormons

For Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the entrepreneurship roots go back to the early church history. Between 1831-1847, members of the church established 4 settlements and were expelled from 3(Kirtland, OH; Western Missouri; Nauvoo, IL; Salt Lake City). These areas were all frontiers at the time, and grew to become the largest cities in their region, which drew fear and persecution from people in the surrounding areas. S…

The last point can't be overstated. Sales is largely about overcoming and largely overcoming rejection. After 1000 rejections, they roll off. Lots of people stop at the first or second.

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#49

Post by electriclove »

supahfly_remix wrote: post #7

Does the Hasidic community have any advantages in the reseller market? With some of their traditional businesses, such as the diamond trade they do: evaluating gems, connections for sourcing stones, etc.

There are also some online communities that facilitate networking in this area such as https://forums.dansdeals.com/

Re: Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy

#50

Post by zaptheimpaler »

electriclove wrote: post #45
gbear605 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s interesting that a extremely disproportionate number of Orthodox Jews sell on Amazon. The mesh (as opposed to clash) of religion and modern technology and culture makes the article meaningful.

This type of article panders to a couple audiences: - 'Gee, those super religious Jews who I though are technologically deficient.. well they are really quite capable and successful selling on Amazon' - 'Those Jews are making a lot of money selling on Amazon' I have issues with both of those responses

So you assume only bigoted responses to anything that mentions religion, meaning you have issues with any mention of religion at all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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