Sadly, it was like fining them a penny on a thousand dollar transaction. They don't give a FUGG, baby! 😂🤣😂 You cannot stop the combine of greed; everyone who isn't uber-wealthy will get ground into mulch. That's capitalism for ya. The one with the most monopolies "wins". Just like the children's game! And what a bloody terrible thing that game TEACHES kids, eh?!
@@Novastar.SaberCombatthe creator of Monopoly intended it as a warning against unchecked capitalism, and it was published with two sets of rules, the ones we play by today and one where all players benefited from property acquired and rent charged. Parker Brothers did away with the second set of rules when they began marketing the game.
how were they ever allowed to take over the phones anyway...??? those phones now they call burners, cuz ppl don't want you I'm they bee's wax...of age when didnt need (g) to make calls & text... or pre~download apps on when purchased. you would choose whatever ya wanted to, not them...🤦♀️🤨🤦♂️ only probably once a month any of these devices leave the home, only one reason. do not take these anywhere just going out, no. don't walk around the home w/ them, only in one room...too much invasion of privacy & don't appreciate it..
The part that is really annoying is that so many people in rural areas have few choices for brick and mortar alternatives. The number of times local stores have not carried what I need is endlessly frustrating.
@clarissathompson - I buy everything through eBay. I sell on eBay as well. I stopped selling on Amazon when I realized that, while I might sell a book that I originally purchased for $15.00, for $5.00, Amazon bases their commission on the *original price that I paid for the book.* Personally, I think that's unethical, deceptive and just plain wrong. Once I found that out, then I stopped selling things on Amazon. Furthermore, the many Chinese sellers are not distinguished from USA sellers so if you have a problem with a Chinese seller - well, good luck getting that resolved! While eBay has that problem as well, you can (and I have) complained to eBay about that and they mostly try to fix the problem. They don't always succeed, but they try.
@@MelissaThompson432 however, for those of us that live outside the US, frequently there are few alternatives simply because they won’t ship to our countries.
Amazon provides options that the local marketplace cannot these days, and you cannot get into an automobile accident shopping at Amazon. As someone once said about hunting wild game - Did you ever see a person accidentally shoot themselves at the supermarket meat counter? For someone who lives in Canada, Amazon provides access to products I simply cannot get locally or nationally with the certainty of a delivery date. I often order from Home Depot too rather than go to the store - its cheaper than going in person if you want to contiue working. Amazon is just a part of our culture and mannerism now.
I stopped shopping on Amazon years ago. Until Jeff Bezos pays his fair share of taxes. Instead, I flip the old practice and use Amazon to figure out what I want. Then I go to a brick and mortar store and buy it.
I think I'm gonna try using that tactic too. I don't shop in Amazon a whole lot and I am a naturally skeptical person. Whenever I see "MASSIVE SAVINGS" my brain cannot avoid thinking "Are they _really_ ? What were the prices _before_ those supposed 'savings' and how do I know you aren't price gouging me? Oh wait I can't know for certain so I'll look elsewhere. Is it really massive "savings" if I buy something that I didn't originally plan on buying just because the price seems to have gone down?" I bought a studded bike tire to get through winter and I bought from a local bike shop, they deserved my money even though I did end up spending a little more going there than if I were to get one off of Amazon. Well worth the extra $30 or so.
Not going to lie- Amazon helped us out so much when we had a baby and needed diapers all the time. That being said, I am concerned by how people feel “entitled” to convenience. We’re not renewing our membership once it runs out and have gone back to buying almost all of groceries at Union supporting or local grocery stores and farmers markets instead of Whole Foods. It makes me happy that GenZ prefers brick and mortar shopping over online- a Barnes and Noble is opening near us which feels like a good sign. Thanks Robert Reich for always keeping us informed.
This is what companies do! Market monopoly is the desired goal of every company. Anti-trust laws should disallow this but laws are nothing without enforcement. Anyone who uses Amazon as their only source is making a big mistake. It literally pays to comparison shop.
@@jefferson92929 and there lies the problem. The people that care about employees so much arent employers. so go be an employer or shut the phuck up about what others do
I get second jobs sometimes and I worked ACY-5 in New Jersey. Everything they say about how Amazon treats their employees is true. It was interesting to become part of a news story.
@@coralie9469 there's a good blog post on this topic on the personal finance site B*tches Get Riches that includes a lot of reader suggestions in the comments for alternative retailers. Google "stop feeding Amazon" and it should come up.
I’m in my upper 60’s and saw this becoming a problem as big corporations gobbled up all the mom and pop stores! Less competition means they can pretty much charge what they want because you can’t get it easily anywhere else!!
May i add - why doesn't anyone mention their newest tactics where you can't even find the question you posted on a product? You get emailed that nobody could answer your Q. Then, when you wish to delete and repost your Q, in the hope a new batch of informed people can help, it's nowhere to be found! That is pure socialism & subterfuge! And why did they zap the helpful comments area a few years ago? That, too, was/is socialism!
Yup. I'm an independent (and award-winning) author, but I deliberately never listed my books on 'Zon nor GR. I've been absolutely *DESTROYED* because of it. Literally dozens upon dozens of trolls, stalkers, scammers, psychos, and other wackos have attacked me, flagged me, reported me, and essentially made me nearly 100% invisible. It's been incredible to see how far humanity will go to destroy itself. The sheer irony of all this is that one of the thematic underpinnings of my entire series is none other than REFLECTION. Stay classy, humanity. :/
@@Novastar.SaberCombat I'm skeptical that people were harassing you for not listing on Amazon rather than for the content of your books or some other behavior...
I had a book regarding how Walmart moves in and strip minds the communities. All the Ma and Pa stores close and once they make "enough" money they pull up their stakes and leave. I live in a small rural community and when Walmart went super Walmart many businesses closed, now they are getting ready to close. I have been going to second hand shops for clothes most of my life. Our house style is hand me down from friends or we pick up at second hand stores.
Not that I don't agree that Amazon has too much power, but If Amazon were government run (publicly owned?), it would work about as well as the VA and you'd get your orders when they felt like it
@@EricRosenfield That's a good point, but I think the complexity of an actual organization that sells and fulfills orders and inefficiencies and lack of innovation resulting from a government run entity would lead to a poor outcome
@@dilaudid1 Nah the government could just own some shares and receive a dividend. They don't have to own the entire thing. Which could bet better than taxation, if all companies of a certain size had to do it.
I agree on every point but I do believe that Amazon is not the only company that is playing the Monopoly game. Walmart / Sam's club, Target and Walgreens have done the same thing but Amazon learned from their mistakes to beat them at their own game. It was always sad to watch a store close because Walmart moved in down the street receiving tax breaks that allowed them to not pay local taxes for 5 to 10 years. These companies all leech on America's assisted living programs.
Yes, all these big-name companies behave this way. The nature of a company, inherently in capitalism, is anti competitive. This is why we need strong anti-monopoly legislation, to protect competitors from being pushed out of business, especially those smaller, locally owned businesses. Capitalism unchecked will not stay capitalism as all the wealth shifts into the hands of the few. Too many people have been trained to shudder at the word "regulation", but that's part of what's necessary to fix this.
@@zoyadulzura7490 I almost agree with you 100% BUT...... I believe we need accountability. When a state leeches 98% of it's economy from the federal government, which it's party only makes up 29% of the total USA economy, than makes the comment that the government should be shrunk and stop the illegal immigrants, which contribute $11 billion in taxes and $300 billion in spending while using less than 5% of the USA resources. Illegal immigrants contribute more than the bottom 11 states do in taxes and spending which 9 are Republican states. We allow companies to go out of business and we need to do the same for states. I do believe in investing in states, Colorado 23 years ago was one of the bottom states that leeched 93% of it's economy from the federal government but is now the top 3 states for growth and is now number 14 in the bottom 25 states. Colorado only leeches 81% of it's economy. Yet we have other states that do not improve and continue to leech more than half their economies while complaining about socialism. The bottom 25 states leech a minimum of 74% up to 98% of their economies from the federal government. 21 of those states are Republican states. Every single recession, highest unemployment with more companies going out of business while growing the economy at 2.3% versus liberals 3.6%, for the last 43 years have been caused by Republicans. The highest deaths due to unnatural causes, Afghanistan / Iraq 4.5 million and COVID-19 1.13 million, and yet no one was held accountable.
Nearly quit all Amazon purchasing. I found out I was paying for items available near my home, shipped out through this mega monopoly. The seller was less than 2-3 miles away.
The problem in rural communities is there is no place to shop. In my town Walmart ran out Kmart, J.C. Penny, and who knows what other stores, leaving it the only option. So, we turn to online shopping and while I'm sure what you are saying is true, the one thing Amazon does is make it easy to shop. I try to but other places, but on my limited income I must select the cheapest place possible. Often times, regardless of what is said, Amazon is the least expensive option.
I find Amazon to be cheaper then Walmart if with the shipping added and like you said i live in rural community and the nearest store is 60 miles away also when my brake caliper went out i couldnt drive but Amazon had it here the next day so leave them the he// alone !
