Thanks for watching! Feel free to recommend your favourite amazon alternative OR tell me about a cool thing you've watched/read recently through something OTHER than an Amazon platform ;) xxx
@@LS-im6uc lol I am not really supposed to publicly recommend breaking the law, so I couldn't include that in the video - but I'm also not a fan of not paying people for their work, especially when library 'borrows' pay authors and are free to the user.
@@leenanorms yeah I thought you'd say about supporting the creators, and while I'm not arguing with that, exactly, I'm more wondering about things like amazon prime. Paid streaming is fairly new, many shows and films that have already been made say in the 80s or whatever, the creators have already been paid and these services weren't envisioned when they were accounting for their work. Pirating has become alot more niche than it was before these streaming services started so it takes away less of the market.
If you are interested in classics, you can get loads of audio books and e books for free, I have really enjoyed that. Also: e books can be downloaded to kobo from your library, at least here in Sweden. Thank you for a GREAT video & channel 🙏
@@theemeraldruby why would they when it’s literally a capitalism success story? jeff is the man who won capitalism and for the country which is basically to capitalism what the USSR was to socialism they need a good mascot/role model for people to be fooled by
Something that’ll also help… cancel your Amazon Prime. The “inconvenience” of waiting longer for something to be shipped and also, the shipping cost will encourage you to just go to the store and get the thing you’re trying to buy. If you make it too easy, then it’s… too easy. LOL.
I'm in the suburbs and still will have a hard time finding something I want. But I think that's because I like to do a lot research on what I'm buying. There weren't any stores around me selling nice carbon steel pans, only stainless steal, nonstick coated, and enamel Coated cook ware, but then the next best option is try to see if you can buy it directly from the company's website.
I also find that the seamless nature of buying things on amazon and having them show up the next day or whatever is really bad for overconsumption. removing my ability to do that so I have to really think about each purchase and consider my options has been good for me.
It’s so hard to “break up” with Amazon as a student living abroad in a non-English speaking country because of a) prices elsewhere and b) lack of access to English media/foreign goods. This was a helpful start for me so thank you!
Je naam ziet er Nederlands uit, vandaar mijn antwoord in het Nederlands over hoe het hier zit. Wanneer je boeken in de boekhandel koopt of bestelt (en dat kan met bijna alles), betaal je vaak 1 of 2 euro meer. Hiermee help je boekhandels fysiek bestaan. Ik begrijp als student dat dat geld uit kan maken. Maar bij grotere boekhandels bestaat er studentenkorting om je te helpen in dat verschil.
If you're looking for books in English, Blackwells has good prices and int shipping is included in their prices. I order from Australia quite frequently!
YES re using the library for ebooks and audio books. In Auckland they've forgiven all existing library fee debt and won't be penalising you for late return now so get amongst it Tāmaki Makaurau
@@oliviabird2681 mate same. it was elated for everyone who now doesn't have to be put off using the library again but I'm like why I was so virtuous and paid off my fees last month????? 🤣
The day you uploaded that "The End of Goodreads" video I switched to Storygraph. Thanks for this. I've quit amazon years ago but I'm always looking to others for what they're doing!
watched this during lunch at school and wanted to make timestamps again when I got home! 0:00 - Intro 4:26 - Goodreads 6:04 - Audiobooks 9:12 - E-Books 14:14 - Amazon Prime Video 18:04 - Outro enjoy!
For audiobooks and ebooks I switched to using Libby with my local library card. It's not perfect, but they have a lot of books and it's free! I'm in Toronto (Ontario, Canada) so our library is big and well funded
i also love Libby! I sometimes have to wait several weeks for a book but it's easy to press hold and forget it, and I love the feature to defer when you come up on the hold list if I'm in the middle of something else
They also let you make bookmarks/notes which will still be there if you return the book and re borrow it! (recently discovered this bc I borrowed the same audiobook for the third time I promise I check if it's on hold regularly I'm not just keeping this book from everyone else 😬)
The Amazon service most present in our everyday lives is AWS (web services), and it's the hardest to break up with because it's not up to users/consumers, it's a choice made by companies
Ah yes thank you for pointing that out! The more invisible side of Amazon. We mostly view just as an online shop though their business has gone far beyond that.
I stopped buying from amazon a while ago, and I've found that I'm saving money by buying from other retailers all the time because so many of them give you 10-20% off your first order. Usually I use google shopping to find what I want and then pick a UK-based retailer that specialises in the particular item I'm after.
hot tip! check if your library is also linked to other services. just like libraries might have a lot of digital media such as ebooks and audiobooks, they might also give you access to movies. i'm not sure how common this is outside of sweden but it is worth looking into!
yes! in usa it's the same, also there are lots of movies on dvd and if you can't find a specific one, you can order it to transfer from any other library to yours, all for free (books too)
Libraries are great. Mine has access to Lynda and Mango, as well as access to items like hiking backpacks (including a national park pass!) and sewing machines. They’re SO helpful for everything!!
Being disabled is so frustrating when most accesible products can only be bought on Amazon. Trying to find good alternatives but it's very slow going 😓
Oof yes this. It’s hard to find all those random little things I need as a chronically ill person other places. Or it’s way more expensive and sucks all the little energy I have to buy from a bunch of different retailers.
I dislike needing to use Amazon but I’m abroad in a city I’ve never been in and needed a cane and Amazon has those for an affordable price :/ I figure someday I can invest in a nice one if I find that a cane is the right mobility aid for me. It just sucks that Amazon is often the most accessible. It’s insidious.
I agree with the other comments here. The rule of thumb I go with is only buy stuff on Amazon when I can't find it / get it for a reasonable price anywhere else.
From what I have learnt it is always better to own the content outright (preferably physically) rather than digitally. I got burned a couple of years ago when BBC stores closed there site down, it made me realise how even though I had paid for something that I thought I owned, I really didn't actually "own" it and that it can be taken away at any time. So ideally if I want to support the author I pre-order my books from a local bookshop.
