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Plus, Amazon's negative impact & why your spending choices matter
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Amazon is convenient, cheap, and fast, and it seems to have just about everything, all on one website—but it’s also one of the most unethical and most powerful companies in the world. If you’re trying to avoid Amazon and you’re not sure how to begin, we can help! We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you quit Amazon (and the many companies it owns and partners with—some of them may surprise you!) for good, as well as a list of Amazon alternatives to make curbing an Amazon addiction a little easier.
How to Quit Amazon for Good
- Replace Amazon with local businesses or second-hand stores.
- Be more intentional with your consumption habits. Shop in alignment with your values.
- Try to avoid companies owned by Amazon, like Whole Foods or Twitch.
- Get re-used to inconvenience. Amazon is only convenient because it’s unethical.
- Curb an Amazon addiction by reflecting on your emotional attachment to it and replacing shopping with a healthier coping mechanism.
Steps
Section 2 of 5:
Alternatives to Amazon
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Shop local. There are tons of small businesses with amazing goods waiting to be bought by you—and there’s probably a number of them in your area! Instead of giving your money to Amazon and padding Billionaire Bezos's pockets, why not support independent businesses?
- Not only is it great to support small businesses and help your community thrive, it’s also probably better for you in the long run, since you’re more likely to find higher-quality goods that last longer than the stuff you’d find on Amazon.
- Getting out and shopping in person is also a great way to find community. The more you shop at your local stores, the more likely you are to get to know the owners, employees, and other customers. [5] X Research source
- Shopping with friends or a date is also a great way to pass the time and be social. It’ll get you out of the house, too, which will likely make you feel happier and more a part of your town.
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Order goods from non-local indie stores. If you don't have many shopping options in your town, or if your favorite independent businesses are too far away to get to, see if you can order something and have it shipped to you. Most stores have a website these days, making online ordering super convenient.
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Buy goods directly from the manufacturer. When you buy goods from a company through Amazon, Amazon gets a percentage of the sale. Next time you need new headphones, a new laptop, shoes, an end table, or what have you, instead of buying through Amazon, purchase directly from the original manufacturer.
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Find an ethical company to support. Offset the bad Amazon does by shopping at a store that shares your values. Many companies have policies and practices in place that support specific values, such as climate protection, animal welfare, fair trade, ethical material sourcing, and many others. You can also support companies that are LGBTQ-owned, Black-owned, woman-owned, family-owned, and more.
- There's a plethora of ethical stores online that you can order from, but many have brick-and-mortar shops, maybe even in your town.
- For clothes , try Alternative Apparel , good on you , Patagonia , or Made Trade .
- For beauty, try Credo or BLK & GRN .
- Home and kitchen and bulk buying? Try Package Free .
- For tech, try Black Market .
- Looking for unique accessories, household items, gifts, and more? Try Ten Thousand Villages , Uncommon Goods , or Goodee .
- Groceries? Replace Whole Foods with Thrive Market or your local co-op.
- For more options, check out the good trade's list of alternatives to Amazon and Wish , or use DoneGood , an ethical marketplace, to find brands that match your values.
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Get books at the library. Amazon is pretty much the worst place to buy your books. If you can’t swing the cost of the latest best-seller at your local indie bookshop, we know somewhere you can get it totally free: the library, of course! You might have to wait a little longer if it’s a popular title, but you won’t have to pay a cent—and you’ll be supporting one of the greatest institutions in the world, the public library (which Amazon doesn’t really do, because they avoid paying taxes). [6] X Research source
- You can get a book in print, but you can likely also check out the eBook version or the audio version. There are also often large-print copies of books for users who need them.
- Most libraries stock more than books these days, so also look into the latest DVDs, CDs, video games, and more.
- And while you’re at the library, look into all the other amazing services they offer! Many libraries offer classes, after-school programs, tutoring, book clubs, and more.
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Shop used items online. Online vintage shops like Thredup , Poshmark , eBay , Mercari , Etsy , and others offer used goods at affordable prices. You could even sell your own goods and make a little moulah!
- Did you know that fast fashion is one of the biggest global threats to the environment? And companies like Amazon, Shein, Wish, and Temu are among the very worst offenders! Instead of buying new, cheap clothes, try shopping vintage.