Somebody is tripping. I buy photography supplies. I remember when I had run here and there to get what I needed. Wasting time, gas, etc. Amazon stopped all of that plus cheaper prices, more options, and always in stock.
I don't have any trouble avoiding Amazon. I live in a town of 1700, and I'm 15 miles from even the closest Wal-Mart, which I also don't patronize. I live on less than $1000/mo. It just depends on where your morals meet the road.
@@Childfree_ForeverA pre owned disk copy of a game is easily 15 dollars on Ebay or GameStop, whereas it is 40+ on Amazon. Also when I replaced my laptops battery, it costed almost twice as much on Amazon as it did at an electronics store nearby. Sounds like you should check out more options if you want actual deals. I see my friends wayy overpay for products on Amazon all the time
@@TheFrandall that’s the next level. But intrinsically, as soon as money enters the equation there is no purity of intention. Many people evolve around business, business everything. But not everyone. I’m glad to see there is still real altruism among some.
On a related note, I find most knitting and quilting supplies on amazon are the same price or occasionally _more_ expensive than the brick & mortar quilt & yarn shops.
Essentially, every unethical, exploitative, 'maximize profit without consideration regarding harmful consequences' decision made by company executives are REWARDED! Many people complain about BIG government but they ignore the fact that our only leverage to is keep creating legislation and regulations to mitigate the harm which they continue to do.
@@tchkvsky Consumers also have the vote and can vote for politicians who enact consumer protection policies. You don't just have to vote with your wallet. Of course people are going to choose the cheapest thing, especially when these most companies are paying people lower and lower wages (when accounting for inflation). However, if something that should cost $50 is also selling for $30, consumers have no way of knowing if the seller selling it for $50 is merely overcharging or if that extra cost is paying their employees better, following better practices for the environment, using higher quality materials, etc. Good government regulation protects companies that are trying to be good from being undercut by companies with no morals.
This is true. I had to stop selling on amazon because the fees to amazon to be found and eligible for prime took all the projected profit. Some succeed, but it's brutal.
I live in a very rural area. Amazon has enabled me to get products that are not available where I live. While I’m disgusted by their practices, I get more benefit by using them.
Same here. I would happily take another option if it were available. We just need the government to do some actual monopoly busting instead of just giving it lip service.
Yes, that's an aspect no one ever brings up. Some folks live in areas where the alternatives are few and far between. It's the entire reason mail-order became a thing in the first place.
Same here too. But why does nobody ever mention their newest tactics where you can't even find the question you posted on a product? You get emailed that nobody could answer your Q. Then, when you wish to delete and repost your Q, in the hope a new batch of people can help you, it's nowhere to be found! That is pure socialism & subterfuge!
@@aaronscholl9560You should contact the products manufacturers you rely upon directly, and cut Amazon out. Monopoly busting is consumer dillegence first, not simply something convenienced oriented to indifference. Whats closest to you, invest in your neighbors biz acquiring those goods and delivering them. Uber is just A ride share company. Not the only transport in town.
@@vroitwyrd If you researched and called the brand name on your chainsaw, you might have gotten it done all the sooner, without Amazon fiction writing.
The things I buy on Amazon are usually less expensive than I can get locally. The selection is far better. And the service - delivery to my door saves me far more time and money. Until that changes they have done a great thing for consumers.
I don't buy anything online because you have nobody to take it back to if it doesn't work. Besides, by going into a store I get to ask questions and say hello to the sales person. You can generally get the catalog of almost every store online, even restaurants.
Sadly as more and more brick-and-mortar stores close shop there won't be any other alternative. Some people in areas already have no alternative. A few people abandoning Amazon in the U.S. is not enough to make a dent. Change will have to come via regulation or legislation.
that's my situation. The drug stores around here have mostly closed up shop, and the one still open doesn't sell much of anything. Whole Paycheck and Safeway are equidistant from us, but Safeway often has higher prices! It's a mess and needs to be dealt with by government who allowed all this to happen in the first place, not consumers.
Reich has a point about monopolization, but I don't think he's right on pricing. Amazon is successful not because they've duped people into paying higher prices, but because of the exact opposite: their prices are typically lower than other places. Not across the board, of course, and not at all times, but I've comparison shopped a ton of stuff over the past couple of years b/c I saw some things skyrocket in price on Amazon during the pandemic. Probably 90% of the time, Amazon still has the best price. Peoples' dollars, on the whole, will flow to where the greatest value can be found (where "value" isn't solely limited to "price").
@@this_epic_name that’s the point, they have the lowest prices until you have no other choice sometime in the near future if they get their way unopposed.
Should be noted, online retail isn't the main source of Amazon's profits (it loses billions on retail), it's cloud computing, AWS is bigger than Google and Microsoft clouds combined. Nearly every single website you've visited since 2006 is hosted by AWS, and lots of world governments heavily rely on it. It's basically impossible to boycott Amazon even if you never visit Amazon itself. Government action to break them up is the only solution at this point.
@@this_epic_name low price and convenience USED to be the reason to shop at Amazon. But now, with so many janky fly-by-night brands and inferior quality of goods, i'm starting to shop at specific retailers now for quality over perceived affordability. Amazon quality is like Wish or Temu now. Complete junk.
me neither. after a snarky person told me i must continue using an account of my ex spouse as they would not let me set up a separaye one after divorce. sounds like the 60s??? it was in year 2000 at least maybe later. and no i cpuld not talk to anyone else. case closed. i was told i cpuld go elsewhere or buy under prev acct. i went elsewhere 25 yrs ago. no regrets either.
I would if local stores were more accommodating and had what I wanted, especially overseas (there are Amazon marketplaces abroad) where the norm is to haggle at some cash-only establishment.
I understand all that, but being disabled and unable to drive, online shopping became a lifesaver for me. And now the pharmacy also is a blessing. Our local pharmacy doesn't ship or deliver. Small companies complain about Amazon, but the locals don't offer simple services to customers they know are home bound.
@@iche9373 You don't have to nationalize it. You just have to break it up into smaller companies. The US used to do that when a house only cost twice the median yearly income. Now it 4 times, which is why we have homelessness. Break up the corporations and we will be back to being able to buy homes and goods at reasonable prices.
@@littlebitofhope1489 A state should always nationalise infrastructure like roads, trains, metro, power plants etc. Amazon is a part of the infrastructure. So You gotta nationalise it.
I must buy what I need online because I am unable to leave my home to shop. I try very hard to shop with merchants directly rather than Amazon. Amazon has two things that they do better than others. 1. They have a larger selection, and the quality is usually better. 2. The delivery is fast and reliable.
Don't feel bad about shopping on Amazon. I certainly don't. They are cheaper, they are faster, they have just about anything we need, and they offer more services.
I always try to buy directly from the retailer first, and only order from Amazon when the b&m store doesnt have it, and I can't order it from their website either. The trouble is, a lot of things I regularly need aren't sold in the store or on the store's website. So, I use Amazon for many consumer goods like my special allergenic toothpaste, because I'm allergic to mint flavoring. Or the laundry product that actually removes blood stains, or the reproduction hardware I need to replace broken knobs on furniture. Things that I can't find in stores. I really hate the way Amazon has usurped mom and pop, as well as the suppliers who make and distribute these items. But I also really appreciate the ability to order things and have them delivered instead of driving all over town, burning up gas, and wasting time looking for stuff that I already know I won't find. As with so many things nowadays, we just need for our government to step in and demand fair taxation from companies that are making trillions on the backs of workers. And then use that money for the betterment of all of us.
Amazon still only gives a half hour unpaid lunch break. Which is the cheapest you can possibly be. Clearly they can afford to pay for an hour lunch. Which is like a dime to most people. . Absolutely ridiculous.
I have greatly curtailed ordering via Amazon but living in Manhattan, nearby stores often do not stock things that I need. Also, often when I Google a product's website I am redirected to Amazon. This is a job for our government but too many of them get money from Amazon and do nothing!
but amazon is my favorite store and it's so convenient, and lately they've even been beating walmart on prices. And... they have the easiest, most customer friendly return policy. And... they maintain a record of all transactions for easy lookup and warranty use. Sorry, I don't think I'll be stopping shopping at amazon anytime soon.
It would certainly help the social programs in this country if we made them pay their fair share of taxes too! Then the repubs wouldn't have the ability to continuously threaten to cut Social Security or WIC etc., and we could even have affordable Health Care, can you imagine?! Just like the Civilized Countries in the World.
Except that's not how it works. Federal taxes DO NOT FUND Federal spending. Only state/local spending is funded by taxes. The real reason to tax the everliving fuck out of evial ass corporations/rich people, is to take away their hugely inequitable share of political power, in other words, take away their ability to buy to the government.
Make them pay? Good luck when the politicians they lobby/bribe are the ones that have to do it and won't go against they're own revenue stream that pays WAY more than their federal salary. How do you think people like Pelosi become millionaires while earning a federal salary?
It's Xmas 2023 and I only started using Amazon 6 months ago, I live in Europe. I gotta say that I only buy things that I need and everything I bought there was considerably cheaper than everywhere else I looked.
remember how hard it must hv been to pour all that tea in the ocean after its 3000 trip to boston? couldnt buy it from amazon back then. now we have monopolies.