With kobo!! You can convert pdfs into epubs using an online converter and then put it on your kobo through usb from your computer! As a student it's a lifesaver being able to carry just my kobo everywhere
Also side note when I was younger I was embarrassed to own a kobo rather than a Kindle cos it was way cheaper back then and now I'm super glad I have one over Kindle!! Personal growth
omg the statement "it doesn't make a dent in their pockets is missing the point" really got me. Thank you. I intend to use this weapon when I rant and rave to friends about my am***n h8 xD
After cancelling my Amazon Prime a couple of years ago, I realized that you can get free shipping anyway if you absolutely need to buy something from there and spend more than $35. I've done that a couple of times when I could not find what I needed anywhere else (I'm looking at you obscure lightbulb that is literally only carried by Amazon now).
I already dont use amazon, but I love Leena so I am watching anyway. Immediately, Leena remakes that Legally Blonde scene with the chocolate throw. We are here for it.
I really appreciate how wholistic and considerate Leena is with her views and activism. The only sad part is when she was plugging youtube movies and itunes is that those are also problematic large companies.
Brill video, thanks Leena! NZ people can get audio books and e-books from local libraries too, I just wandered in and asked staff who were very helpful.
I was doing so well with staying off Amazon, but then I ended up needed to buy birthday presents quickly and subscribed to prime. Now I've been paying it for months and months. Thanks for the reminder that I should cancel it. I LOVE the Storygraph alternative. I actually never had a goodreads but this motivated me to start keeping track. Been using it since your other video and it's been great for when someone recommends a book to me. I just put it in "to read" rather than forgetting the title.
Having worked in the book industry I have also avoided Amazon for years. I use World of Books for secondhand books and eBay for all the random stuff most people go to Amazon for. Again, it can be hard to assess the ethics of cheap stuff on eBay, but at least it's not lining Jeff's pockets.
Leena, this video was what gave me the final push to delete my Goodreads after almost ten years. I opened a Storygraph profile after watching your interview with the founder, and for a while I had both sites. But I ditched Amazon and Book Depository years ago, and I realise now that if I'm quitting Bezos, I have to go cold turkey. So long Goodreads, Storygraph has better stats anyway
I haven't bought any physical items from Amazon this year which feels like a huge win, especially as a student! I do have a Kindle though which I think I might use exclusively for re-reading what I have already purchased there and acquire a second hand Kobo when the Kindle eventually dies a death
Hi! You can send PDFs of books that you buy/find online for free to your kindle and read them like a book without having to buy them from amazon! It really saves me from buying on amazon 😅😅😅
I never really got into amazon because it felt iffy but it took me a couple of years to be able explain it to others 😅 of course now I keep finding so many companies are secretly owned by amazon and its exhausting
oh my, are there more topics that leena is not allowed to talk? I'm gonna get comfy ☕🍵 and grab a folding chair, because even if it takes years, I wanna be here for when that confidentiality agreement ends 👀
I'm going to start lobbying for 'Drunk Leena Reacts to Musicals' to become our next series. Please lend your voice to this important cause and sign my petition, because I think this is the joy my life has been missing.
I just bought a Kindle to be more sustainable when it comes to buying books and feel gutted after watching this! 😅 I completely agree with all of this and I think you’re brilliant
omg this is absolutely revolutionary - I've just joined my local library's borrow box so I can have audiobooks and delete audible!! you're a queen, Leena!
mate, I LOVE joseph and the amazing technicolour dreamcoat ❤️ it's so chaotic. I promise I got more out of this video than just that but I had to comment about my love for it ahahah
My partner and I have got really into buying box sets of TV shows we love/want to watch recently instead of trying to get them on streaming services and it's so nice to actually have a physical copy of the things we want to watch again and again
I love physical copies. I got rid of cable 5 years ago and stream everything but, not EVERY movie is available to stream and sometimes you want to watch something but the internet's out or not working
I really appreciate how non judgemental this video is! I'm not yet ready to completely break up with Amazon BUT where I can I try to snatch bits of independence by shopping locally (this is so much easier now that I live in a town where everything is within walking distance) or from independent shops. One thing that I've found really helpful is buying National Book tokens for my book buying. This helps for 2 reasons, 1) Obviously Amazon don't accept them and 2) It means I actually treat myself with birthday/Christmas money to something I want rather than letting that money be absorbed into bills etc. I know it's a very small thing but I consider even a small step in the right direction to be a good thing.
Thanks for making these videos Leena. It makes it a lot easier to find alternatives. It feels like I'm giving up meat all over again and looking for veggie alternatives, but with internet services.
Out of interest - what's your opinion on Apple as a company? I know they don't have a huge monopoly on many things like Amazon do, but what do you think about their treatment of workers etc compared to other technology manufacturers such as Samsung?
I have been moving away from Amazon for the last year, moving to library app, my local indie book store Drake Bookshop, Proud Geek, Afrori books, Persephone Books but I do still use Amazon for self published books/ebooks as some of these books just would never or have not been published elsewhere and I want to support new authors. I have started to use storygraph but I’m not yet 100% comfortable with it yet. For Xmas I’m trying to purchase from local shops or indie creators.
PLEASE do a drunk reaction to Joseph 🤣🤣🤣 we can have it like a Gumption Club watchalong where you don’t even have to edit your reaction video, just tell us when to press play so we get your running commentary the whole time because oh my gosh that show 🤣🤣🤣
I divorced Amazon two years ago to help with over spending and I don’t miss them at all, second hand books from other non affiliated sites and everything else can be got elsewhere, love my freedom and no regrets
Thank you for these suggestions! Does anyone have any advice for how to handle gift-giving without Amazon? My family always creates Amazon wish lists, and I feel like a major turd getting them *similar* gifts from a local shop. I get lots of holier-than-thou looks at the holiday party.
I haven't really researched who owns them but I always make my wish lists with Pinterest. Some of those things will be to Amazon but some will be to other Etsy shops, online stores, etc... If your family has only sent you an Amazon wish list, try to find the exact same product from somewhere else. If you truly cannot, then you're probably going to gift them something they didn't ask for, but you can try to play it up as wanting to bring back the magic of a true surprise to gift-giving or something.
