Why you should try to avoid shopping at Amazon

[Muzzy]

Amazon don't employ anyone and no people are involved in making the goods they sell or distributing
Why is it that towns should have shops?

Why should towns have shops I think you'll find that many people rely on shops for employment for a start. What a strange question!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I run a successful business with 40 staff, and have a masters degree in economics.
It doesn't qualify me to comment any more than others on here, but for what it's worth, I think there's a strong case currently for an increase in the minimum wage -- ultimately, of course, there would be a point at which, if you raised the minimum wage, it would have a negative impact on aggregate employment. It's not clear exactly what level that would be, but most evidence suggests it's well above the current level. At the moment the minimum wage could, in my view, be safely increased up towards the £10 mark, certainly in London and the SE, with little or no effect on total employment. Some low-end, low skill, poorly managed, low value added businesses might struggle a bit, but they're the kind of businesses we could do with less of in this country anyway. We can never compete globally on low wages alone.
Over the longer-term, any slight squeeze on margins as a result of increasing the minimum wage would act as an incentive for businesses to increase their performance levels, and invest in skill and technology, which is a good thing and would ultimately contribute to growth, and job generation. Further, the fact is that people on low wages spend nearly all of their income, whereas business owners, managers and shareholders don't, so an increase in the minimum wage acts effectively to shift a bit of income from the latter groups to the former, and that income will immediately leak into consumption spending (rather than savings) with a corresponding positive impact on overall economic demand.

Very well put. This.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It appears there is very few business people frequenting this thread. Or economists come to that.

I sit on the board of a small but profitable software co. We pay our staff market rates, we don't outsource to India and we're one large sale away from needing to expand.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Just spent about £200 on amazon (via the NSC link of course). Makes Xmas shopping a doddle.

 

[Nibble]

Ah, the days of the high street shop are numbered indeed. Shame. I do like a gander down the high street, popping in for a pint, looking at the bits you have purchased. That was the 80's, 90's and 00's though. High Streets are going fast. But then on-line is cheaper and there's much more choice. We live in age of weather forecasts and breakfasts that set in

 

[Nibble]

I sit on the board of a small but profitable software co. We pay our staff market rates, we don't outsource to India and we're one large sale away from needing to expand.

Some others seem to believe that paying low wages is a guaranteed way to turn a profit. Maybe, but not long term. They like th eidea of running a business but no real clue.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Imagine how much your bacon Sarnie would cost if your little cafe had to pay their staff 50% more.

The correct price maybe? Bacon is a good topic actually because I stock up on this product when in the UK and I tend to buy from that farm shop on George Street. I pay the going rate and as far as I know no one is screwed.

PILTDOWN MAN, have you built your bacon processing unit yet? If so please PM me as I will order some rashers from you.

 

[Muzzy]

Ah, the days of the high street shop are numbered indeed. Shame. I do like a gander down the high street, popping in for a pint, looking at the bits you have purchased. That was the 80's, 90's and 00's though. High Streets are going fast. But then on-line is cheaper and there's much more choice. We live in age of weather forecasts and breakfasts that set in

Agreed, but I do believe that we will end up regretting the loss of our High Street shops. Sometimes there is a 'I need it now' scenario which the internet will not be able to provide.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

Really. If there are people on here that don't think our economy could support a living wage you are sadly mistaken. There is plenty of money in the UK, it's just not in the right place.

This. Nibble is talking a lot of sense on this thread. People are clearly taking his points of view in the wrong way.

 

[Norman Potting]

Some interesting comments on the article. I probably should feel guilty but this one made me smile




slaepwerigne 01 December 2013 9:59am

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how many reporters have now gone there and nicked jobs from people who actually need them over the christmas period? it's like a fad for you lot.

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CheererUpper slaepwerigne 01 December 2013 11:54am

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Hundreds, I'm sure, if not thousands. Probably most of these warehouse places are entirely staffed by journalists by now.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Ah, the days of the high street shop are numbered indeed. Shame. I do like a gander down the high street, popping in for a pint, looking at the bits you have purchased. That was the 80's, 90's and 00's though. High Streets are going fast. But then on-line is cheaper and there's much more choice. We live in age of weather forecasts and breakfasts that set in

Internet is cheaper at the moment - once the competition is effectively gone, will it continue to be so? Edit: Actually we will not know the answer! But it cannot stay cheap for ever

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Ah, the days of the high street shop are numbered indeed. Shame. I do like a gander down the high street, popping in for a pint, looking at the bits you have purchased. That was the 80's, 90's and 00's though. High Streets are going fast. But then on-line is cheaper and there's much more choice. We live in age of weather forecasts and breakfasts that set in

Yes, I think we will regret it immensely. Imagine Churchill Square and the North Laine replaced by massive Amazon warehouses...