The thing that kinda put me off of Amazon was their anticompetitive nature. I was looking for a certain item, and every retailer had the same price, except Amazon. The Amazon price was much lower than other retailers. So I reached out to one of the other retailers and this was the response I got: "Amazon is violating their dealer contract for selling [redacted] products below their proper price. [Redacted] will cancel contracts and fine everyone else for violating the dealer agreement, but Amazon always gets a pass. Doesn't seem right, does it?" Amazon has so much leverage that they can get away with breaking manufacturer rules. The other option is for those manufacturers to take their products off of the largest online market, which they obviously don't want to do. I asked the other retailer for a $20 discount which would have just covered the taxes on the $180 item (still more than the Amazon listing with the discount), and they did so without question. Amazon screws smaller retailers and even physical stores. I went around looking for shoe laces, SHOE LACES, and all of the stores in town, including specialty stores, had limited options, so I had no choice to buy online to get what I was looking for. Heck Amazon.
My job is to provide for my family as best I can. Pre-Amazon, pre-internet, most of the stuff that I currently buy on Amazon was purchased from small owner-operators in small square footage stores, in cheap strip malls. These guys didn't make any money back then, after paying rent on the bricks and mortar. Almost all of them went out of business. None of them had much selection or inventory. I fail to see how this would be construed as a superior business model to the same little guy trying to sell his products utilizing an already known global platform. If you think I'm going to waste my valuable time and gasoline driving around from store to store like I did a quarter century ago, you'll have to give your head a shake, because it's just not going to happen. When the lockdown hit in spring 2020, and my business went to WFH, I would not have been able to survive if I had not been able to order chairs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printer cartridges, etc. with overnight delivery from you know who. For the past three years, my annual gasoline bill is under $800/year. I'm saving thousands. This is no different than telling people not to buy cars in 1910, because all the buggy makers are going out of business.
@realam......astute observation. The corrupted politicians installed in offices these day LOOK THE OTHER WAY and keep collecting corporate donor-dollars inexchange for lobbyists writing corporate friendly, pro-monopoly, congress-enriching legislation. They USED TO protect citizens, but now put profits over people.
Thanks Robert, I have cut my dependence on AMAZON and quit them cold turkey, due to their degradation of services and poor customer help (and the ever increasing costs). Your video puts the period on that act.
I do shop around first. I look if can find used, then I look at other online sites (depending on what I need). If I need to buy from Amazon, I put it in my cart and then wait or remove it (sometimes the price will drop). As for Walmart, sometimes you can find items cheaper, but to get free shipping (it has to be $35 or higher, the total price of all items). But the price is the same as in the store, so I am saving time/money in gas/mileage on car having to go to all these stores. Overall I save a LOT of time/money shopping online. Before I would spend HOURS a week driving around to various stores, trying to find an item I needed (and I didn't have time to compare prices).
Over half of Amazon is smaller 3rd party sellers. I run a small business and we sell 90% of our sales come through Amazon. We have a great team that’s livelihoods all depend on Amazon. They have been a blessing for us.
I seldom (once or twice a year tops) buy at Amazon and gave up Prime years ago...and I am not missing Amazon one bit. I buy my books at my local book store and anything else elsewhere.
Personally had an experience that I’m sure many others have had. I wanted to purchase 2 pairs of work boots but bought just one to try them out before buying the 2nd pair. I received the boots, liked them and decided to order another pair. As I recall it was around 2 days later that I went to Amazon and found that the same boots were around 50% higher. I asked a friend to get on Amazon a check out what the price was on her account. She found the initial lower price. Need I say more?
Vote with your dollar, shop local even if it costs more. We made amazon this big by not seeing what we were doing, because too many wan't to go through life oblivious.
Thanks for the valuable information, Robert. I have never purchased anything from Amazon. We have big Amazon wearhouse here and too many of their trucks running around. I agree corporation greed and involvement in our government business is bad. No competition is not good.
You have always been the broker of sane, humane voices on social responsibility. My complaint of this video is that while the consumer rejection of Amazon is probably the only way to stop corporate greed from destroying everything I don’t think we’re up to it. We all know NO Republican administration would want to try. And that leaves the Dems. NO ONE has had the guts to stand up the obvious catastrophic impact on America of the raising costs of a Billionaire class.
I don't shop from Amazon, but many family members do and they simply don't care about anything except whatever is easiest for them. Monopolies, destruction of forests to make Amazon boxes, the emissions and wear and tear of roads that comes with making a trip with one package instead of a weeks worth of packages doesn't concern them as long as it is easy for them and they don't have to make anymore effort than pushing a button on their phone. Greed, stupidity, apathy, laziness, and lack of a moral compass and the people like Jeff Bezos who exploit will never end without good government to control monopolies. We need another Teddy Roosevelt as president.
Teddy was an ultra conservative who spent his time waging war on countries like Cuba to enhance US corporations interest. If you want a people's president try FDR. You don't think Walmart hurts people or the enviroment.
Wear and tear on the roads, are you serious? How do you think the goods reached the brick and mortar stores? By trucks maybe? So your family members lack a moral compass because they shop online with their phone and don't drive to the store instead? The comment section here is the loony bin.
@@moe47988 I used to order online at a local grocery store. I would get a months worth of groceries delivered to my door by a guy in a van. Instead of having 15 delivery trucks coming to my home every other day of the month. Big heavy vans come up and down our street now, instead of a family sedan going to the store for a weeks worth of groceries or other items from town like they way we did in the old days. And big heavy Fedex and UPS trucks back into our driveway now and are breaking up the asphalt. And brick and mortar stores are on roads designed for 18 wheelers. I've also noticed a lot more road kill since this all happened. These delivery guys always go well over the posted speed limit of our neighborhood and won't stop for animals, mostly box turtles which will probably be extinct in the next 50 years.
@@moe47988Thank you. These people are loony if they think I'm paying twice or three times as much for a product to keep small businesses afloat. NOPE!!!
In the uk we r lucky in the sense that most of us can choose to walk, cycle, bus or train to a shop. Altho the car & transportation by lorry is prevalent & the train system has got slightly loopy, there are still a sizable percentage who don't feel the need to own a car. I would rather eat my own vomit than use Amazon. I understand people who feel they have no alternatives re.online shopping & the likes of Amaz..., even if they would rather not. Pity it has come to that lack of choice & competition, which almost seems like old fashioned state communism, except for where the profits end up. I guess that's Neo Liberal Capitalism. Personally I can't see the attraction of it, with it's innate ecocidal tendancies & built in tax avoidance strategies.
Items showing up at my house in a few days at decent prices is a life saver for a guy on fixed low income with no vehicle. Amazon and wal mart saved me when I could not walk at all.
They have a great business model in that sense, because it's a service that is really needed for some people. It's just that they're getting so greedy now that they have a lot of unfair practices.
@@thinking7667 it’s your fault for letting your government get taken over by Rome. Hard to blame a company operating in a country with no laws other than rich do anything they want. If we had laws and authorities we could tax their income and enforce labor regulations
Thank you for this. Of course I'm horrified, yet totally unsurprised. Amazon treats its employees abysmally - factory workers, delivery drivers. Low wages and pressure, pressure, pressure. And they do everything they can to avoid making any tax contributions in foreign host nations. How different would it be if, instead of making disgusting profits, they treated their employees like human beings and we all worked for the benefit of each other. Ha! I'll keep dreaming.
For those whose wages don't surpass necessary spending by much, there isn't really another choice but to go with what's cheapest. It's exactly how Amazon and these other big companies with near-monopolies want it to be. It definitely helps when people, those who can afford to, choose a competitor of Amazon.
@@zoyadulzura7490 True. It is a double whammy when people that are financially struggling are shopping at a store that doesn’t pay their employees a livable wage. I guess the corollary is that people with higher incomes might consider shopping at places that pay their employees a livable wage. Congress should really just pass a law that requires all full-time adult workers be payed a livable wage at minimum. The wage amount could be tied to a cost of living index for the region they live in. The index would include housing, food, transportation, healthcare, etc. In the long run it is cheaper than government subsidies, and gives workers some dignity. It would also give many people a better chance for future success. We can still help those that can’t work.
@@Childfree_Forever Robert Reich is trying to, through advocating for a more equal society in which people are able to easily support themselves through a single, stable job, and in which companies cannot monopolize markets like this. That is effectively "giving us the money", or better, preventing that money from being hoarded by those who have no need for it.
I live in a area where there are a number of smaller retailers, food stores. We make it a point to try and find things that we can buy there for fear that without them we are truly at the behemoths mercy.
We need more voices like this man ,and less of the media pushing the cry baby billionaires , the old saying holds true those with the most cry the loudest.
At the end of the day I look to buy the cheapest item I can. If it turns out to save me money buying from Walmart or Amazon, that is where I will spend my money. Paying 2 to 3 dollars more buying locally does not help my budget whatsoever. Why is it up to the poor people to stop buying from places where their dollar goes the furthest?