Definitely think you could play it off as "supporting local shops and business, but I have the receipt so we can go in and swap it for something else together if you like!" And then it's on them to either admit they don't want it or it's fine. As for alternatives we use a secret Santa website every year so not so good for direct gifts but you can make a list and be as vague or specific as you want!
Bravo! I would just proudly wear the crown like the king or queen that you are. PS. I wish anyone in my family would go to the trouble of gift giving from anywhere, LOL.
first off, LOVED the title cards for this. and goddamn i hate Amazon at its core but I cannot ignore that it helped me so much through my teen years having access to books. English isn't the main language where I live and getting access to books in English was horrible. Local bookshops would never have what I wanted and thus I found out about Amazon and I read so much. I eventually bought a Kindle second hand (they wouldn't sell to my country anyway) and that's been incredible for being able to read books in English at easy access. International book industry is amazing either way and I've since learnt that if i do wanna order physical books in english Book Depository is such a great option, just longer shipping times :) also I keep resubbing to Prime to rewatch Marvelous Mrs Maisel pls no shame hahahah
I also face the same problem ! I live in a village with no book shop and with only one library that doesn't have any languages other than my mother tongue. Is buying books more expensive in the English Book depository? I just wanted to know for future reference.
Amazon was convenient for books because we already had a prime membership, physical books was also much cheaper on Amazon than in bookshops. The best bookshop I have ever visited for English literature atleast, is more than 4 or 5 hours away from where I live. But even there the collections were incredibly dated. So my only solution is to find a more ethical online platform that delivers to my corner of the earth, and I have never found anyone that did this other than Amazon. So if anyone has any recommendations please help.
thank you so much for this video!! I've had issues with my dad and brother asking why I don't support amazon, why I would rather get something from Walmart than them...even though I said sometimes there isn't a choice for where you can buy, but I'd just rather it not be amazon. Like you said, some of these companies aren't 100% perfect, yet they're not top tier baddie bad amazon lol
Thanks for making this video! As a booklover, I have struggled to move away from Amazon. This is very helpful! Although, side note: I will say the Kindle Paperwhites I have had are great. My original one is 10+ years old and still chugging along fine. I gave it to my husband and got a new one cause I wanted the waterproof feature. But both are working very well still.
Broadway HD is so good!!! My partner and I had it for a bit and there are some GREAT Shakespeare adaptations - HIGHLY recommend the version of A Comedy of Errors that's performed in a primary school for the next time you get it!!!
I've never thought I'd say that but I feel incredibly lucky for La FNAC (a french store that is a bit like HMV). You can buy an e-reader, that read any kind of e-book and then you can buy e-pub from their site or from other book store (great tips : Place des libraires)
The issue i have is that amazon is where i go for all my obscure and miscellaneous needs. It is difficult to find somewhere that offers the variety that Amazon does without the screwed up morals
Yeah for me Amazon is my last ditch resource when I need random items like 'empty spray bottle' or 'sink strainer' - but I have been trying just going into shopping centers and then using Google shopping results to guide me to the right store, and asking shop assistants if they stock X or Y or can recommend where to find them.
I know you said you can't talk about it, but I'd be really interested to hear your take on the effect Amazon has had on publishing! From my perspective it's had a really positive impact on a lot of authors who've been able to leave abusive contracts and make much better money self-publishing on kindle, but I know there are lots of issues around the pressure to be exclusive to Amazon and monopolies generally
I've been trying to move away from amazon, I only have a prime account as it is cheap as a student and my whole family can use it. I've found that my kindle has lasted forever! I've probably had it for over 7 years, but I understand now that alternatives are available. I mostly only download free books onto my kindle from amazon so I don't know what impact that has. Thank you for providing such an informative video and for providing alternatives :)
In the US I know that libby is a common ebook/audiobook app for public libraries. It does ask the name of your library and library card number, so you do have to take out a library card if you dont have one. Also, likebook brand ereaders run android mobile OS. So you can read ebooks via any app that is on android.
In the US you can also borrow Music and movies from the library. Also some states allow you to get a library card for any library in the state. For example as a California resident you can get a library card from the Los Angeles public library system.
Libby is the primary library app for the US. Also my surface tablet with the xodo pdf reader is rad for reading PDFs. And it's a great back up computer
The whole issue about amazon ebooks being locked away is soo frustrating! I have tried so many things over the years because basically, my mum forgot her password for one of her email addresses which was linked to her amazon account and she had loads of ebooks on that account. She now has a new email account but you can't transfer the ebooks from one account to another - even if they are both amazon accounts! Absolutely maddening and I am absolutely 100% done trying to figure it out.
Made the switch to story graph this year and very much like it, next step is to use up my audible credits and listen to all the books so I can finally cancel it. Will take some time though, but better late than never right 😅 Another tip for reading stats is a bullet journal. There are many people on YT who show great stat/spread ideas for a reading journal 😊
love that premise! broke up with jeff 2 years ago and it wasn't too bad until i went on to delete my amazon account. lemme tell you (!) it was such an annoying hustle! :D
don’t forget public libraries and their digital media! Here in Berlin we have access to multiple apps for only 10 €/year. (yes, annually, not monthly). There‘s Libby for books and audio books, Freegal for music and filmfriend. Libby is my fave (even when I have to wait sometimes until a copy is available).
I stopped using audible last year but needed alternative as I love listening to audiobookks to go to sleep and found my library version is so great! Doesnt always have the books I want straight away but I can request books and its free so I'm loving it!
i love the idea and look of storygraph but unfortunately lots of my books that are saved on goodreads are quite niche and when i tried to upload my data to storygraph lots of books were not on it, it was a while ago and i think i tried to add them manually but there were so many i eventually gave up :( i wanted to go back to just having a notebook but i really like the reading stats that goodreads has. it's so difficult !
I didn't like StoryGraph either. I like reading other people's reviews, and StoryGraph often didn't have any for the books I was reading. It's clearly great for some people, but I can't see me ditching my Goodreads any time soon.
