Online shopping has been widely popular before 2020; however, with the help of the pandemic, it is now being utilized more than ever. The concept of online shopping is associated with access to unlimited choices with just a computer and wallet, which ultimately works out wonderfully for both consumers and businesses. Though having unlimited choices sounds wonderful, it can at times be overwhelming. Many online shoppers frequently turn to hub companies like Amazon and eBay to help minimize their search for new products in a sea of online shops. While these hub companies are often helpful, over utilizing them has an extremely adverse effect on the majority of Americans, likely including yourself.
Companies like Amazon are successful because they work to bring businesses and consumers together with minimal effort from either party. This is great if you need to find a new product quickly, but the act of purchasing a product through Amazon reduces proceeds that would otherwise go fully and directly to the company that is actually producing the goods you need. Not to mention, Amazon under represents a huge population of small, online businesses that can’t yet afford the various fees Amazon charges its sellers. Amazon is a great place to look for products you may like or to buy products when you can’t find them elsewhere, however, before purchasing through Amazon, there are a few precautions all consumers should take.
When you find something you want to purchase on Amazon, the brand of that product will always be explicitly stated. Instead, throw that brand along with the product name into a Google search. If you end up finding the product from another merchant (extra points if that website is owned by the brand itself) for a similar price, purchase it there! This behavior promotes growth among small businesses and decreases the amount they have to rely on Amazon for sales. In turn, this will reinvigorate the relationship between businesses and consumers and give pricing power back to consumers and business owners, rather than to a third party.
Online shopping has both the power to promote small businesses and to destroy them. When we, as consumers, choose only to shop at chain stores (including, but not limited to, stores such as Urban Outfitters, Amazon, Shein) for the products we want, that choice has a tremendously negative effect on the future of small businesses. Moreover, chain stores are widely known for outsourcing and underpaying their workers. Supporting small businesses is oftentimes the same as supporting American businesses and job availability for many American workers.
If the economy and promoting American job creation isn’t your primary concern, it would also be beneficial to understand the huge effect that our shopping habits have on the environment. Although the feeling of unboxing something that has never been used or owned by anyone else is exciting, we often overindulge. The best way to protect the environment truly is to buy things that have been preowned, resold, or refurbished. In this manner, consumers are taking waste minimization into their own hands and promoting a better tomorrow for themselves. This is in no way saying that occasionally buying brand new products from big businesses is bad; rather, we should always consider whether or not we can purchase what we need either from a thrift store or sustainable fashion shop online (such as Jane Dottie Vintage, Freckle and Fringe, or the other numerous sustainable online retailers available via social media platforms).
The growth in online shopping over the past few years has given consumers a lot of power. Whether or not we choose to use that power for the betterment of society is up to us. It may be inconvenient to search for a small business to shop from or even to give up that feeling of purchasing something that is brand new; however, it is an inconvenience born out of love. This love will eventually bear its fruits with a better society, which offers small business owners more power and opportunities, protects our environment, and increases job availability for American employees. Assess your shopping habits the next time you need to purchase something. Are they promoting a version of society you want to see in coming years?