This drives me nuts because I am the self proclaimed cheapest guy in the world and I never want to pay even a penny more for an item then I have to and I always have considered Amazon a major place to find a good deal. I put a lot of things on my wishlist and monitor them for months and even years and if it goes up, I just don't buy it. Thanks for the information on this matter.
It’s not enough to get ppl to stop shopping at Amazon. Despite the price gouging and greed, they are still extremely cheap and convenient with prime delivery. My wife didn’t bat an eye at this video, unfortunately.
This is so exactly what it was like during the last golden age. It's frightening that the only thing that cured that was a huge depression and two world wars. And now young people don't even believe those wars really happened. They better wake up.
If you live in a major urban area, you dont need Amazon Prime. Your packages will get to you way faster than dates listed for non prime free shipping. 2-3 days max if the item is not on back order.
It's really not, though. I don't have Prime, and shopping on Amazon has become a nightmare. They're always trying to opt me in to a trial of Prime (which or course automatically rolls to a paid subscription if not cancelled) and I have to be extra vigilant to not get stuck with one. They also always try to default me to paying for shipping even if I qualify for free shipping. I order from them as little as possible now because ordering from them feels like going to war, I need to have my guard up constantly.
Speak for yourself, and thank your lucky stars that you (and others like you) can take things for granted. It's not easy for me. Most stuff i buy there turns out to be junk, and i'm not near a UPS center (they only offer QR codes, and even if they still offered classic labels, their drop-boxes are restrictive). So returns are a nightmare. And costly. To me they're a major rip-off of both money and time.
How many brick and mortar stores have gone out of business (or closed stores) because of Amazon. Sears, K-Mart, Borders, Sports Authority,Toys R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Radio Shack, Tower Records... Then there are the thousands (?) of Mom & Pop stores that couldn't compete with a behemoth plus they paid TAXES!!!
Amazon has becoem a monopoly. A monopoly invariably abuses its power. Only real competition Amazon as is Costco. But the quality of Costco's online presence is much worse than Amazon's. Costco does well on its warehouses. Costco parking lots are always full. Walmart is probably losing. Their parking lots are not so full.
Counterpoint: Most of the things I buy have never been sold at these mythical “Brick and Mortar” stores about which everybody bemoans their untimely demise. Try getting 3D printer filament, 11 speed carbon fiber road bike performance parts, technical clothing in sizes other than XXL, specialty motorcycle tools, etc, etc. Amazon is a bargain.
I live in a small town where there are two dollar stores and that is it. The closest Wamart or regular retail store of any kind is over an hour away, so Amazon may be ripping you off, but it is saving me.
The only🎉 power we have is boycotting these companies. I feel sorry for the independent sellers, though . They are not paying their fare share in taxes, and they treat the help poorly .
I love the convenience, security, and fantastic organization of Amazon, and having everything in one place makes things so much easier. I agree they must be regulated, and pay their fair share, but I just can’t hate them for all the good they’ve done for me.
It's good to be aware of this, but I'm not sure consumers have any alternatives. The prices on Amazon are about the same as retail prices. I'm glad the government is stepping in to break up monopolies again.
I often compare prices before i buy from Amazon. It's my finding that Amazon is the same or lower than what I can find locally. The convenience is king.
I cancelled my prime membership and stopped shopping on Amazon last year and have found the process of buying from local brick and mortar stores to be more fun and satisfying.
Paranoid symptoms may range from mild to severe. They depend on the cause but, generally, a person who is paranoid may: be easily offended find it difficult to trust others not cope with any type of criticism assign harmful meanings to other people’s remarks be always on the defensive be hostile, aggressive and argumentative not be able to compromise find it difficult, if not impossible, to ‘forgive and forget’ assume that people are talking ill of them behind their back be overly suspicious - for example, think that other people are lying or scheming to cheat them not be able to confide in anyone find relationships difficult consider the world to be a place of constant threat feel persecuted by the world at large believe in unfounded ‘conspiracy theories’.
Love ya Robert… but this one is not ringing true for me. It is really easy to check other’s prices on like-kind or same items… and Amazon’s ongoing success is because, including shipping, they usually ARE the best deal. They are in business to MAKE money by getting goods to us for LESS money than we’d spend elsewhere- which is fine by me. Are they a great “corporate citizen”? No they are not and should be punished for anti-trust violations, market manipulation, price fixing, excessive executive compensation and other bad stuff. However… suggesting that they are priced too high is just WRONG, compared to other sellers.
Yes I too shop at Amazon. The convenience of shopping with them is great. Prices are good. They also tell you when an item might be available at a cheaper price. I have not had any issues shopping with Amazon. Are they monopolizing the shopping industry yes they are. But, again the perks of shopping with them makes it so easy. If I have to shop it will be with Amazon. All American corporations are out to make a profit no matter what.
Amazon used to be a great place to get products with the same price or cheaper and free shipping. Nowadays, their prices are much higher than the local stores.
Not to defend a corporate behemoth and glutton: but your best defense is always knowing the ball park figure for what something X at a given price should cost, allowing for convenience and quality, say. Not using cash and thinking a debit or credit card is a magical tool is the biggest "consumer" problem. Also, avoiding the fine print. Amazon, more than Walmart, likes to sell such common fare as groceries with "mixed" weights and measures, for example. Something X at so many pennies an ounce is a lot different calculation than the unit cost at a given dollar amount. They know you're busy and pressed for time. And we all know what time is. Also: Take the time to dispute botched deliveries or other issues. You'd be surprised what they're willing to refund "no questions asked".
Definitely Amazon must be forced to pay more taxes. It is simply too hard for most consumers to resist buying from Amazon instead of from local businesses. For instance, I needed a decent rechargeable lights for my bicycle. Local bike shop wants $55 for what I can buy on Amazon for $20 incl. shipping. Can’t beat that. I’d be fine if that price goes up by a few percent. It still won’t help small businesses unless they find markets that Amazon can’t touch, usually better services.
Google just lost an anti-trust lawsuit. Amazon must be put through the courts.
Sadly, it was like fining them a penny on a thousand dollar transaction. They don't give a FUGG, baby! 😂🤣😂 You cannot stop the combine of greed; everyone who isn't uber-wealthy will get ground into mulch. That's capitalism for ya. The one with the most monopolies "wins". Just like the children's game! And what a bloody terrible thing that game TEACHES kids, eh?!
@@Novastar.SaberCombatthe creator of Monopoly intended it as a warning against unchecked capitalism, and it was published with two sets of rules, the ones we play by today and one where all players benefited from property acquired and rent charged. Parker Brothers did away with the second set of rules when they began marketing the game.
Just nationalize Amazon in the name of the commonwealth
how were they ever allowed to take over the phones anyway...???
those phones now they call burners, cuz ppl don't want you I'm they bee's wax...of age when didnt need (g) to make calls & text... or pre~download apps on when purchased. you would choose whatever ya wanted to, not them...🤦♀️🤨🤦♂️ only probably once a month any of these devices leave the home, only one reason. do not take these anywhere just going out, no. don't walk around the home w/ them, only in one room...too much invasion of privacy & don't appreciate it..
Agree!!!
The part that is really annoying is that so many people in rural areas have few choices for brick and mortar alternatives. The number of times local stores have not carried what I need is endlessly frustrating.
@clarissathompson - I buy everything through eBay. I sell on eBay as well. I stopped selling on Amazon when I realized that, while I might sell a book that I originally purchased for $15.00, for $5.00, Amazon bases their commission on the *original price that I paid for the book.* Personally, I think that's unethical, deceptive and just plain wrong. Once I found that out, then I stopped selling things on Amazon. Furthermore, the many Chinese sellers are not distinguished from USA sellers so if you have a problem with a Chinese seller - well, good luck getting that resolved! While eBay has that problem as well, you can (and I have) complained to eBay about that and they mostly try to fix the problem. They don't always succeed, but they try.
I always do an online search. I find either what I want or something I like even better.
@@MelissaThompson432 however, for those of us that live outside the US, frequently there are few alternatives simply because they won’t ship to our countries.
Amazon provides options that the local marketplace cannot these days, and you cannot get into an automobile accident shopping at Amazon. As someone once said about hunting wild game - Did you ever see a person accidentally shoot themselves at the supermarket meat counter? For someone who lives in Canada, Amazon provides access to products I simply cannot get locally or nationally with the certainty of a delivery date. I often order from Home Depot too rather than go to the store - its cheaper than going in person if you want to contiue working. Amazon is just a part of our culture and mannerism now.
@@gregorymacneil2836 Staples is also very good for speed of shipping.
I stopped shopping on Amazon years ago. Until Jeff Bezos pays his fair share of taxes. Instead, I flip the old practice and use Amazon to figure out what I want. Then I go to a brick and mortar store and buy it.
I think I'm gonna try using that tactic too. I don't shop in Amazon a whole lot and I am a naturally skeptical person. Whenever I see "MASSIVE SAVINGS" my brain cannot avoid thinking "Are they _really_ ? What were the prices _before_ those supposed 'savings' and how do I know you aren't price gouging me? Oh wait I can't know for certain so I'll look elsewhere. Is it really massive "savings" if I buy something that I didn't originally plan on buying just because the price seems to have gone down?" I bought a studded bike tire to get through winter and I bought from a local bike shop, they deserved my money even though I did end up spending a little more going there than if I were to get one off of Amazon. Well worth the extra $30 or so.