Libraries are wonderful! My library system is very well connected and will get books and movies for you if they don't have them! Mine also has a free audiobook service and a free movie service! Local Libraries have a ton of resources and are well worth checking out :)
nooooo, Donny Osmund's Joseph is my and my brother's formative musical film experience. We both watched it on loop as children and it is why we are so normal and well-adjusted! It is a flaw free show!
Amazon prime for shipping stuff has been really useful during my current disabled Era and living in a relatively small part of town. I only have target/Walmart near me and I can even drive right now
I worked for Amazon as a picker for about 6 weeks when I moved across the US. It was very useful for me to be able to have an easy to get quick to start job to get on my feet. With that said though... there is this thing that happens in the warehouse on a pretty regular basis that I thinking is really dumb. The conveyor belt that all the items someone orders gets put on to travel down to packing breaks down. When this happens all of the pickers have to stop gathering the items that people order and then just stand by the conveyor belt and wait until it starts working again. Once it was broken down for almost my entire shift. We wait by the conveyor belt for 8 hours ( we still got our breaks of course). The part that is so ridiculous to me is that you are not allowed to sit by the conveyor belt, you must stand, and if a supervisor catches you sitting they come tell you to stand up. Why?!?! There is no work to be done man! Why can't we sit?!? So glad I didn't have to work there for very long. I will say though that my legs were starting to look pretty nice from all the walking.
Most annoying thing with Amazon Kindle is that it only allows Mobi (unless converting with apps or that email feature). Kobo you can do any old type, though it doesn't handle pdf formating super well it does allow reading!
Hearing you talk about the UK vs US versions of Utopia when the only Utopia show I know of is the Australian one, and it sounds like they're not related to each other at all... 😅 Anyway Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat from the '90s is my favourite musical - I first saw it in '93, performed by the Year 6 cohort at my primary school, and I was smitten. (The chariot of gold was a shopping trolley wrapped in gold fabric. And when the brothers "turned a shade of green", our school librarian put a piece of green cellophane in front of the spotlight so the brothers literally turned a shade of green. Incredible, iconic, a masterpiece.) I would 100% watch your reaction to a Joseph performance!
Realising how many ebooks and audiobooks were available through my local library was a gamechanger. You can find a lot of audiobooks for free on RUclips, if you're desperate and poor. And I also want to confess that my family has an Amazon Prime subscription but it gets shared between four households (a total of thirteen people) so I feel less bad about it.
The intro deserves a tony award alone. I haven't personally bought things from Amazon but that's mostly because I live in NZ and despite wanting to watch some of the shows that are on prime, I just don't want to pay them. BUT bezos owns MGM. And I adore vintage cinema... so there's my downfall right there 🥲
What a bummer to hear that your Kindles kept breaking. My mother bought me an Amazon Kindle Fire edition in 2013, and nearly 9 years later, it's still going strong. I must have their accidental non-obsolescence prototype ;D I also don't understand this subscription culture that is emerging. I own no subscriptions to anything and haven't done since October of last year. Sure, some of the free to air stuff you can stream from a personal computer are a bit annoying with all the ads and stuff, but I have found that I'm more aware of my bingeing habits when there are ads playing as opposed to watching 6 hours straight of uninterrupted faff on Netflix. During ad breaks I can also straighten up my room, pet my cat or study some German.
I've found that the random household items from cables to deodorant can be found on eBay and it's common for sellers to have fast and free shipping which works fine for me
Thanks for watching! Feel free to recommend your favourite amazon alternative OR tell me about a cool thing you've watched/read recently through something OTHER than an Amazon platform ;) xxx
@leena, what about...pirating...
@@LS-im6uc lol I am not really supposed to publicly recommend breaking the law, so I couldn't include that in the video - but I'm also not a fan of not paying people for their work, especially when library 'borrows' pay authors and are free to the user.
@@leenanorms yeah I thought you'd say about supporting the creators, and while I'm not arguing with that, exactly, I'm more wondering about things like amazon prime. Paid streaming is fairly new, many shows and films that have already been made say in the 80s or whatever, the creators have already been paid and these services weren't envisioned when they were accounting for their work. Pirating has become alot more niche than it was before these streaming services started so it takes away less of the market.
If you are interested in classics, you can get loads of audio books and e books for free, I have really enjoyed that. Also: e books can be downloaded to kobo from your library, at least here in Sweden. Thank you for a GREAT video & channel 🙏
World of Books for buying used books instead of Abebooks!
the worst most evil part about amazon is how insidious it is. it owns so much it feels impossible to not use it. so thank you for this
I can't believe the US hasn't broken up the company! 😰 😞
@@theemeraldruby why would they when it’s literally a capitalism success story? jeff is the man who won capitalism and for the country which is basically to capitalism what the USSR was to socialism they need a good mascot/role model for people to be fooled by
@@theemeraldruby So many people would be out of jobs, it really sucks.
Jeffrey talking about how he finally saw the earth from space and suddenly gives a shit about the climate was just too rich for me
Something that’ll also help… cancel your Amazon Prime. The “inconvenience” of waiting longer for something to be shipped and also, the shipping cost will encourage you to just go to the store and get the thing you’re trying to buy. If you make it too easy, then it’s… too easy. LOL.
I love this but we literally don’t have stores here. Very rural.
I'm in the suburbs and still will have a hard time finding something I want. But I think that's because I like to do a lot research on what I'm buying. There weren't any stores around me selling nice carbon steel pans, only stainless steal, nonstick coated, and enamel Coated cook ware, but then the next best option is try to see if you can buy it directly from the company's website.
just cancelled my 2 year audible subscription streak purely from watching this vid and am feeling so alive :')
Check your library for digital audiobooks! My local library has an app so I can still have audiobooks on my phone it’s great!
"can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" is my new life motto ahah
I also find that the seamless nature of buying things on amazon and having them show up the next day or whatever is really bad for overconsumption. removing my ability to do that so I have to really think about each purchase and consider my options has been good for me.
It’s so hard to “break up” with Amazon as a student living abroad in a non-English speaking country because of a) prices elsewhere and b) lack of access to English media/foreign goods. This was a helpful start for me so thank you!