 

[Guinness Boy]

<Gratuitous_Sexism>

The High Street won't die all the time my wife's alive.

</Gratuitous_Sexism>

 

[glasfryn]

Doesn't affect how I feel about Amazon. I shop there for the stuff, not for their treatment of their staff, which is none of my concern.

Sorry if that's a bit honest for some people, but I literally couldn't care less. There's more going on in the world. Those people are employed, it could be a LOT worse. Trust me.

my thoughts too
and also if you don't like like it move on

 

[beorhthelm]

The correct price maybe?

why is the higher price correct? why cant the cheaper price be correct? if a bacon sarnie is 10% more expensive, does one still even go to the cafe, or get them or stop and make a ham sandwich instead. the "going rate" is what it costs and what someone is willing to pay.

Agreed, but I do believe that we will end up regretting the loss of our High Street shops. Sometimes there is a 'I need it now' scenario which the internet will not be able to provide.

Tesco, Sainsbury, Argos and other large companies have that covered. problem solved

Internet is cheaper at the moment - once the competition is effectively gone, will it continue to be so? Edit: Actually we will not know the answer! But it cannot stay cheap for ever

the internet, if you havent yet noticed, is competition against everyone. you arent limited to local or even national choice, you can easily order from abroad. i bought hop plants from a German supplier over the internet, because they were about half the price of anyone in UK. even within Amazon there is competition, they dont stock everything and many items are offered by thrid parties on thier cheaper than Amazon sell themselves. so far as thing cost relative to everything else, internet will likly always be cheaper than shops because the overheads can be cheaper (until landlords, notably councils, realise this and slash rents).

 

[Triggaaar]

Has anyone read that whole article? A few paragraphs would have done.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

PILTDOWN MAN, have you built your bacon processing unit yet? If so please PM me as I will order some rashers from you.

I sold my farm a few months ago, now on to new ventures. My wife's health dictated circumstances unfortunately.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I sit on the board of a small but profitable software co. We pay our staff market rates, we don't outsource to India and we're one large sale away from needing to expand.

That's great but many businesses such as small high street stores, the local pubs and alike have been struggling for years. People complain about the prices now, and many pubs lack the buying power of the larger pub co's. It's those sort of businesses that will suffer. If you want the local services to die fine. Market forces will decide but what a horrible place we will end up living in.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I run a successful business with 40 staff, and have a masters degree in economics.
It doesn't qualify me to comment any more than others on here, but for what it's worth, I think there's a strong case currently for an increase in the minimum wage -- ultimately, of course, there would be a point at which, if you raised the minimum wage, it would have a negative impact on aggregate employment. It's not clear exactly what level that would be, but most evidence suggests it's well above the current level. At the moment the minimum wage could, in my view, be safely increased up towards the £10 mark, certainly in London and the SE, with little or no effect on total employment. Some low-end, low skill, poorly managed, low value added businesses might struggle a bit, but they're the kind of businesses we could do with less of in this country anyway. We can never compete globally on low wages alone.
Over the longer-term, any slight squeeze on margins as a result of increasing the minimum wage would act as an incentive for businesses to increase their performance levels, and invest in skill and technology, which is a good thing and would ultimately contribute to growth, and job generation. Further, the fact is that people on low wages spend nearly all of their income, whereas business owners, managers and shareholders don't, so an increase in the minimum wage acts effectively to shift a bit of income from the latter groups to the former, and that income will immediately leak into consumption spending (rather than savings) with a corresponding positive impact on overall economic demand.

Out of interest what sector is your business? Are setting the trend in paying all your staff well above the minimum? Finally "Some low-end, low skill, poorly managed, low value added businesses might struggle a bit, but they're the kind of businesses we could do with less of in this country anyway" is a tad condescending don't you think. With that comment can I assume you don't think much of local service industries. Not all businesses can be high end international high value types, the others are needed also. Just because some businesses struggle doesn't automatically mean they are badly managed.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Doesn't affect how I feel about Amazon. I shop there for the stuff, not for their treatment of their staff, which is none of my concern.

Sorry if that's a bit honest for some people, but I literally couldn't care less. There's more going on in the world. Those people are employed, it could be a LOT worse. Trust me.

Would you buy from a corporation that uses sweatshops and child labour?