Just nationalise Amazon!
very smart..
Yup!! I'd rather see my goods in person.
If you have a brick and mortar store nearby. That's great.
Not going to lie- Amazon helped us out so much when we had a baby and needed diapers all the time. That being said, I am concerned by how people feel “entitled” to convenience. We’re not renewing our membership once it runs out and have gone back to buying almost all of groceries at Union supporting or local grocery stores and farmers markets instead of Whole Foods. It makes me happy that GenZ prefers brick and mortar shopping over online- a Barnes and Noble is opening near us which feels like a good sign. Thanks Robert Reich for always keeping us informed.
In 1990s Barnes & Noble were mega stores putting favorite indie book sellers out of business. Seems it just keeps going round.
Wait...it runs out?
@@tkomla exactly
Whole Foods? Now there is some crazy pricing. There's one 25 minutes from us and I've been there once. No wonder it's referred to as Whole Paycheck.
This is what companies do! Market monopoly is the desired goal of every company. Anti-trust laws should disallow this but laws are nothing without enforcement. Anyone who uses Amazon as their only source is making a big mistake. It literally pays to comparison shop.
I gave up my Amazon addiction earlier this year. I don't like how they treat their employees, and now to learn about this.
why dont you hire those employees?
@@SgtJoeSmithbecause I’m not an employer
@@jefferson92929 and there lies the problem. The people that care about employees so much arent employers. so go be an employer or shut the phuck up about what others do
I get second jobs sometimes and I worked ACY-5 in New Jersey. Everything they say about how Amazon treats their employees is true. It was interesting to become part of a news story.
"We have the best government money can buy." Mark Twain
I have grown accustomed to the ease of ordering from Amazon. As of today - that will change. Thank you Robert.
Me too sadly, so could someone share some alternatives on the internet, please?! It seems they all take advantage at some level!
@@coralie9469 Electronics from New Egg or Microcenter.
@@coralie9469 there's a good blog post on this topic on the personal finance site B*tches Get Riches that includes a lot of reader suggestions in the comments for alternative retailers. Google "stop feeding Amazon" and it should come up.
I used to sell books through Amazon. I made about $3000 in a year or two. These were books I just had on shelves.
I hear you and I agree Robert, but all I know is...for what I buy, Amazon usually has the item, and it's usually the lowest price.
I’m in my upper 60’s and saw this becoming a problem as big corporations gobbled up all the mom and pop stores! Less competition means they can pretty much charge what they want because you can’t get it easily anywhere else!!
May i add - why doesn't anyone mention their newest tactics where you can't even find the question you posted on a product? You get emailed that nobody could answer your Q. Then, when you wish to delete and repost your Q, in the hope a new batch of informed people can help, it's nowhere to be found! That is pure socialism & subterfuge! And why did they zap the helpful comments area a few years ago? That, too, was/is socialism!
Yup. I'm an independent (and award-winning) author, but I deliberately never listed my books on 'Zon nor GR. I've been absolutely *DESTROYED* because of it. Literally dozens upon dozens of trolls, stalkers, scammers, psychos, and other wackos have attacked me, flagged me, reported me, and essentially made me nearly 100% invisible. It's been incredible to see how far humanity will go to destroy itself. The sheer irony of all this is that one of the thematic underpinnings of my entire series is none other than REFLECTION.
Stay classy, humanity. :/
@@Novastar.SaberCombat I'm skeptical that people were harassing you for not listing on Amazon rather than for the content of your books or some other behavior...
I had a book regarding how Walmart moves in and strip minds the communities. All the Ma and Pa stores close and once they make "enough" money they pull up their stakes and leave.
I live in a small rural community and when Walmart went super Walmart many businesses closed, now they are getting ready to close.
I have been going to second hand shops for clothes most of my life. Our house style is hand me down from friends or we pick up at second hand stores.
Very sad...@@dianadurr-ramsey567
Imagine if Amazon were publicly owned and had their goal to work for the public benefit rather than shareholder profits...
Not that I don't agree that Amazon has too much power, but If Amazon were government run (publicly owned?), it would work about as well as the VA and you'd get your orders when they felt like it
@@dilaudid1 I mean, the USPS is government run and they deliver things just fine...
@@EricRosenfield That's a good point, but I think the complexity of an actual organization that sells and fulfills orders and inefficiencies and lack of innovation resulting from a government run entity would lead to a poor outcome
@@dilaudid1 "lack of innovation" from the government which invented the internet and put people on the moon, sure, whatever you say
@@dilaudid1 Nah the government could just own some shares and receive a dividend. They don't have to own the entire thing. Which could bet better than taxation, if all companies of a certain size had to do it.
I agree on every point but I do believe that Amazon is not the only company that is playing the Monopoly game. Walmart / Sam's club, Target and Walgreens have done the same thing but Amazon learned from their mistakes to beat them at their own game. It was always sad to watch a store close because Walmart moved in down the street receiving tax breaks that allowed them to not pay local taxes for 5 to 10 years. These companies all leech on America's assisted living programs.
Yes, all these big-name companies behave this way. The nature of a company, inherently in capitalism, is anti competitive. This is why we need strong anti-monopoly legislation, to protect competitors from being pushed out of business, especially those smaller, locally owned businesses. Capitalism unchecked will not stay capitalism as all the wealth shifts into the hands of the few. Too many people have been trained to shudder at the word "regulation", but that's part of what's necessary to fix this.
@@zoyadulzura7490 I almost agree with you 100% BUT...... I believe we need accountability. When a state leeches 98% of it's economy from the federal government, which it's party only makes up 29% of the total USA economy, than makes the comment that the government should be shrunk and stop the illegal immigrants, which contribute $11 billion in taxes and $300 billion in spending while using less than 5% of the USA resources. Illegal immigrants contribute more than the bottom 11 states do in taxes and spending which 9 are Republican states. We allow companies to go out of business and we need to do the same for states. I do believe in investing in states, Colorado 23 years ago was one of the bottom states that leeched 93% of it's economy from the federal government but is now the top 3 states for growth and is now number 14 in the bottom 25 states. Colorado only leeches 81% of it's economy. Yet we have other states that do not improve and continue to leech more than half their economies while complaining about socialism.
The bottom 25 states leech a minimum of 74% up to 98% of their economies from the federal government. 21 of those states are Republican states. Every single recession, highest unemployment with more companies going out of business while growing the economy at 2.3% versus liberals 3.6%, for the last 43 years have been caused by Republicans. The highest deaths due to unnatural causes, Afghanistan / Iraq 4.5 million and COVID-19 1.13 million, and yet no one was held accountable.
@@mral6809it needed to be said. Thanks
Blame your city leaders for the tax breaks. That's why schools are failing and property taxes go up because it's all on the backs of the residents.
It's silly to believe that 100% of corporate taxes are not passed on to consumers.
Nearly quit all Amazon purchasing. I found out I was paying for items available near my home, shipped out through this mega monopoly. The seller was less than 2-3 miles away.
The problem in rural communities is there is no place to shop. In my town Walmart ran out Kmart, J.C. Penny, and who knows what other stores, leaving it the only option. So, we turn to online shopping and while I'm sure what you are saying is true, the one thing Amazon does is make it easy to shop. I try to but other places, but on my limited income I must select the cheapest place possible. Often times, regardless of what is said, Amazon is the least expensive option.
You are right. I don't know what he is talking about when he says Amazon jacks up prices. I have never found that to be true. Amazon is the cheapest.
I find Amazon to be cheaper then Walmart if with the shipping added and like you said i live in rural community and the nearest store is 60 miles away also when my brake caliper went out i couldnt drive but Amazon had it here the next day so leave them the he// alone !
Somebody is tripping. I buy photography supplies. I remember when I had run here and there to get what I needed. Wasting time, gas, etc. Amazon stopped all of that plus cheaper prices, more options, and always in stock.
I don't have any trouble avoiding Amazon. I live in a town of 1700, and I'm 15 miles from even the closest Wal-Mart, which I also don't patronize. I live on less than $1000/mo. It just depends on where your morals meet the road.
@@Childfree_ForeverA pre owned disk copy of a game is easily 15 dollars on Ebay or GameStop, whereas it is 40+ on Amazon. Also when I replaced my laptops battery, it costed almost twice as much on Amazon as it did at an electronics store nearby. Sounds like you should check out more options if you want actual deals. I see my friends wayy overpay for products on Amazon all the time
Wow. Just wow. I have admired this man for many years. I liked and subscribed. Thank you. : )
Exhausting. Money corrupts absolutely.
Actually it's people chosing to be greedy that corrupts.
@@TheFrandall that’s the next level. But intrinsically, as soon as money enters the equation there is no purity of intention. Many people evolve around business, business everything. But not everyone. I’m glad to see there is still real altruism among some.
Stopped shopping on Amazon years ago when I decided to work at one of their warehouses. That environment is the last place I want to be supporting.
I live an hour from any major store. Trust me, Amazon is cheaper than me driving an hour in the hopes I can find what I want.