If you edit your comment to say your country, maybe someone has specific suggestions for you :)
I’m in Japan, but not in a major city/prefecture.
Je naam ziet er Nederlands uit, vandaar mijn antwoord in het Nederlands over hoe het hier zit. Wanneer je boeken in de boekhandel koopt of bestelt (en dat kan met bijna alles), betaal je vaak 1 of 2 euro meer. Hiermee help je boekhandels fysiek bestaan. Ik begrijp als student dat dat geld uit kan maken. Maar bij grotere boekhandels bestaat er studentenkorting om je te helpen in dat verschil.
If you're looking for books in English, Blackwells has good prices and int shipping is included in their prices. I order from Australia quite frequently!
YES re using the library for ebooks and audio books. In Auckland they've forgiven all existing library fee debt and won't be penalising you for late return now so get amongst it Tāmaki Makaurau
I swear. Your country is THE best. Chefs kiss.
Omg I wish I hadn't paid my library fees before lockdown hahaha, I always forget to return my books on time
@@oliviabird2681 mate same. it was elated for everyone who now doesn't have to be put off using the library again but I'm like why I was so virtuous and paid off my fees last month????? 🤣
@@ms.z461 we got plenty of work to do but yeah all in all so full of gratitude for the progress Aotearoa strives to make ❤️
The day you uploaded that "The End of Goodreads" video I switched to Storygraph. Thanks for this. I've quit amazon years ago but I'm always looking to others for what they're doing!
watched this during lunch at school and wanted to make timestamps again when I got home!
0:00 - Intro
4:26 - Goodreads
6:04 - Audiobooks
9:12 - E-Books
14:14 - Amazon Prime Video
18:04 - Outro
enjoy!
2:48 - The best pun followed by a wonderful transition tune
For audiobooks and ebooks I switched to using Libby with my local library card. It's not perfect, but they have a lot of books and it's free! I'm in Toronto (Ontario, Canada) so our library is big and well funded
i also love Libby! I sometimes have to wait several weeks for a book but it's easy to press hold and forget it, and I love the feature to defer when you come up on the hold list if I'm in the middle of something else
this works in Norway too
US based and also love Libby!
They also let you make bookmarks/notes which will still be there if you return the book and re borrow it!
(recently discovered this bc I borrowed the same audiobook for the third time I promise I check if it's on hold regularly I'm not just keeping this book from everyone else 😬)
works great in Germany too! if you have a library card you can hook it up to libby
The Amazon service most present in our everyday lives is AWS (web services), and it's the hardest to break up with because it's not up to users/consumers, it's a choice made by companies
Ah yes thank you for pointing that out! The more invisible side of Amazon. We mostly view just as an online shop though their business has gone far beyond that.
That's one we can't avoid unfortunately, but I think it's worth directing our business from recognisable amazing brands elsewhere.
Going offline for a while can help, but that’s very hard to do in this day and age
Its tricky as well, because the major cloud computing alternatives to AWS are Google and Microsoft, which also have some dodge track records.
I stopped buying from amazon a while ago, and I've found that I'm saving money by buying from other retailers all the time because so many of them give you 10-20% off your first order.
Usually I use google shopping to find what I want and then pick a UK-based retailer that specialises in the particular item I'm after.
Borrowbox being the sexiest good boyfriend that jeff could never be
I’m obsessed with it!!
hot tip! check if your library is also linked to other services. just like libraries might have a lot of digital media such as ebooks and audiobooks, they might also give you access to movies. i'm not sure how common this is outside of sweden but it is worth looking into!
yes! in usa it's the same, also there are lots of movies on dvd and if you can't find a specific one, you can order it to transfer from any other library to yours, all for free (books too)
My stepmum is a librarian and she makes a point of borrowing DVDs from the library she works at. Kinda nice in the age of Netflix, Prime etc.
Libraries are great. Mine has access to Lynda and Mango, as well as access to items like hiking backpacks (including a national park pass!) and sewing machines. They’re SO helpful for everything!!
Being disabled is so frustrating when most accesible products can only be bought on Amazon. Trying to find good alternatives but it's very slow going 😓
I think it's also important to not beat yourself up about not being perfect. You've got a clear need for it and that's okay!
Oof yes this. It’s hard to find all those random little things I need as a chronically ill person other places. Or it’s way more expensive and sucks all the little energy I have to buy from a bunch of different retailers.
I dislike needing to use Amazon but I’m abroad in a city I’ve never been in and needed a cane and Amazon has those for an affordable price :/ I figure someday I can invest in a nice one if I find that a cane is the right mobility aid for me. It just sucks that Amazon is often the most accessible. It’s insidious.
I definitely don't think it's your responsibility to boycott Amazon! The convenience and accessibility factor are huge pros of the company.
I agree with the other comments here. The rule of thumb I go with is only buy stuff on Amazon when I can't find it / get it for a reasonable price anywhere else.
From what I have learnt it is always better to own the content outright (preferably physically) rather than digitally. I got burned a couple of years ago when BBC stores closed there site down, it made me realise how even though I had paid for something that I thought I owned, I really didn't actually "own" it and that it can be taken away at any time. So ideally if I want to support the author I pre-order my books from a local bookshop.
With kobo!! You can convert pdfs into epubs using an online converter and then put it on your kobo through usb from your computer! As a student it's a lifesaver being able to carry just my kobo everywhere
Also side note when I was younger I was embarrassed to own a kobo rather than a Kindle cos it was way cheaper back then and now I'm super glad I have one over Kindle!! Personal growth
Do you have a preferred converter? That would be really handy
@@KathrynsRavens ++
omg the statement "it doesn't make a dent in their pockets is missing the point" really got me. Thank you. I intend to use this weapon when I rant and rave to friends about my am***n h8 xD
After cancelling my Amazon Prime a couple of years ago, I realized that you can get free shipping anyway if you absolutely need to buy something from there and spend more than $35. I've done that a couple of times when I could not find what I needed anywhere else (I'm looking at you obscure lightbulb that is literally only carried by Amazon now).
