Look, I’m gonna say this right now
Amazon is not your friend. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “But Sarah, they’ve got everything!” Yeah, they’ve got everything and your soul. Let me tell you about the time in 2018 when I realized I was spending $87 a week on “essential” items I didn’t need. That’s when I said, “Enough.”
I’m Sarah, by the way. I’ve been writing about ecommerce for 20+ years. I’ve seen the rise and fall of so many platforms. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve had wins. I’ve talked to alot of people about this stuff. And I’m here to tell you, Amazon ain’t it.
That time I went rogue
So, last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. There was this guy, let’s call him Marcus. He runs a small ecommerce site. He told me, “Sarah, I make more money now than when I was selling on Amazon.” I was like, “But the traffic! The ease!” He just laughed. “Traffic’s great, but they take 30% of your sales. Plus, you’re at their mercy.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
So I started digging. I talked to a colleague named Dave over coffee at the place on 5th. He’d been selling on Amazon since 2012. “It’s a committment,” he said. “You think you’re in control, but you’re not.” He told me about how one day, his listings just disappeared. No warning, no explanation. “I lost $14,000 that month,” he said. “Just like that.”
I mean, come on. That’s not cool.
But Sarah, what about the customers?
Okay, look. I get it. Amazon’s got customers. Alot of customers. But here’s the thing: they’re Amazon’s customers. Not yours. You’re just renting space in their marketplace. And honestly, their customers are kinda trash. Don’t @ me.
About three months ago, I was talking to my friend Lisa. She’s a buyer on Amazon. She told me, “I don’t care who I’m buying from, as long as it’s cheap and fast.” I said, “But what about supporting small businesses?” She just shrugged. “I need that widget, Sarah. I don’t care who makes it.”
And that’s the problem. Amazon’s turned shopping into a commoditized, soulless experience. It’s all about speed and price. There’s no connection. No loyalty. Just… stuff.
And don’t even get me started on their treatment of sellers. They’ll suspend your account for the smallest infraction. They’ll change the rules whenever they feel like it. They’ll take your data and use it against you. It’s a completeley one-sided relationship.
So where do you go?
Look, I’m not saying you should quit Amazon tomorrow. But maybe think about diversifying. Maybe try selling on Etsy, or eBay, or even your own website. (Which, by the way, you can set up in a few hours with Shopify. It’s not that hard.)
And if you’re gonna stay on Amazon, at least be smart about it. Use tools like education news policy changes to stay up-to-date on their ever-changing policies. Don’t put all your eggs in their basket.
I started selling on my own site last year. It’s been a struggle, but it’s also been liberating. I control my destiny. I build relationships with my customers. I’m not at the mercy of some corporate giant.
Plus, I’m making more money. So there’s that.
Anyway, I could go on and on, but I won’t. Suffice it to say, Amazon ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Do your research. Think critically. And for the love of god, don’t let them take 30% of your hard-earned cash.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a Shopify store to tend to. Later, y’all.
About the Author
Sarah Thompson has been a senior editor at various publications for over 20 years. She’s written about ecommerce, tech, and business for Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc. She lives in Austin with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends way too much time on Twitter.