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Go thrifting. Amazon has a history of throwing away perfectly good items simply because they’re outdated or they need the shelf space. This leads to tremendous waste, which hurts the environment on a massive scale. Instead of buying new items and contributing to more waste, why not see what you find at your local thrift store?
- Goodwill is a great choice, but there are likely tons of independent second-hand stores in your area as well. Second-hand stores are so much fun because you never know what you’re going to find! Take a few friends, grab a coffee to go, and make a day of browsing.
- Or host a swap with friends! Invite your buds to bring over their old clothes and other items and exchange them. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!
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Shop at other online marketplaces. Lately, it seems as if the only place to shop online is Amazon, since every other website offers affiliate links to their products, but it’s not true. There are loads of other online stores available to us—and many of them are quite affordable.
- Not sure where to start? Try Google Shop to discover new places to buy your online goodies.
- If you’re reluctant to let go of free shipping, know that lots of other stores have begun offering this, especially if you spend over a certain amount.
- You can shop specifically for ethically made goods, but ultimately, almost any store is better than Amazon, so if you need to, don’t be afraid to take it slow and shop at another store you love—like American Eagle or Target—even if it’s still a little problematic. “Lesser of two evils” and all that.
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Make your own items. Get crafty! Instead of ordering those boho chic curtains on Amazon, make your own! Not only is it thriftier to make your own goods and better for the world not to shop at Amazon, but creating something with your own hands is a great way to relax and lower stress levels. [7] X Research source
- Or, support your crafty friend by paying them to make you curtains. You’ll be encouraging their art, and you’ll likely appreciate a unique product made by your friend more than you would a cheap product made through forced labor overseas.
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Section 4 of 5:
How to Curb a Shopping Addiction
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Accept that you have a compulsion to shop. “Shopaholism” doesn’t have as much stigma as other types of addiction, like alcoholism or drug addiction, and therefore often isn’t taken seriously, but it can and does negatively affect people’s lives. [34] X Research source Realizing you have a compulsion to shop is the first step to curbing the addiction.
- Think about the ways your shopping has affected, is affecting, or could affect your life: shopaholism can cause financial stress or ruin, leave you in debt, fracture relationships, and more.
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Reflect on your emotional attachment to shopping. A lot of us shop when we’re feeling down, stressed, or tired and in need of a mental boost or distraction. Consider what triggers you to want to shop. Identifying the moods that cause you to pick up your phone and scroll Amazon (or other stores) can help you resist them. [35] X Research source
- It’s no wonder we turn to shopping for a lift: shopping raises dopamine levels, a.k.a. the “feel-good chemicals”—at least for a little while. [36] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public Go to source
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Ask yourself: “Do I really need it?” It’s a tough question for even the thriftiest among us. But asking yourself whether you really need what you’re eyeing—or whether you really need it right now —can make it easier to spend wisely.
- It’s easier to use shopping as a coping mechanism when we view it as a hobby, versus something you do when you need something. Reframing how you think of “shopping” as an activity may make it easier to stop.
- Even if you need the item, ask yourself if you can wait until you can purchase it at another store.
- Also consider asking yourself if you can wait just one day to purchase what you’re looking at. You may wake up the next day and realize it was just a passing craving.
- Consider sticking to a strict list of shopping items and try not to deviate from the list. This will help you avoid impulse-purchasing. [37] X Research source
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Replace shopping with a healthier coping mechanism. If you’re addicted to shopping, it’s likely something you do when you’re not feeling great and need a distraction. It could help to find something else to do instead when you feel the urge to shop—something that will bring you less shame and affect your wallet less.
- Try exercising
next time you feel the urge to shop. It’ll not only give you something to do, it’ll help you destress and
feel better for the long term—not just in the moment. [38]
X
Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source
- If it’s an online shopping addiction you’re worried about, consider heading to the mall in person. It’ll give you exercise—plus, thinking of “shopping” as something you do in person and not on your phone with the click of a button may make it easier to curb the addiction.
- Consider taking up a new hobby and pick it up when you feel the urge to shop—maybe journaling , dancing , or doing puzzles.
- Reach out to a friend for support when you feel the need to spend. Having a buddy for accountability can make it a lot easier to kick the habit.