I already dont use amazon, but I love Leena so I am watching anyway. Immediately, Leena remakes that Legally Blonde scene with the chocolate throw. We are here for it.
I really appreciate how wholistic and considerate Leena is with her views and activism. The only sad part is when she was plugging youtube movies and itunes is that those are also problematic large companies.
Brill video, thanks Leena! NZ people can get audio books and e-books from local libraries too, I just wandered in and asked staff who were very helpful.
WOOOO!
Australia also has this too!!
I was doing so well with staying off Amazon, but then I ended up needed to buy birthday presents quickly and subscribed to prime. Now I've been paying it for months and months. Thanks for the reminder that I should cancel it. I LOVE the Storygraph alternative. I actually never had a goodreads but this motivated me to start keeping track. Been using it since your other video and it's been great for when someone recommends a book to me. I just put it in "to read" rather than forgetting the title.
“I bought an edreader off depop” is somehow the most Leena Norms thing Ive ever heard Leena Norms say. Lol thank you for your existence!
Having worked in the book industry I have also avoided Amazon for years. I use World of Books for secondhand books and eBay for all the random stuff most people go to Amazon for. Again, it can be hard to assess the ethics of cheap stuff on eBay, but at least it's not lining Jeff's pockets.
Leena, this video was what gave me the final push to delete my Goodreads after almost ten years. I opened a Storygraph profile after watching your interview with the founder, and for a while I had both sites. But I ditched Amazon and Book Depository years ago, and I realise now that if I'm quitting Bezos, I have to go cold turkey. So long Goodreads, Storygraph has better stats anyway
I haven't bought any physical items from Amazon this year which feels like a huge win, especially as a student! I do have a Kindle though which I think I might use exclusively for re-reading what I have already purchased there and acquire a second hand Kobo when the Kindle eventually dies a death
Hi! You can send PDFs of books that you buy/find online for free to your kindle and read them like a book without having to buy them from amazon! It really saves me from buying on amazon 😅😅😅
@@sarahoriordan8093 that is invaluable advice!! Thank you so much!
I never really got into amazon because it felt iffy but it took me a couple of years to be able explain it to others 😅 of course now I keep finding so many companies are secretly owned by amazon and its exhausting
oh my, are there more topics that leena is not allowed to talk? I'm gonna get comfy ☕🍵 and grab a folding chair, because even if it takes years, I wanna be here for when that confidentiality agreement ends 👀
set up my StoryGraph account while watching this video - so easy :) thanks Leena!
I'm going to start lobbying for 'Drunk Leena Reacts to Musicals' to become our next series. Please lend your voice to this important cause and sign my petition, because I think this is the joy my life has been missing.
I just bought a Kindle to be more sustainable when it comes to buying books and feel gutted after watching this! 😅 I completely agree with all of this and I think you’re brilliant
Leeeeeeeeena
I love checking out ebooks from the library and reading them on my second hand kindle. Take that, Jeffo!
Yes!! I do that too. Feels pretty sweet.
I'm now officially waiting for the Joseph breakdown. A visual masterpiece.
Overlord ecosystem is a great band name
omg this is absolutely revolutionary - I've just joined my local library's borrow box so I can have audiobooks and delete audible!! you're a queen, Leena!
Leena, your graphics/animations are outstanding, i’m in awe every single time!
mate, I LOVE joseph and the amazing technicolour dreamcoat ❤️ it's so chaotic. I promise I got more out of this video than just that but I had to comment about my love for it ahahah
now that I'm sitting thinking about it, love is a BIT strong. not sure I take it back though.
My partner and I have got really into buying box sets of TV shows we love/want to watch recently instead of trying to get them on streaming services and it's so nice to actually have a physical copy of the things we want to watch again and again
I love physical copies. I got rid of cable 5 years ago and stream everything but, not EVERY movie is available to stream and sometimes you want to watch something but the internet's out or not working
Love a good boxset :)
GREAT point about the BUY vs RENT of zon prime--why I ended up buying DVDs (backlister!) rather than going always to Netflix (a shared password) 🤩🤗
"captive pastry around the epub sausage" 😆 DAMN, Leena, you're making it sound TASTY!! 😂
I really appreciate how non judgemental this video is! I'm not yet ready to completely break up with Amazon BUT where I can I try to snatch bits of independence by shopping locally (this is so much easier now that I live in a town where everything is within walking distance) or from independent shops. One thing that I've found really helpful is buying National Book tokens for my book buying. This helps for 2 reasons, 1) Obviously Amazon don't accept them and 2) It means I actually treat myself with birthday/Christmas money to something I want rather than letting that money be absorbed into bills etc. I know it's a very small thing but I consider even a small step in the right direction to be a good thing.
I'm literally here, a year later, because I needed a resource she mentioned. To share with a coworker. Impactful video. Ty again for posting this! ❤❤
Thanks for making these videos Leena. It makes it a lot easier to find alternatives.
It feels like I'm giving up meat all over again and looking for veggie alternatives, but with internet services.
Out of interest - what's your opinion on Apple as a company? I know they don't have a huge monopoly on many things like Amazon do, but what do you think about their treatment of workers etc compared to other technology manufacturers such as Samsung?
I have been moving away from Amazon for the last year, moving to library app, my local indie book store Drake Bookshop, Proud Geek, Afrori books, Persephone Books but I do still use Amazon for self published books/ebooks as some of these books just would never or have not been published elsewhere and I want to support new authors. I have started to use storygraph but I’m not yet 100% comfortable with it yet. For Xmas I’m trying to purchase from local shops or indie creators.
Yessss I switched back to good old eBay last year and yes sometimes I miss the convenience of Amazon prime and 2 day shipping but I’m glad I did it!
PLEASE do a drunk reaction to Joseph 🤣🤣🤣 we can have it like a Gumption Club watchalong where you don’t even have to edit your reaction video, just tell us when to press play so we get your running commentary the whole time because oh my gosh that show 🤣🤣🤣
I divorced Amazon two years ago to help with over spending and I don’t miss them at all, second hand books from other non affiliated sites and everything else can be got elsewhere, love my freedom and no regrets
Thank you for these suggestions! Does anyone have any advice for how to handle gift-giving without Amazon? My family always creates Amazon wish lists, and I feel like a major turd getting them *similar* gifts from a local shop. I get lots of holier-than-thou looks at the holiday party.
