I despise Jeff Bezos. Actually, I abhor the person he is.  And I have a pretty well-established personal boycott list—among places I refuse to give my business to are Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, and Home Depot as well as Sephora among others.. The most gut-wrenching boycott for me is Taco Bell. I love that place but no longer frequent.There are also brands that I refuse to buy due to political ideologies not aligned with mine. 

But before I continue, I would like to bring back some shopping memories of the past.  My early years of living in Ozone Park, Queens, had me traveling by subway to A&S in Jamaica with my mom to purchase those Sunday-best Christmas and Easter outfits.  We would also subway to Macy’s on 34th Street in Manhattan and before every trip we would recite the old Macy’s kiddie rhyme:

“ I won’t go to Macy’s any more, more, more

There’s a big fat policeman at the door, door, door,

He will pull you by the collar, and make you pay a dollar,

So I won’t go to Macy’s any more, more, more!”

Crazy but true.  The old rickety wooden escalators were always fun to use between floors and shopping back then was an event!  Shopping was special. We didn’t own a plethora of clothing or shoes. It was dress shoes, school shoes, and sneakers for play.

Part of the fun shopping experience was the old, old, old rickety escalators at Macy’s!

As an adult living in Manhattan, I didn’t have time to shop due to working then being a stay-at-home mom.  On lazy weekends I would take the M-5 bus from Riverside drive down to 34th and Fifth to my beloved B. Altman, Shopping there was an absolute dream.  The store was never overcrowded, The sales assistants were delightful, knowledgeable and helpful, The choices of clothing were classic and nothing outlandish or super-trendy,  Wool kilts and skirts and trousers. Shetland sweaters. It was wonderful,  Then the store closed. As did the epic Orbach’s, and Mays, and Alexanders and Gimbels. A new era of shopping lay ahead,

The elegance of B. Altman. Luxurious store without being a luxury brand. I freaking LOVED this store!  And trust me, I was very sad to see it close!

I’m talking about the Mall.  A large percentage of them now all but abandoned,  And the ones left, are basically a pain-in-the-ass to shop.  Presently, not looking forward to returning a pair of shoes to Nordstrom but I’m off from work on Monday so I’ll deal with it then.

Rolling Acres mall in Ohio. Just one of many.

And yeah, I know, I know, people blame Amazon and other online shopping sites for the demise of the mall but I’m here to tell you just why I shop Amazon (and other online sites). And yeah, I know, I sound like a hypocrite. But who hasn’t been an iota hypocritical in their entire lifetime?

Thee very well may be, but who in their lifetime hasn’t been hypocritical at one point or another? Whilst young or whilst old, it happens.

Amazon is a different beast for me though.  The thought of getting in my car after a day at work is daunting. On the weekends, all I want to do is relax.  Now that the cooler weather and shorter days are in effect, my weekends are now for cooking and preparation for baking.  We will be hosting a pre-Thanksgiving in November and I want to busy myself with meal planning, making cookie dough  and pie dough to freeze–and, perhaps take a Friday or Monday off to make croissants and pain au chocolat.  The slipcovers need to be washed.  The Christmas decorations need to be taken out and put up before we leave for France.  I need to plan for our trip to California.  There’s a lot going on.

My personality takes over when I drive. And I don’t like driving to go shopping!

The point is, as much as I can’t stand Besos, Amazon works for me. When preparing to make pain au chocolate, I’m not running around to 5 or more grocery or speciality stores looking for chocolate batons, I’m heading to Amazon.

When I’m making vanilla, I’m not going to waste time and gas trying to track down 35 sticks of madagascar vanilla beans, I’m a goin’ to Amazon.

My Vanilla from January of this year is now ready to use. Vanilla beans from Amazon.  Bottles from Amazon.  I just ordered more bottles and vanilla to make a batch for next year!

Traveling and need an Apple Air Tag or some EU adapters and inexpensive ear pods. No way am I heading to the Apple store and getting stressed through the crowds in that store. My fingers are doing the walking.

Ear pods and adapter all from Amazon. My Air Tags are also from Amazon and are placed in my luggage for now.

It’s convenience.  I’ve ordered shoes and clothing and for the most part have been satisfied.  And when I’m not satisfied, the return policy is incredibly simple. I head to my local Whole Foods and drop the return off for a refund. For that I don’t mind getting into my car.