- Try exercising
next time you feel the urge to shop. It’ll not only give you something to do, it’ll help you destress and
feel better for the long term—not just in the moment. [38]
X
Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source
-
Delete the Amazon app from your phone. Amazon is already convenient and easy to use, and it's even more accessible when it's available right there on your phone. Delete the app to make it harder to access, and you might see your shopping habits change.
- This doesn't just apply to Amazon, but to any of your favorite online stores that use an app. Delete the app so you'll be forced to access the website via your desktop. Even if it doesn't stop you, it'll likely make you pause and reflect on what you're doing.
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Delete your credit card info from your favorite online stores. It’s easy to buy anything and everything we want when the card info is pre-saved from our last purchase. Deleting your card info will make it a little easier to curb the shopping craving, since you’ll have to ask yourself, “Do I want this thing enough to get up and get my credit card?”
- Not just credit card info—same with PayPal and any other payment info.
- It might also be helpful to sign out of all your favorite shops on your phone, computer, or wherever you’re most likely to shop.
- Sure, it might not take you long to sign back in, but heading to Amazon (or another website) only to realize you’re signed out may act as a little reminder that you’re trying not to spend.
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Unsubscribe from your favorite store emails. If you subscribe to even just a few stores’ emails, you’re likely getting emails announcing unignorable sales every single day—maybe even more than once a day. Unsubscribe to avoid the temptation to spend!
- When you do come across a sale that seems too good to be true, remind yourself it isn’t—that more sales will come and go.
- The message that you need to shop today or miss out leads to a panicky scarcity mindset—not a good headspace to be in when you’re spending money.
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Consider talking through your addiction with a therapist. Shopping addiction is real and its effects can be wide-reaching and devastating. If you’re having trouble kicking the addiction, don’t be afraid to reach out to a therapist to talk. They can offer nonjudgmental guidance and support to help you through the problem so you can get your life back again. [39] X Research source
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References
- ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/hat-learned-quit-buying-amazon-stores-community-2024-2
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-form-a-habit
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- ↑ https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-doj-charge-amazon-violating-childrens-privacy-law-keeping-kids-alexa-voice-recordings-forever
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/21/amazon-surveillance-lawsuit-union
- ↑ https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-amazon-branded-convenience-and-normalized-monopoly/
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/21/amazon-surveillance-lawsuit-union
- ↑ https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-amazon-branded-convenience-and-normalized-monopoly/
- ↑ https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/07/17/1095019/google-amazon-and-the-problem-with-big-techs-climate-claims/
- ↑ https://revealnews.org/article/private-report-shows-how-amazon-drastically-undercounts-its-carbon-footprint/
- ↑ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-16/microsoft-amazon-big-tech-help-big-oil-pump-more
- ↑ https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-21/amazon-destroying-millions-of-items-of-unsold-stock-in-one-of-its-uk-warehouses-every-year-itv-news-investigation-finds
- ↑ https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/90870-aba-report-charts-damage-done-to-retailers-by-amazon-s-expansion.html
- ↑ https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/85318-amazon-hit-with-e-book-price-fixing-suit.html
- ↑ https://tax.kenaninstitute.unc.edu/news-media/why-didnt-amazon-pay-any-taxes-despite-having-huge-profits/
- ↑ https://propublica.org/article/the-secret-irs-files-trove-of-never-before-seen-records-reveal-how-the-wealthiest-avoid-income-tax
- ↑ https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/banking/paycheck-to-paycheck-statistics
- ↑ https://www.reuters.com/article/amazon-com-lawsuit-racism-int-idUSKCN2AT3RM/
- ↑ https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/retailers/ten-reasons-avoid-amazon
- ↑ https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/amazon-must-face-bias-claims-by-black-worker-placed-improvement-plan-2024-05-31/
- ↑ https://www.techtransparencyproject.org/articles/amazon-suppliers-tied-forced-labor-xinjiang
- ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2016/12/can-you-control-your-shopping-urges
- ↑ https://newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/shopping-addiction
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure
- ↑ https://newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/shopping-addiction
- ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_surprising_ways_exercise_changes_your_brain
- ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2016/12/can-you-control-your-shopping-urges
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