I haven't really researched who owns them but I always make my wish lists with Pinterest. Some of those things will be to Amazon but some will be to other Etsy shops, online stores, etc... If your family has only sent you an Amazon wish list, try to find the exact same product from somewhere else. If you truly cannot, then you're probably going to gift them something they didn't ask for, but you can try to play it up as wanting to bring back the magic of a true surprise to gift-giving or something.
some products on amazon are made by a non-amazon company and sometimes you can buy directly from them so it's always good to check
Definitely think you could play it off as "supporting local shops and business, but I have the receipt so we can go in and swap it for something else together if you like!" And then it's on them to either admit they don't want it or it's fine.
As for alternatives we use a secret Santa website every year so not so good for direct gifts but you can make a list and be as vague or specific as you want!
Bravo! I would just proudly wear the crown like the king or queen that you are. PS. I wish anyone in my family would go to the trouble of gift giving from anywhere, LOL.
first off, LOVED the title cards for this. and goddamn i hate Amazon at its core but I cannot ignore that it helped me so much through my teen years having access to books. English isn't the main language where I live and getting access to books in English was horrible. Local bookshops would never have what I wanted and thus I found out about Amazon and I read so much. I eventually bought a Kindle second hand (they wouldn't sell to my country anyway) and that's been incredible for being able to read books in English at easy access. International book industry is amazing either way and I've since learnt that if i do wanna order physical books in english Book Depository is such a great option, just longer shipping times :)
also I keep resubbing to Prime to rewatch Marvelous Mrs Maisel pls no shame hahahah
I also face the same problem ! I live in a village with no book shop and with only one library that doesn't have any languages other than my mother tongue. Is buying books more expensive in the English Book depository? I just wanted to know for future reference.
Book Depository is now owned by Amazon. I face the same problems in my country, it is not always possible to not buy from them.
Do you know about any alternatives ?
Amazon was convenient for books because we already had a prime membership, physical books was also much cheaper on Amazon than in bookshops. The best bookshop I have ever visited for English literature atleast, is more than 4 or 5 hours away from where I live. But even there the collections were incredibly dated. So my only solution is to find a more ethical online platform that delivers to my corner of the earth, and I have never found anyone that did this other than Amazon. So if anyone has any recommendations please help.
@@gayathrivp2685 Sadly I don't. I'm still buying from them when I need English books.
thank you so much for this video!! I've had issues with my dad and brother asking why I don't support amazon, why I would rather get something from Walmart than them...even though I said sometimes there isn't a choice for where you can buy, but I'd just rather it not be amazon. Like you said, some of these companies aren't 100% perfect, yet they're not top tier baddie bad amazon lol
Thanks for making this video! As a booklover, I have struggled to move away from Amazon. This is very helpful!
Although, side note: I will say the Kindle Paperwhites I have had are great. My original one is 10+ years old and still chugging along fine. I gave it to my husband and got a new one cause I wanted the waterproof feature. But both are working very well still.
American libraries have audiobooks too! And ebooks! Support your local library by using it!!
Broadway HD is so good!!! My partner and I had it for a bit and there are some GREAT Shakespeare adaptations - HIGHLY recommend the version of A Comedy of Errors that's performed in a primary school for the next time you get it!!!
I've never thought I'd say that but I feel incredibly lucky for La FNAC (a french store that is a bit like HMV). You can buy an e-reader, that read any kind of e-book and then you can buy e-pub from their site or from other book store (great tips : Place des libraires)
Ooooh so interested in Broadway HD now!!! I keep getting advertised to me and didn't realise I was so good!
One of my friends made a Jeff Bozo pinata for Art school and we all took a hit. It was glorious!
I have had SUCH bad experiences with Amazon lately. I'm literally on the edge of breaking point with them. This video came at THE. PERFECT. TIME!!!
Death Becomes Her is *gold*
It’s now gone up on Netflix UK
The USA version of e/audio books through your library is called Libby in case anyone is looking!!
The issue i have is that amazon is where i go for all my obscure and miscellaneous needs. It is difficult to find somewhere that offers the variety that Amazon does without the screwed up morals
Yeah for me Amazon is my last ditch resource when I need random items like 'empty spray bottle' or 'sink strainer' - but I have been trying just going into shopping centers and then using Google shopping results to guide me to the right store, and asking shop assistants if they stock X or Y or can recommend where to find them.
Not me getting an audible ad just after you talked about audiobooks
I know you said you can't talk about it, but I'd be really interested to hear your take on the effect Amazon has had on publishing! From my perspective it's had a really positive impact on a lot of authors who've been able to leave abusive contracts and make much better money self-publishing on kindle, but I know there are lots of issues around the pressure to be exclusive to Amazon and monopolies generally
I've been trying to move away from amazon, I only have a prime account as it is cheap as a student and my whole family can use it. I've found that my kindle has lasted forever! I've probably had it for over 7 years, but I understand now that alternatives are available. I mostly only download free books onto my kindle from amazon so I don't know what impact that has. Thank you for providing such an informative video and for providing alternatives :)
In the US I know that libby is a common ebook/audiobook app for public libraries. It does ask the name of your library and library card number, so you do have to take out a library card if you dont have one. Also, likebook brand ereaders run android mobile OS. So you can read ebooks via any app that is on android.
In the US you can also borrow Music and movies from the library. Also some states allow you to get a library card for any library in the state. For example as a California resident you can get a library card from the Los Angeles public library system.
libby and overdrive also used by libraries for ebooks and audiobooks
Libby is the primary library app for the US. Also my surface tablet with the xodo pdf reader is rad for reading PDFs. And it's a great back up computer
The whole issue about amazon ebooks being locked away is soo frustrating! I have tried so many things over the years because basically, my mum forgot her password for one of her email addresses which was linked to her amazon account and she had loads of ebooks on that account. She now has a new email account but you can't transfer the ebooks from one account to another - even if they are both amazon accounts! Absolutely maddening and I am absolutely 100% done trying to figure it out.
