The Amazon Dilemma: Reconciling Corporate Power with Public Values

Rethinking Amazon’s Empire

The notorious company that is known for its fast shipping and stellar convenience has its name around every block and in every other door. Amazon is ranked second among the largest companies in the world, according to Fortune Magazine. But after you hear about its history, it will feel like it should be ranked in the magazines for being one of the most unethical worldwide companies. Here’s the tea!

• Amazon is known for its horrible labour conditions and in 2024 a strike was conducted during the holidays, Amazon's busiest time of the year to condem their actions. But it gets worse, documents have shown that amazon workers have had to pee and deficate in bottles due to time contraints despite amazon tweeting against these allegations.

• Amazon is also known for an extremely severe case of tax evasion through legal loopholes: In 2018 Amazon paid $0 in federal income taxes on $11 billion in profits, and similarly low rates in other years.

• Amazon is also known for extreme monopolistic behavior with the Amazon FBA business model having its fair share of concerns by users. It primarily has a reputation for taking the audience of its vendors' products once they start to sell well for themselves. Amazon is not exactly your friend and will have the algorithm and competitive pricing on their side.

• Amazon also invested $7.2 billion in data centres in Israel and signed a $1.2 billion dollar contract alongside Google to Project Nimbus. This is a secret technological project used to support the Israel military with AI during the ongoing genocide towards the Palestinians in Gaza. 

• Amazon also has severe privacy breach scandals with a confirmed case of Alexa transcripts and voice recordings being heard by employees. This resulted in a civil penalty of $25 million dollars.

So maybe we don’t want to renew our Prime subscription towards a company that fails to even give its workers the fundamental need of adequate washroom access. But luckily the convenience of online shopping is not limited to Amazon, and products can be found through other marketplaces.

The Defeat of Amazon Lies on Us

No need to purchase from Amazon for an affordable marketplace, as we have a cheap and convenient alternate option that doesn't support apartheid:

eBay:

eBay has made a promising step away from apartheid by announcing its plans to shut down its operations in Israel and lay off 200 workers by 2026. eBay also provides great benefits to buyers and sellers through the following:

• Competitive pricing through an auction format that allows sellers to set their own prices

• Unique, hard-to-find items such as antiques or vintage items are listed. 

• Strong policies in place to protect buyers against fraudulent sellers

However, it is important to note that products being purchased on Ebay are varied in nature, making it up to the consumers' discretion depending on the product being bought. However, another upcoming marketplace has this issue down to the tee with a brand new outlook on ethical consumerism. 

The Rise of Salaaz

Not to toot our own horn, but Salaaz Marketplace is the one-stop shop with all the perks and conveniences of competitive pricing, fair accessibility towards sellers, and transparent global ethical standards that stand for human rights and well-being. The upcoming launch of Salaaz will provide access to a guilt-free shopping experience that won’t make you question where your product is sourced and whether your values are being violated through every dollar. 

We know changing habits isn’t always easy, especially when convenience is dangled in front of us at the click of a button. But convenience shouldn’t come at the cost of human rights, dignity, or our collective conscience. The truth is, every purchase is a vote. And while the system may be rigged in favour of giants, history shows that empires fall and new ones rise with purpose.

So, if you’ve ever wished for an easier way to shop without compromising your values, you’re not alone. We’re building it.

We’re just getting started. And the best part? You don’t have to wait on the sidelines.