There are a lot of people that have stopped shopping at Amazon… mainly from what I can understand, because of the billionaire CEO, lack of unionization in the warehouses, and low pay. These are all valid reasons and I fully support everyone’s right to choose where they shop and how they spend their money. In fact there are several businesses that I won’t do business with (such as Chik-fil-A). But today I wanted to share some of the reasons I do still shop with Amazon.

Kindle

I know that there are other e-readers out there, but I love the versatility of my Kindle as well as the selection of low-priced or free books at my disposal. It’s also easy and convenient for gifting (at least in the US). To be fair, I don’t purchase a lot of physical books from Amazon.

Marketplace

While many people think of Amazon Marketplace as the spot you can sell used books or other items, it’s also a way for small businesses to reach a wider audience. I have found several small businesses that I have been able to support with repeated business through Amazon that I would never have found on my own.

Wish Lists

One of my favorite things to do is send gifts to my friends. Amazon makes this super easy with shareable wish lists that you can subscribe to. This way if I’m feeling generous, I can just send something off to a friend. They also protect the recipient’s address, which is ideal for granting bookish wishes on Twitter. And you can add things from other shops to your wish list, it doesn’t just have to be something on Amazon. I also use them to curate items needed for various projects, such as the backpacks I am putting together for the homeless.

Rural Living

I live in the middle of nowhere. I have to drive 30 minutes to the nearest mid-size city for a grocery store. There are very few shopping options aside from a Walmart, unless I drive an hour away. I have no independent book stores around (though I do have a couple of used book stores I frequent on occasion). My options are limited, and Amazon has almost everything I need. I do shop other retailers for specialty items on occasion, but because I live in a rural area, can take longer to get to me.

Amazon Smile

Using the Amazon Smile site, you can designate a non-profit organization to receive a donation based on your purchases. It’s not a huge percentage, and I would like it to be more, but it is another small way that I can give back.

Disclaimer: I am not an affiliate of Amazon or Amazon Smile and have not been compensated in any way for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.