Made the switch to story graph this year and very much like it, next step is to use up my audible credits and listen to all the books so I can finally cancel it. Will take some time though, but better late than never right 😅
Another tip for reading stats is a bullet journal. There are many people on YT who show great stat/spread ideas for a reading journal 😊
Amazon stuck an ad for their services on your video when I started watching 🙃
love that premise! broke up with jeff 2 years ago and it wasn't too bad until i went on to delete my amazon account. lemme tell you (!) it was such an annoying hustle! :D
don’t forget public libraries and their digital media! Here in Berlin we have access to multiple apps for only 10 €/year. (yes, annually, not monthly). There‘s Libby for books and audio books, Freegal for music and filmfriend. Libby is my fave (even when I have to wait sometimes until a copy is available).
I stopped using audible last year but needed alternative as I love listening to audiobookks to go to sleep and found my library version is so great! Doesnt always have the books I want straight away but I can request books and its free so I'm loving it!
It is time for me to break up with goodreads (and to try and get my bookish friends to do the same!) 🤗
Wooo! Bring everyone along for the ride ;)
i love the idea and look of storygraph but unfortunately lots of my books that are saved on goodreads are quite niche and when i tried to upload my data to storygraph lots of books were not on it, it was a while ago and i think i tried to add them manually but there were so many i eventually gave up :( i wanted to go back to just having a notebook but i really like the reading stats that goodreads has. it's so difficult !
I didn't like StoryGraph either. I like reading other people's reviews, and StoryGraph often didn't have any for the books I was reading. It's clearly great for some people, but I can't see me ditching my Goodreads any time soon.
being a librarian on The Story Graph and hearing youtalk about it makes me very happy
Omg I love your channel - that reaction to that moon speech was so awesome
Libraries are wonderful! My library system is very well connected and will get books and movies for you if they don't have them! Mine also has a free audiobook service and a free movie service! Local Libraries have a ton of resources and are well worth checking out :)
We have Joseph on VHS and when my kids were little, they watched it over and over and over. We just rewatched it last week. What a gem.
for US folks hoopla has contracts with a lot of public libraries and has a pretty good ebook and audiobook selection
FLORENCE TSHIRT ALERT. God and I didn't think I could like you more Leena.
nooooo, Donny Osmund's Joseph is my and my brother's formative musical film experience. We both watched it on loop as children and it is why we are so normal and well-adjusted! It is a flaw free show!
Amazon prime for shipping stuff has been really useful during my current disabled Era and living in a relatively small part of town. I only have target/Walmart near me and I can even drive right now
This is becoming one of my fav channels ❤️I really relate to the climate-hopeful content
I worked for Amazon as a picker for about 6 weeks when I moved across the US. It was very useful for me to be able to have an easy to get quick to start job to get on my feet. With that said though... there is this thing that happens in the warehouse on a pretty regular basis that I thinking is really dumb. The conveyor belt that all the items someone orders gets put on to travel down to packing breaks down. When this happens all of the pickers have to stop gathering the items that people order and then just stand by the conveyor belt and wait until it starts working again. Once it was broken down for almost my entire shift. We wait by the conveyor belt for 8 hours ( we still got our breaks of course). The part that is so ridiculous to me is that you are not allowed to sit by the conveyor belt, you must stand, and if a supervisor catches you sitting they come tell you to stand up. Why?!?! There is no work to be done man! Why can't we sit?!? So glad I didn't have to work there for very long. I will say though that my legs were starting to look pretty nice from all the walking.
Absolutely WILD that I got an ad for how to make money on Amazon during this vid
Most annoying thing with Amazon Kindle is that it only allows Mobi (unless converting with apps or that email feature). Kobo you can do any old type, though it doesn't handle pdf formating super well it does allow reading!
It's been 3 years since I use Amazon or any of their online products, now I buy local, it's less convenient but it help me consume less.
Hearing you talk about the UK vs US versions of Utopia when the only Utopia show I know of is the Australian one, and it sounds like they're not related to each other at all... 😅
Anyway Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat from the '90s is my favourite musical - I first saw it in '93, performed by the Year 6 cohort at my primary school, and I was smitten. (The chariot of gold was a shopping trolley wrapped in gold fabric. And when the brothers "turned a shade of green", our school librarian put a piece of green cellophane in front of the spotlight so the brothers literally turned a shade of green. Incredible, iconic, a masterpiece.) I would 100% watch your reaction to a Joseph performance!
Have seen the video before, but now coming back to actually take the step.
Wish me luck 🤞😬
Realising how many ebooks and audiobooks were available through my local library was a gamechanger. You can find a lot of audiobooks for free on RUclips, if you're desperate and poor. And I also want to confess that my family has an Amazon Prime subscription but it gets shared between four households (a total of thirteen people) so I feel less bad about it.
The intro deserves a tony award alone. I haven't personally bought things from Amazon but that's mostly because I live in NZ and despite wanting to watch some of the shows that are on prime, I just don't want to pay them. BUT bezos owns MGM. And I adore vintage cinema... so there's my downfall right there 🥲
What a bummer to hear that your Kindles kept breaking. My mother bought me an Amazon Kindle Fire edition in 2013, and nearly 9 years later, it's still going strong. I must have their accidental non-obsolescence prototype ;D
I also don't understand this subscription culture that is emerging. I own no subscriptions to anything and haven't done since October of last year. Sure, some of the free to air stuff you can stream from a personal computer are a bit annoying with all the ads and stuff, but I have found that I'm more aware of my bingeing habits when there are ads playing as opposed to watching 6 hours straight of uninterrupted faff on Netflix. During ad breaks I can also straighten up my room, pet my cat or study some German.
I've found that the random household items from cables to deodorant can be found on eBay and it's common for sellers to have fast and free shipping which works fine for me
Jeff can throw as many gifts at me as he fecking well likes but my heart ❤️ always belongs to Martin Lewis!