this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2023
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Is there an actual alternative general online store that treats its employees well and has good prices on decent products? I'm all for supporting a different online retailer over Amazon.
Similarly, I've been trying to purchase less on Amazon, but the brick and mortar stores around me are also giants (namely Walmart). I haven't been doing a good job of it, but I feel like part of the process of getting away from Amazon is also accepting some inconvenience and seeking things out from local shops.
Things though like detergent, toilet paper, etc, I really don't know who sells them other than big box stores.
I buy some of that stuff locally from a well-known & supposedly-"eco-friendly" brand. Just now I checked their website to see if they sell direct-to-consumer. Some do but this brand doesn't. So I took a look at their "Where to buy" list. Most of the listed online sellers were the obvious big-box or affiliated. But there was one apparently independent and environmentally-focused alternative retailer listed, with reasonable retail and shipping prices. I'm reading up now (Wikipedia and reviews) to decide whether that retailer will interest me or not.
So, my suggestion is to visit the websites of some brands that you like. Perhaps some may sell direct; and if not, check their "Where to buy" listings to see if any interesting options might be found there.
Depends where you're from but I don't know any who's global like Amazon is.
Why do you need a general online store? I'll just buy from specialized retailers most of the time. It's not really any extra effort.
Specialized stores sometimes cost more money (sometimes they don't). Also, the return policy and customer service is different from store-to-store. There's a lot of convenience in having an "everything" store.
Tried that a few times, and just felt like I was getting ripped off paying MORE for the product AND paying $20-30 shipping on top of that. Amazon is often cheaper and you get free shipping.
I've love to know of a better company that can compete, because I really can't afford to spend more just to spend more.