Skip to main content

Amazon Smile does not make me smile

 Thank you for sending me an invitation to shop at Amazon Smile so that your charity can get pennies out of my purchase. I am appalled by the effort. I will make sure that you know the ten reasons why Amazon Smile does not make me smile.

1) Amazon does not pay their taxes appropriately in the UK to support vital services for people. Their scheme is a pittance compared to what they could contribute to the global society. They send gift hampers to our MPs to get more tax breaks.

2) Out of £1000 purchase, as a charity, you will get only £5. How sad?

3) Amazon subjects workers to poor working condition across the world. How can you as a charity demand social justice and yet spit on your efforts?

4) Your charity is eating away your supporters' desire to give more to you. They will feel like ''oh well I am buying through Amazon Smile so, I do not have to give more. It is another ''slacktivism'' example whereby people become less charitable because they get the feeling that they are charitable by giving your charity... just nothing?

5) If I donate to you, I expect that you spend more time and energy developing schemes that support local regeneration of small businesses that contribute back to you and not give to Amazon who ultimately sends the money back to Luxembourg.

6) Is Amazon the kind of corporation with which you want to align your nonprofit?

7) With all the local shops closing in the city, why would you provide more free advertising to Amazon?

8) How many women and children work in deplorable conditions to make the products we buy on Amazon?

9 ) I wish you could use your mailing lists more effectively and use your time more effectively to leverage donations directly to you and not through a third party. 

10) If your charity is supposed to be supporting women and their families in a specific area, why would you not support the economic infrastructures of those areas?


I could keep ongoing. You are supporting Amazon to colonise every space, and unfortunately, you participate in the suppression of other human's expression of goodness and kindness.


https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/2014/12/no-dont-smile/

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191210005333/en/Amazon-Surprises-Hundreds-of-Charities-by-Fulfilling-Their-AmazonSmile-Charity-Lists-this-Holiday-Season

https://johnkenyon.org/why-amazonsmile-doesnt-turn-my-frown-upside-down/

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-does-amazon-smile-charity-donation-work-2018-5?r=US&IR=T

https://medium.com/@digitalculturenyc/why-nonprofits-need-to-stop-falling-for-the-amazon-smile-scam-f68d389c801c

https://nonprofitchronicles.com/2017/03/28/why-amazon-smile-doesnt-make-me-smile/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

People & Money – The real problem is to not act

A quick extract of an article I wrote after an event I've organised in Leicester with the support of Positive Money and Transition Leicester.  You can access the full article on  Positive Money Blog . ''In the last few months, I contemplated the idea of organising an event in Leicester about Money and the financial system. I first started by looking for a supportive group of individuals to do it with but after few unsuccessful  attempts in recruiting people and ensuring continuous involvement, it became clear that speaking was not enough but that I had to take action. I was letting go of my passive consumer shield to be more of an active citizen. With the full support of Transition Leicester and Positive Money, 5 knowledgeable key speakers were invited. 40 people managed to attend the event. Food, hot and cold drinks were available for everyone to share. The evening turned out not only to be fun and interesting but also educating. This was a moment we travelled in a l...

Sorrow Cycle - Love is here to stay

If you find yourself going through another cycle of sorrow and grieving, there is a song that may help you.  ''Love is here to stay'', the music was written by  George Gershwin  with lyrics by  Ira Gershwin .  Ira Gershwin wrote the words after George's death as a tribute to his brother’s passing. The song resonates with me as I find myself missing a person I love dearly. It puts forward that whatever changes, love is here to stay. The memory of love received, the love that still remains that you receive each day, the love that you give, the love that you feel, the love that is still there to welcome within your life. It will always be there regardless of the earthquake, tsunamis, illnesses and sadness. No point closing yourself from it by fear of losing it again, embrace it and live fully.