Amazon Essentials Turtlenecks. THE best turtleneck lightweight sweaters ever! The fit is excellent, they are well-made and the price is affordable.  The shoes? Amazon. Dream Pairs. Navy Loafers. My expectations were low but it turned out that these loafers are ridiculously comfortable!  I love them–and I am a big Weejuns fan!

One has to pick and choose their battles. I have my boycotts,  And I fervently stick to them.  But I can bend and mostly for my own selfish reasons.  Convenience is paramount for me. Especially as I’ve aged. I can’t be bothered with a lot of bullshit.   You know, the kind from people who always have something negative to say.   From those who will judge you for wearing fast fashion or for watching a movie some may deem vulgar.  

Yes. Yes. The self-righteous do-gooders can shame me all they want. I don’t care!

The point is, not everyone is well-off enough to afford clothing made of the finest materials. Not everyone is agile or can move around enough to get into a car and drive then walk for an hour or more at a mall or multiple stores to track items down.  I’m very lucky that I can move around but I’m still going to shop from home.

And Amazon hires a lot of people globally.  Are they well-paid?  I found this on the internet:

Whether Amazon pays its employees well depends heavily on the role, department, and location. 

Hourly and Warehouse Workers (Fulfillment, Delivery, and Logistics)

• Average Wage: Regular full- and part-time hourly workers earn an average of $23 per hour (with average total compensation reaching over $29 per hour when factoring in benefits). Seasonal workers average over $19 per hour. [1, 2]
• Job Breakdown: Typical hourly ranges on platforms like show warehouse associates and delivery drivers averaging around $16 to $22+ per hour, depending on regional adjustments and shift differentials. 
• Benefits: Hourly staff receive health care from day one, dental coverage, a 401(k) with a company match, prepaid college tuition, and daily pay options
• The Debate: While Amazon highlights annual wage increases and competitive entry-level pay compared to federal minimums, critics—including labor groups and reports from organizations like the —argue that warehouse wages often lag behind the local cost of living or average county-level earnings in specific regions.

That’s better than what many people working clerical, housekeeping jobs, security and other positions are making in these United States these days. Hell, I’m not paid enough for what I do–but who is going to hire a 71 year-old who can’t afford to retire so I rest my case on this one!

It runs the gamut from Temu to J. Crew.  Shein to Nordstrom.  People should purchase what they can afford. And if Temu or Shein or Amazon is all they can afford, so be it. They don’t need to be judged.

My absolute favorite trench coat. 24 USD on Shein or Temu, I honestly can’t remember but this coat is everything and it’s on its third year. I wore it in Paris last November. It’s coming with me this November,.

In Paris, 2024 wearing my Temu coat. I have to send this to the dry cleaners in preparing for wearing it for a third year!

And inasmuch as thrifting is concerned, some people just do not want to thrift. I get that.  When I lived in New Jersey, one of my favorite stores was the Salvation Army Red, White, and Blue store in Hamilton, NJ. I loved that store. It was the wastebasket for the wealthy Princetonians and I was there to pick up the garbage! The thrift stores where I currently live aren’t great. But eBay can be very surprising!

My three chairs purchased at the Red White and Blue thrift store. They are pretty darn amazing..

Not to mention some old-school china that I use for family dinners!  Thrifting isn’t just about the clothes!

So yeah, don’t judge me or anyone else for Amazoning.  Hold on!  Wait a minute–I just received a notification that a package was left at my door!  

It’s a Holiday lounging sweatshirt that I bought from Temu! I paid eight bucks for it. It will be worn at work. It shall be donned when we’re in L.A. visiting my son, daughter-in-law and new grandson.  I’ll wear it during the entire holiday season!  

This arrived today, It was worth the eight bucks.  I will get a lot of wear out of it.  If I went to a brick and mortar store, I would have spent money on gas, paid about 20 bucks for the shirt and had to deal with aggravation!

So if you want to judge me, judge away, I’ll still shop the way I want without remorse!

Yesterday’s work outfit, Jeans fron an online company, MoCo.  The Amazon shoes.  A Temu sweater and a J. Crew blazer from 2012!

What are your thoughts?  Do you shop Amazon? Do you shop online?  Are you tired of getting in the car and driving to the mall, etc,?  Let’s discuss this!