On a related note, I find most knitting and quilting supplies on amazon are the same price or occasionally _more_ expensive than the brick & mortar quilt & yarn shops.
But you get the benefit of staying at home, not driving using expensive gas or your valuable time. Amazon is worth it imo
@@BigBearBloo Joann Fabrics is just as easy as Amazon, and frequently cheaper.
Essentially, every unethical, exploitative, 'maximize profit without consideration regarding harmful consequences' decision made by company executives are REWARDED! Many people complain about BIG government but they ignore the fact that our only leverage to is keep creating legislation and regulations to mitigate the harm which they continue to do.
When big businesses control big government we have the worst of both worlds.
This is an underrated comment.
That's the nature of business. Consumers have the cash, however, and can decide to play. Or not.
@@tchkvsky Consumers also have the vote and can vote for politicians who enact consumer protection policies. You don't just have to vote with your wallet. Of course people are going to choose the cheapest thing, especially when these most companies are paying people lower and lower wages (when accounting for inflation). However, if something that should cost $50 is also selling for $30, consumers have no way of knowing if the seller selling it for $50 is merely overcharging or if that extra cost is paying their employees better, following better practices for the environment, using higher quality materials, etc. Good government regulation protects companies that are trying to be good from being undercut by companies with no morals.
You certainly have a point there. There is a lot more to this problem than meets as easy look
This is true. I had to stop selling on amazon because the fees to amazon to be found and eligible for prime took all the projected profit. Some succeed, but it's brutal.
I don't see a problem here. If you don't like the price, shop somewhere else. Pretty simple.
I live in a very rural area. Amazon has enabled me to get products that are not available where I live. While I’m disgusted by their practices, I get more benefit by using them.
Same here. I would happily take another option if it were available. We just need the government to do some actual monopoly busting instead of just giving it lip service.
Yes, that's an aspect no one ever brings up. Some folks live in areas where the alternatives are few and far between. It's the entire reason mail-order became a thing in the first place.
Same here too. But why does nobody ever mention their newest tactics where you can't even find the question you posted on a product? You get emailed that nobody could answer your Q. Then, when you wish to delete and repost your Q, in the hope a new batch of people can help you, it's nowhere to be found! That is pure socialism & subterfuge!
@@aaronscholl9560You should contact the products manufacturers you rely upon directly, and cut Amazon out. Monopoly busting is consumer dillegence first, not simply something convenienced oriented to indifference.
Whats closest to you, invest in your neighbors biz
acquiring those goods and delivering them.
Uber is just A ride share company. Not the only transport in town.
@@vroitwyrd If you researched and called the brand name on your chainsaw, you might have gotten it done all the sooner, without Amazon fiction writing.
The things I buy on Amazon are usually less expensive than I can get locally. The selection is far better. And the service - delivery to my door saves me far more time and money.
Until that changes they have done a great thing for consumers.
I don't buy anything online because you have nobody to take it back to if it doesn't work. Besides, by going into a store I get to ask questions and say hello to the sales person. You can generally get the catalog of almost every store online, even restaurants.
Sadly as more and more brick-and-mortar stores close shop there won't be any other alternative. Some people in areas already have no alternative. A few people abandoning Amazon in the U.S. is not enough to make a dent. Change will have to come via regulation or legislation.
that's my situation. The drug stores around here have mostly closed up shop, and the one still open doesn't sell much of anything. Whole Paycheck and Safeway are equidistant from us, but Safeway often has higher prices! It's a mess and needs to be dealt with by government who allowed all this to happen in the first place, not consumers.
Reich has a point about monopolization, but I don't think he's right on pricing. Amazon is successful not because they've duped people into paying higher prices, but because of the exact opposite: their prices are typically lower than other places. Not across the board, of course, and not at all times, but I've comparison shopped a ton of stuff over the past couple of years b/c I saw some things skyrocket in price on Amazon during the pandemic. Probably 90% of the time, Amazon still has the best price.
Peoples' dollars, on the whole, will flow to where the greatest value can be found (where "value" isn't solely limited to "price").
@@this_epic_name that’s the point, they have the lowest prices until you have no other choice sometime in the near future if they get their way unopposed.
Should be noted, online retail isn't the main source of Amazon's profits (it loses billions on retail), it's cloud computing, AWS is bigger than Google and Microsoft clouds combined. Nearly every single website you've visited since 2006 is hosted by AWS, and lots of world governments heavily rely on it. It's basically impossible to boycott Amazon even if you never visit Amazon itself. Government action to break them up is the only solution at this point.
@@this_epic_name low price and convenience USED to be the reason to shop at Amazon. But now, with so many janky fly-by-night brands and inferior quality of goods, i'm starting to shop at specific retailers now for quality over perceived affordability. Amazon quality is like Wish or Temu now. Complete junk.
Never once used amazon......
BE VOCAL SHOP LOCAL ✊
me neither. after a snarky person told me i must continue using an account of my ex spouse as they would not let me set up a separaye one after divorce. sounds like the 60s??? it was in year 2000 at least maybe later. and no i cpuld not talk to anyone else. case closed. i was told i cpuld go elsewhere or buy under prev acct. i went elsewhere 25 yrs ago. no regrets either.
I would if local stores were more accommodating and had what I wanted, especially overseas (there are Amazon marketplaces abroad) where the norm is to haggle at some cash-only establishment.
no local stores left. no malls left. you people ran them out by buying online to save a buck
And now there’s Temu! Target is my go to store! Went to Macys the other day ….which was a ghost town. I don’t use Amazon but my children do!!!
I understand all that, but being disabled and unable to drive, online shopping became a lifesaver for me. And now the pharmacy also is a blessing. Our local pharmacy doesn't ship or deliver. Small companies complain about Amazon, but the locals don't offer simple services to customers they know are home bound.
Buying on Amazon is just like shopping street stalls in Shenzhen. Except you pay 29.99 USD for something wholesale for 1 dollar.
I remember a sign on a bookstore that said, in effect, don't use our restroom, use Amazon's. That bookstore is now out of business.
No surprise, I avoid Amazon at all costs.
Just nationalise Amazon!
@@iche9373 You don't have to nationalize it. You just have to break it up into smaller companies. The US used to do that when a house only cost twice the median yearly income. Now it 4 times, which is why we have homelessness. Break up the corporations and we will be back to being able to buy homes and goods at reasonable prices.
Agree@@littlebitofhope1489
Individual actions against systemic failures don’t mean much.
@@littlebitofhope1489 A state should always nationalise infrastructure like roads, trains, metro, power plants etc. Amazon is a part of the infrastructure. So You gotta nationalise it.
I must buy what I need online because I am unable to leave my home to shop. I try very hard to shop with merchants directly rather than Amazon. Amazon has two things that they do better than others. 1. They have a larger selection, and the quality is usually better. 2. The delivery is fast and reliable.
Don't feel bad about shopping on Amazon. I certainly don't. They are cheaper, they are faster, they have just about anything we need, and they offer more services.
Me too, we’ve been happy Amazon customers for years!
I would disagree on better quality overall
I always try to buy directly from the retailer first, and only order from Amazon when the b&m store doesnt have it, and I can't order it from their website either. The trouble is, a lot of things I regularly need aren't sold in the store or on the store's website. So, I use Amazon for many consumer goods like my special allergenic toothpaste, because I'm allergic to mint flavoring. Or the laundry product that actually removes blood stains, or the reproduction hardware I need to replace broken knobs on furniture. Things that I can't find in stores. I really hate the way Amazon has usurped mom and pop, as well as the suppliers who make and distribute these items. But I also really appreciate the ability to order things and have them delivered instead of driving all over town, burning up gas, and wasting time looking for stuff that I already know I won't find. As with so many things nowadays, we just need for our government to step in and demand fair taxation from companies that are making trillions on the backs of workers. And then use that money for the betterment of all of us.
Amazon still only gives a half hour unpaid lunch break. Which is the cheapest you can possibly be. Clearly they can afford to pay for an hour lunch. Which is like a dime to most people. . Absolutely ridiculous.
Slave nation
Robert Reich for president 2024🎉🎉🎉
I vote for that
Get this man a Shield!
capitalism doing capitalism things.
I have greatly curtailed ordering via Amazon but living in Manhattan, nearby stores often do not stock things that I need. Also, often when I Google a product's website I am redirected to Amazon. This is a job for our government but too many of them get money from Amazon and do nothing!
Just ordered from Burlington, Ulta and eBay. Thank you for this type of videos. 👍🏻
i live in a very rural area that has pretty much nothing but a walmart, so amazon is my only option for getting a lot of things i either need or want.
but amazon is my favorite store and it's so convenient, and lately they've even been beating walmart on prices. And... they have the easiest, most customer friendly return policy. And... they maintain a record of all transactions for easy lookup and warranty use. Sorry, I don't think I'll be stopping shopping at amazon anytime soon.
So the companies could just leave Amazon and charge less? Why do they bother with Amazon if it's a net negative for them?
I use them maybe once a year, if even that. And that only for lack of local supply.
