My Amazon-Story 2021

Thank you very much for such a nice idea, @the-gorilla ;-))

Is Amazon and shopping at the omnipresent online giant as controversial in your country as it is in Germany?

There are roughly two camps here: the people who love Amazon. Fast service, an unrivalled range of products, reasonable prices, goodwill in the event of problems, often free delivery, simple returns procedure... They just know how to do it. On the other side, the people who turn up their noses at this point and talk about sweatshop methods, labour law violations, tax evasion, etc.

It's easy to get caught between two stools... I have long avoided ordering too much and too often there. Only when there were no reasonable alternatives within reach. And I felt quite okay with that.

Then it happened that I got to know some employees of the company, privately, at a birthday party. From different locations, in different positions. They had one thing in common: they were full of praise for the best employer they had ever had. The stories, which I asked for with interest, cleared up some prejudices, which - like many others, I am sure - were created by the media and somehow also politically intended.

No, the shop can't be that bad. I heard about employees leaving for family reasons who received severance pay to bridge the blocking period from the employment office. I heard about unbureaucratic special leave and about a physiotherapist at the workplace... Are there problems? Sure. Where not? But it may at least be considered that the all too harsh criticism of the "inhuman mail order giant" is trumpeted by those who can't get along anywhere, who don't get "employee of the month" and who like to blame everyone else....

OK. Long story short - my purchases from Amazon have increased. Using 2021 as an example, let me outline the story for you...:

It started in April. My car needed an oil change and because it is not such a common model, it is difficult for me to get the right oil at the petrol station or DIY store, and then it is also very expensive. Here was a good opportunity...

In June, I ordered a cool box for a long and expectedly hot car journey - which unfortunately did not meet my expectations and was taken back without complaint.

In this case, I found the better solution with another provider...

In August I had come across a recent book by another Steemian, who some of you may also know: @seo-boss has published.

In November it became, of course completely unexpectedly, far too cold to ride without gloves and the light boots didn't really keep warm either....

Later in the month, I got a gift voucher, which I then spent on things that one could use or would like to have, but which are not at the top of the list of urgent needs.

At the end of the year I was allowed to buy a little bit of stuff for the household... From the category "Beautiful living" ;-))

What everyone needs (well - I still schedule on paper and not in my mobile ;-)) and almost everyone forgets to buy in time: Calendars.

And last but not least, a last minute gift at the special request of a friend...

Thank you, Amazon! Thank you, dear delivery drivers (you are so brave when you have to climb up to the 5th floor with the things without a lift) and thank you, dear neighbours - you accept the deliveries when no one is at home with us!

2022 is already a month old - guess who was allowed to bring us fine parcels again...?!