I wanted to get printer photo paper for my printer, a Canon. I went to Walmart, They had nothing. Went to Target, they had one pack of photo paper and it was crazy expensive, so I went to micro center. That one was just as expensive. So finally I went back to Amazon, which I was trying to avoid, and saw the price 25 to 40% lower than anywhere I had been. Literally everything that I was looking for, I could find within seconds. Not even Best buy has even close to the amount of inventory or variety, even when you’re shopping online…

Therefore, I think Amazon has a literal monopoly in the tech industry right now, you’re literally forced to buy from them, because unless you have the money and financial fortitude to protest with your wallet, you’re going to be buying from them. There’s no other choice. They have so aggressively and dominantly taken over the supply chain market that no other tech company can currently compete with them in any aspect at all. You will be paying 40 to 50% more on everything by cutting out Amazon, and no one has the money for that anymore unless you’re upper middle class or above

  • Arkouda@lemmy.caEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    I enjoy this narrative of “being forced” to go against ones own morals and principals by big bad companies because one just absolutely has to have a product for as cheap as possible.

    You went to two stores and then straight to Amazon. That doesn’t mean they have a monopoly, that means you really didn’t try that hard to find an alternative.

    If you think you have no other choice you are right because you stopped looking for one.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      Yup, I know of a handful of local stores that would have what OP needs:

      • office supply stores - there’s an Office Depot right next to my local Target
      • photo supply stores - they specialize more in lenses and accessories, but they should also have photo paper
      • art stores - even hobby stores like Hobby Lobby, Joanne’s, or Michael’s would have it
      • CVS/Walgreens/etc - Walgreens even does prints, so you can just send your prints there if you really can’t find paper
      • “tech” stores, like Best Buy (or Microcenter if you’re in the eastern US)
      • random “everything” stores, like Big Lots, “Dollar” stores, etc (less likely, but worth a shot if one is close)

      Your area will certainly be different, and there’s also a bunch of online stores, like B&H Photo (and dozens more, not going to list them all).

      And I’m not in a big urban area, if you’re near a major city, you’ll have dozens of small stores that’ll sell that kind of stuff, along with some larger stores with discounted items.

    • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
      0·
      2 months ago

      Also there is always the second hand market… If you are really looking for deals and can take some risk which I think most adults with jobs can…

        • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
          01·
          2 months ago

          Brainrot like this a huge contributor to waste and plastic waste specifically but much freedom to consoom!

      • Arkouda@lemmy.caEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        I agree with you there. The second hand market is wonderful for finding ridiculous deals on things people just want gone.

        The only problem with the second hand market is the effort needed for it. That effort keeps people from considering it a viable option for goods in the same way the effort to find another store made OP B-line to Amazon.