It would certainly help the social programs in this country if we made them pay their fair share of taxes too! Then the repubs wouldn't have the ability to continuously threaten to cut Social Security or WIC etc., and we could even have affordable Health Care, can you imagine?! Just like the Civilized Countries in the World.
Yes❣️
Just imagine what could be if......
Except that's not how it works. Federal taxes DO NOT FUND Federal spending. Only state/local spending is funded by taxes. The real reason to tax the everliving fuck out of evial ass corporations/rich people, is to take away their hugely inequitable share of political power, in other words, take away their ability to buy to the government.
Make them pay? Good luck when the politicians they lobby/bribe are the ones that have to do it and won't go against they're own revenue stream that pays WAY more than their federal salary. How do you think people like Pelosi become millionaires while earning a federal salary?
You watch way too much MSNBC/CNN. Go outside for a walk once in a while.
It's Xmas 2023 and I only started using Amazon 6 months ago, I live in Europe. I gotta say that I only buy things that I need and everything I bought there was considerably cheaper than everywhere else I looked.
Amazon: "This is a pretty nice online store ya got here. Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it..."
Let's all join hands and sing, "Solidarity Forever" and a few verses of " We Shall Overcome."
remember how hard it must hv been to pour all that tea in the ocean after its 3000 trip to boston? couldnt buy it from amazon back then. now we have monopolies.
Without corporations and monopolies, some people wouldn't get rich complaining about the corporations and monopolies.
The thing that kinda put me off of Amazon was their anticompetitive nature. I was looking for a certain item, and every retailer had the same price, except Amazon. The Amazon price was much lower than other retailers. So I reached out to one of the other retailers and this was the response I got:
"Amazon is violating their dealer contract for selling [redacted] products below their proper price. [Redacted] will cancel contracts and fine everyone else for violating the dealer agreement, but Amazon always gets a pass. Doesn't seem right, does it?"
Amazon has so much leverage that they can get away with breaking manufacturer rules. The other option is for those manufacturers to take their products off of the largest online market, which they obviously don't want to do.
I asked the other retailer for a $20 discount which would have just covered the taxes on the $180 item (still more than the Amazon listing with the discount), and they did so without question.
Amazon screws smaller retailers and even physical stores. I went around looking for shoe laces, SHOE LACES, and all of the stores in town, including specialty stores, had limited options, so I had no choice to buy online to get what I was looking for. Heck Amazon.
My job is to provide for my family as best I can. Pre-Amazon, pre-internet, most of the stuff that I currently buy on Amazon was purchased from small owner-operators in small square footage stores, in cheap strip malls. These guys didn't make any money back then, after paying rent on the bricks and mortar. Almost all of them went out of business. None of them had much selection or inventory. I fail to see how this would be construed as a superior business model to the same little guy trying to sell his products utilizing an already known global platform. If you think I'm going to waste my valuable time and gasoline driving around from store to store like I did a quarter century ago, you'll have to give your head a shake, because it's just not going to happen. When the lockdown hit in spring 2020, and my business went to WFH, I would not have been able to survive if I had not been able to order chairs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printer cartridges, etc. with overnight delivery from you know who. For the past three years, my annual gasoline bill is under $800/year. I'm saving thousands. This is no different than telling people not to buy cars in 1910, because all the buggy makers are going out of business.
But it looks like the government let it happen. And do nothing about it.
@realam......astute observation. The corrupted politicians installed in offices these day LOOK THE OTHER WAY and keep collecting corporate donor-dollars inexchange for lobbyists writing corporate friendly, pro-monopoly, congress-enriching legislation.
They USED TO protect citizens, but now put profits over people.
That's very valuable information, thanks Dr. Reich!
Thanks Robert, I have cut my dependence on AMAZON and quit them cold turkey, due to their degradation of services and poor customer help (and the ever increasing costs). Your video puts the period on that act.
I do shop around first. I look if can find used, then I look at other online sites (depending on what I need). If I need to buy from Amazon, I put it in my cart and then wait or remove it (sometimes the price will drop). As for Walmart, sometimes you can find items cheaper, but to get free shipping (it has to be $35 or higher, the total price of all items). But the price is the same as in the store, so I am saving time/money in gas/mileage on car having to go to all these stores. Overall I save a LOT of time/money shopping online. Before I would spend HOURS a week driving around to various stores, trying to find an item I needed (and I didn't have time to compare prices).
I tell people that Amazon will own us if we don't stop letting them take over. The only time I order from them is if I've been given a gift card.
Thank you for this info. I never buy from Amazon, and never will. I really like to support our local merchants.
Over half of Amazon is smaller 3rd party sellers. I run a small business and we sell 90% of our sales come through Amazon. We have a great team that’s livelihoods all depend on Amazon. They have been a blessing for us.
I seldom (once or twice a year tops) buy at Amazon and gave up Prime years ago...and I am not missing Amazon one bit. I buy my books at my local book store and anything else elsewhere.
Personally had an experience that I’m sure many others have had. I wanted to purchase 2 pairs of work boots but bought just one to try them out before buying the 2nd pair. I received the boots, liked them and decided to order another pair. As I recall it was around 2 days later that I went to Amazon and found that the same boots were around 50% higher. I asked a friend to get on Amazon a check out what the price was on her account. She found the initial lower price.
Need I say more?
Interesting, thanks for the share
American citizens dont have much control over many things, but we can control where and how we spend our money
Exactly
Vote with your dollar, shop local even if it costs more. We made amazon this big by not seeing what we were doing, because too many wan't to go through life oblivious.
Thanks for the valuable information, Robert. I have never purchased anything from Amazon. We have big Amazon wearhouse here and too many of their trucks running around. I agree corporation greed and involvement in our government business is bad. No competition is not good.
Thank you for keeping us informed about the issues that really matter. 👍
Everyone should support and buy from local shops as much as possible.
You have always been the broker of sane, humane voices on social responsibility. My complaint of this video is that while the consumer rejection of Amazon is probably the only way to stop corporate greed from destroying everything I don’t think we’re up to it. We all know NO Republican administration would want to try. And that leaves the Dems. NO ONE has had the guts to stand up the obvious catastrophic impact on America of the raising costs of a Billionaire class.
I don't shop from Amazon, but many family members do and they simply don't care about anything except whatever is easiest for them. Monopolies, destruction of forests to make Amazon boxes, the emissions and wear and tear of roads that comes with making a trip with one package instead of a weeks worth of packages doesn't concern them as long as it is easy for them and they don't have to make anymore effort than pushing a button on their phone. Greed, stupidity, apathy, laziness, and lack of a moral compass and the people like Jeff Bezos who exploit will never end without good government to control monopolies. We need another Teddy Roosevelt as president.
Teddy was an ultra conservative who spent his time waging war on countries like Cuba to enhance US corporations interest. If you want a people's president try FDR. You don't think Walmart hurts people or the enviroment.
Wear and tear on the roads, are you serious? How do you think the goods reached the brick and mortar stores? By trucks maybe? So your family members lack a moral compass because they shop online with their phone and don't drive to the store instead? The comment section here is the loony bin.
@@moe47988 I used to order online at a local grocery store. I would get a months worth of groceries delivered to my door by a guy in a van. Instead of having 15 delivery trucks coming to my home every other day of the month. Big heavy vans come up and down our street now, instead of a family sedan going to the store for a weeks worth of groceries or other items from town like they way we did in the old days. And big heavy Fedex and UPS trucks back into our driveway now and are breaking up the asphalt. And brick and mortar stores are on roads designed for 18 wheelers. I've also noticed a lot more road kill since this all happened. These delivery guys always go well over the posted speed limit of our neighborhood and won't stop for animals, mostly box turtles which will probably be extinct in the next 50 years.
@@moe47988Thank you. These people are loony if they think I'm paying twice or three times as much for a product to keep small businesses afloat. NOPE!!!
In the uk we r lucky in the sense that most of us can choose to walk, cycle, bus or train to a shop. Altho the car & transportation by lorry is prevalent & the train system has got slightly loopy, there are still a sizable percentage who don't feel the need to own a car. I would rather eat my own vomit than use Amazon. I understand people who feel they have no alternatives re.online shopping & the likes of Amaz..., even if they would rather not.
Pity it has come to that lack of choice & competition, which almost seems like old fashioned state communism, except for where the profits end up. I guess that's Neo Liberal Capitalism. Personally I can't see the attraction of it, with it's innate ecocidal tendancies & built in tax avoidance strategies.
Items showing up at my house in a few days at decent prices is a life saver for a guy on fixed low income with no vehicle. Amazon and wal mart saved me when I could not walk at all.
Right
I agree and have been in the same boat, but I've also noticed the prices getting higher and higher. Like ridiculously high.
They have a great business model in that sense, because it's a service that is really needed for some people. It's just that they're getting so greedy now that they have a lot of unfair practices.
@@thinking7667 it’s your fault for letting your government get taken over by Rome. Hard to blame a company operating in a country with no laws other than rich do anything they want. If we had laws and authorities we could tax their income and enforce labor regulations
Thank you for this. Of course I'm horrified, yet totally unsurprised.
Amazon treats its employees abysmally - factory workers, delivery drivers. Low wages and pressure, pressure, pressure. And they do everything they can to avoid making any tax contributions in foreign host nations.
