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Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by KozmoNau7 on Monday September 17, 2018 @04:16AM (#18004054)
Amazon also set new lows for how to pay and treat employees, and how little it is possible to care about selling counterfeit products.
Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by TangoTrotFox on Monday September 17, 2018 @05:44AM (#18004421)
I never understand why people say things like this. It's not even remotely true. For instance we can quantify the salary comment. A quick search for fulfillment center work showed salaries starting at $12-$14/hour. The median pay for retail work, by contrast, is $11.24 [1], which means 50% of workers earn less than that.

It's not possible to similarly conveniently quantify concern about counterfeit, but if you think they genuinely do not care about it then I don't even know what to say. Even from a purely greed centered point of view, counterfeits hurt mid to longterm revenue.

[1] - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm

Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by KozmoNau7 on Monday September 17, 2018 @06:25AM (#18004612)
I base my impression of their working conditions on a friend of mine, who's worked both the warehouses and as a delivery driver. The managers are slave drivers, and if you're just a minute or two behind on a schedules delivery, you get dinged, a black mark on your employment record and a severe talking-down. Even if the delay is of no fault of your own (bad traffic, weather, etc.), it's seen as a personal failure on your part.

No level of pay can make up for being treated like shit.

Regarding the counterfeits, Amazon loves to say how they're dealing with the issue, but the examples just keep piling up. And of course their childish behavior around Chromecast and Youtube.

Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by a008t on Monday September 17, 2018 @05:31AM (#18004352)
Clearly they have been better than the alternatives for customers - otherwise, they would not be successful.

Employees also have a choice - Amazon is not a monopoly.

Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by KozmoNau7 on Monday September 17, 2018 @06:27AM (#18004624)
The customer's don't see the horrible conditions behind the scenes, all they see are cheap products.

If you're a delivery driver, your job options are extremely limited. You can deliver fast food, or deliver for companies like Amazon. It's either that, or starve.

Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by danielmg on Monday September 17, 2018 @09:19AM (#18005642)
Or learn another skill?
Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by KozmoNau7 on Monday September 17, 2018 @09:21AM (#18005665)
Not really something you can "just do", when you're living paycheck to paycheck and can barely even pay rent, even after moving to more affordable accommodation, while also keeping your ~15 year old car running, because it's your lifeline to even having a job in the first place.
Re:The Bezos backlash: Is 'big philanthropy' a charade? by ionised on Monday September 17, 2018 @05:59AM (#18004499)
> Clearly they have been better than the alternatives for customers - otherwise, they would not be successful.

Plenty of shitty companies are successful. They just need to. be more convenient than their competitors.

> Employees also have a choice - Amazon is not a monopoly.

Not yet.