How different would it be if, instead of making disgusting profits, they treated their employees like human beings and we all worked for the benefit of each other. Ha! I'll keep dreaming.
@@Robert_Reich....Impersonation scam reported7
If they treat people
So poorly, why do they continue to work there?
Too many of us are so oriented towards the lowest price, and convenience, that we don’t take the time to contemplate the longterm consequences.
For those whose wages don't surpass necessary spending by much, there isn't really another choice but to go with what's cheapest. It's exactly how Amazon and these other big companies with near-monopolies want it to be. It definitely helps when people, those who can afford to, choose a competitor of Amazon.
@@zoyadulzura7490 True. It is a double whammy when people that are financially struggling are shopping at a store that doesn’t pay their employees a livable wage. I guess the corollary is that people with higher incomes might consider shopping at places that pay their employees a livable wage.
Congress should really just pass a law that requires all full-time adult workers be payed a livable wage at minimum. The wage amount could be tied to a cost of living index for the region they live in. The index would include housing, food, transportation, healthcare, etc. In the long run it is cheaper than government subsidies, and gives workers some dignity. It would also give many people a better chance for future success. We can still help those that can’t work.
How about YOU give us the money to buy more expensive items at brick and mortar stores? Problem solved. 😊
@@Childfree_Forever You have my deepest sympathy.
@@Childfree_Forever Robert Reich is trying to, through advocating for a more equal society in which people are able to easily support themselves through a single, stable job, and in which companies cannot monopolize markets like this. That is effectively "giving us the money", or better, preventing that money from being hoarded by those who have no need for it.
I live in a area where there are a number of smaller retailers, food stores. We make it a point to try and find things that we can buy there for fear that without them we are truly at the behemoths mercy.
We need more voices like this man ,and less of the media pushing the cry baby billionaires , the old saying holds true those with the most cry the loudest.
Thank you for this important and well-researched report, Mr. Reich.
At the end of the day I look to buy the cheapest item I can. If it turns out to save me money buying from Walmart or Amazon, that is where I will spend my money. Paying 2 to 3 dollars more buying locally does not help my budget whatsoever. Why is it up to the poor people to stop buying from places where their dollar goes the furthest?
I’ve noticed their prices keep increasing even on items that I’ve bought previously
This drives me nuts because I am the self proclaimed cheapest guy in the world and I never want to pay even a penny more for an item then I have to and I always have considered Amazon a major place to find a good deal. I put a lot of things on my wishlist and monitor them for months and even years and if it goes up, I just don't buy it. Thanks for the information on this matter.
Amazon prices are higher than ever.
It’s not enough to get ppl to stop shopping at Amazon. Despite the price gouging and greed, they are still extremely cheap and convenient with prime delivery. My wife didn’t bat an eye at this video, unfortunately.
This answers a lot. Go Robert!
Thank you!
This is so exactly what it was like during the last golden age. It's frightening that the only thing that cured that was a huge depression and two world wars. And now young people don't even believe those wars really happened. They better wake up.
Amazon should be rebranded as racket
If you live in a major urban area, you dont need Amazon Prime. Your packages will get to you way faster than dates listed for non prime free shipping. 2-3 days max if the item is not on back order.
No one buys from Amazon because they think they're getting a good deal. They buy because it's easy, reliable and fast.
It's really not, though. I don't have Prime, and shopping on Amazon has become a nightmare. They're always trying to opt me in to a trial of Prime (which or course automatically rolls to a paid subscription if not cancelled) and I have to be extra vigilant to not get stuck with one. They also always try to default me to paying for shipping even if I qualify for free shipping. I order from them as little as possible now because ordering from them feels like going to war, I need to have my guard up constantly.
Speak for yourself, and thank your lucky stars that you (and others like you) can take things for granted. It's not easy for me. Most stuff i buy there turns out to be junk, and i'm not near a UPS center (they only offer QR codes, and even if they still offered classic labels, their drop-boxes are restrictive). So returns are a nightmare. And costly. To me they're a major rip-off of both money and time.
This is what happens when a sociopath gets any kind of power.
How many brick and mortar stores have gone out of business (or closed stores) because of Amazon. Sears, K-Mart, Borders, Sports Authority,Toys R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Radio Shack, Tower Records... Then there are the thousands (?) of Mom & Pop stores that couldn't compete with a behemoth plus they paid TAXES!!!
Amazon has becoem a monopoly. A monopoly invariably abuses its power. Only real competition Amazon as is Costco. But the quality of Costco's online presence is much worse than Amazon's. Costco does well on its warehouses. Costco parking lots are always full. Walmart is probably losing. Their parking lots are not so full.
Counterpoint: Most of the things I buy have never been sold at these mythical “Brick and Mortar” stores about which everybody bemoans their untimely demise. Try getting 3D printer filament, 11 speed carbon fiber road bike performance parts, technical clothing in sizes other than XXL, specialty motorcycle tools, etc, etc. Amazon is a bargain.
And time is money. Getting things fast has actual benefits for moving projects forward.
I live in a small town where there are two dollar stores and that is it. The closest Wamart or regular retail store of any kind is over an hour away, so Amazon may be ripping you off, but it is saving me.
The only time I buy from Amazon is strictly as a last resort.
The only🎉 power we have is boycotting these companies. I feel sorry for the independent sellers, though . They are not paying their fare share in taxes, and they treat the help poorly .
It’s not enough. We have to nationalize Amazon.
I love the convenience, security, and fantastic organization of Amazon, and having everything in one place makes things so much easier. I agree they must be regulated, and pay their fair share, but I just can’t hate them for all the good they’ve done for me.
It's good to be aware of this, but I'm not sure consumers have any alternatives. The prices on Amazon are about the same as retail prices.
I'm glad the government is stepping in to break up monopolies again.
I often compare prices before i buy from Amazon. It's my finding that Amazon is the same or lower than what I can find locally. The convenience is king.
who cares what it costs the sellers. Amazon sell exact same products as retailers for far less with no travel required
I cancelled my prime membership and stopped shopping on Amazon last year and have found the process of buying from local brick and mortar stores to be more fun and satisfying.
Many thanks to Robert Reich, especially for this exposé on Amazon. I'm widely sharing this video!
Paranoid symptoms may range from mild to severe. They depend on the cause but, generally, a person who is paranoid may:
be easily offended
find it difficult to trust others
not cope with any type of criticism
assign harmful meanings to other people’s remarks
be always on the defensive
be hostile, aggressive and argumentative
not be able to compromise
find it difficult, if not impossible, to ‘forgive and forget’
assume that people are talking ill of them behind their back
be overly suspicious - for example, think that other people are lying or scheming to cheat them
not be able to confide in anyone
find relationships difficult
consider the world to be a place of constant threat
feel persecuted by the world at large
believe in unfounded ‘conspiracy theories’.
I'd like to see an exposé on Robert Reich
Love ya Robert… but this one is not ringing true for me. It is really easy to check other’s prices on like-kind or same items… and Amazon’s ongoing success is because, including shipping, they usually ARE the best deal. They are in business to MAKE money by getting goods to us for LESS money than we’d spend elsewhere- which is fine by me. Are they a great “corporate citizen”? No they are not and should be punished for anti-trust violations, market manipulation, price fixing, excessive executive compensation and other bad stuff. However… suggesting that they are priced too high is just WRONG, compared to other sellers.
Yes I too shop at Amazon. The convenience of shopping with them is great. Prices are good. They also tell you when an item might be available at a cheaper price. I have not had any issues shopping with Amazon. Are they monopolizing the shopping industry yes they are. But, again the perks of shopping with them makes it so easy. If I have to shop it will be with Amazon. All American corporations are out to make a profit no matter what.
Thank you Robert, how depressing big business is. Am in a rural area and it is a lifeline . Will try to wean myself off.
Thing is, I can’t find anything I need in a typical store. If I’m limited to Target, I’d never get what I need.
Amazon used to be a great place to get products with the same price or cheaper and free shipping. Nowadays, their prices are much higher than the local stores.
If the prices are to high do not buy. Have you heard of free enterprise.
Not to defend a corporate behemoth and glutton: but your best defense is always knowing the ball park figure for what something X at a given price should cost, allowing for convenience and quality, say.
Not using cash and thinking a debit or credit card is a magical tool is the biggest "consumer" problem.
Also, avoiding the fine print.
Amazon, more than Walmart, likes to sell such common fare as groceries with "mixed" weights and measures, for example.
Something X at so many pennies an ounce is a lot different calculation than the unit cost at a given dollar amount.
They know you're busy and pressed for time. And we all know what time is. Also: Take the time to dispute botched deliveries or other issues. You'd be surprised what they're willing to refund "no questions asked".
Definitely Amazon must be forced to pay more taxes. It is simply too hard for most consumers to resist buying from Amazon instead of from local businesses. For instance, I needed a decent rechargeable lights for my bicycle. Local bike shop wants $55 for what I can buy on Amazon for $20 incl. shipping. Can’t beat that. I’d be fine if that price goes up by a few percent. It still won’t help small businesses unless they find markets that Amazon can’t touch, usually better services.