Comments

1
Fun fact, my local bookstore isn't open hours that are particularly conducive to my doing business there (I have to make a special trip on weekends, they don't stay open in the evenings) and the last few times they have been repeatedly out of stock on the books I'm looking for (requiring a second special trip if I have them order one). I'd be happy to support them but I've basically given up, it would be nice if they'd make it easier to support them (better hours, keeping larger supply on hand of books that are selling out over and over and over).
3
@1 - Fun fact -- you can always call ahead and either ask for the book to be ordered or reserve a copy from what's in stock. My reasonably local bookstore is actually an hour's drive away, so I call ahead and/or order ahead to save myself a trip if I can't combine it with other chores in that area.
4
How much was the person who assembled your iPhone parts paid per hour?--I'm guessing a lot less than an Amazon wherehouse worker. I don't see why the Stranger is so sympathetic to publishing conglomerates. This article gives another angle that the Stranger is predictably unwilling to examine:
http://www.vox.com/2014/10/22/7016827/am…
5
Heh...chalk one up for the good guys.

I haven't decided what to do with my Kindle since this started...I am a recent ebook convert, and I have to admit: the convenience and form are just seductive. I've been on a long kick of reading my back-log of classics...things which are essentially free on the Kindle as they're in the public domain.

The thing is: for books like that - classics, books that are worth the shelf space - reverting to my pre-kindle used book store habits is an easy win. However, with the Kindle, there were books I wouldn't have purchased or read except the price and convenience made them attractive. These tend to be newer, topical books - often extended journalism.

I do wonder - since we're talking about an 3l33tist thing like reading and books - if the market isn't different than it is for so many WalMart type items.

Anyway...I'm about done with the last book on my Kindle...I think it's going in a drawer someplace for six months.
6
It is never okay to order from Amazon. Or, probably Hachette for that matter.
7
@3 Sure, if I wanted something unusual, but I shouldn't have to call ahead and special order something pretty mundane (and a relatively current bestseller that is apparently that popular). If I'm going to have to specially plan and specially place orders for every single book I might want the local store (who also marks up the cover price) is not benefiting me whatsoever and is rather wasting my time, which is worth something.
8
@3 My point isn't that I won't support local at all, but when local stores and their supporters lament their loss of business, but refuse to accommodate their customers I start to loose sympathy pretty fast
9
i'm still buying from a local business that has made a commitment to building in the city instead of promoting sprawl, and put money toward the transit infrastructure they're putting a strain on.
11
I am making YET ANOTHER purchase from Amazon in honor of little bearded Paulie Constantpated's faux rage against Amazon.



Can someone tell me what little bearded Paulie Constantpated's contribution to society is? And sorry, blogging doesn't count.
12
I'm not going to lose any sleep over Amazon's dealings with the giant book publishers. It's billionaires fighting with billionaires.

Amazon's warehouse workers are treated pretty much like warehouse workers everywhere and better than many. It should be better, but unless you refuse to use a computer or a smartphone or eat fruit and vegetables picked by migrant workers then you are supporting much, much worse with your dollars.

But at least those are reasonable arguments. The drone thing? That just makes you look ridiculous.
13
How much bullshit was this so-called boycott, anyway.

How many people who actually shopped at Amazon even really boycotted them? Let's see some numbers.

The authors that called for it couldn't even be bothered to remove their titles from being sold through Amazon - hi, Sherman Alexie, I'm sure you've donated all that Amazon money to charity!

It was toothless whining from the get go.

There are all sorts of troubling reasons people should be wary of buying from Amazon. For years. Principally their abusive labor relations. This is no secret.

But suddenly Amazon only mattered to these crybaby Authors when it impacted their own selfish interests.

Not to mention Hachette is also a notoriously predatory scum bag bully publisher corporation not worthy of any sympathy.
14
@12 Exactly. What you said.
15
Thank God someone stood up for Hachette! A huge corporation like that needs someone to defend it. If it weren't for Paul Constant, little Ansel Herz and the Stranger, poor Hachette would be left to fight Amazon with only a team of top lawyers and a huge bank account.

Paul and little Ansel's attempts to play David against Amazon's Goliath is comical, toothless and needlessly reactionary. Take a look at your iPhone, your shoes (Nike? Vans? Timberland? Red Wing?) and your jeans (Levis?) and the rest of your purchases - including the bike you ride, the computers you use. Good thing they are all locally made using fair practices and utilizing local, well-paid workers. How about the paper towels you use, or the paper that is in your printer? Georgia Pacific? That's a Koch Brothers company. Same goes for "Stainmaster" carpet and lycra, the stretchy fabric that is in a huge number of clothing articles.

We should all support local, sustainable and ethical companies as much as possible, in every area of our life - that only makes sense, but this tiresome crusade against Amazon is misguided. Bezos, for all of his faults, is a good liberal who has donated tons of money to good liberal causes. Grow up Paul! Grow up little Ansel! Grow up Stranger editorial board.
16
Mistreats warehouse workers around the world. ha ha. What's funny about every article about this issue is the number of actual Amazon warehouse workers who chime in on the comments thread saying it's all bullshit.
17
lone locust: fun fact, your laziness is why amazon thrives and why this book store probably can't afford to keep better hours. Time to decide if keeping book stores alive is worth the effort of getting off your ass to engage with your local community ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
18
@17 Screw off. I'm not lazy, I'm a busy person, I work long hours and have a long commute (not by choice). My time is worth something. I patronize some other local businesses in my community that have made the effort to accommodate those of us in my community in a similar situation by staying open later a night or two a week. I shouldn't have to call ahead or make extra special trips on my days to get a common book. That's just a bad way to run a business.
19
Man I hope those fucking drones get smashed by people. I don't want those things flying through my neighborhood.
20
That reminds me, I need to get ready my 166th order for this year using my Prime account. These wonderful inane posts about Amazon always make me love Amazon even more.
21
I'm an Amazon temp warehouse worker! I'm about 6 weeks in to my seasonal contract, which I expect to end mid-January.

From the anecdotes of friends who have worked there for years, the consensus seems to be that things are a lot better now. I certainly don't feel it's an oppressive place to work. My job is incredibly easy for me. The quotas aren't unreasonable, and I have adequate breaks because I walk fast.

I'm sure my experience isn't the norm, I know there are harder positions than mine, there are people who aren't in good health or are unable to stand 12 hours on concrete (my feet can barely handle it). However it seems that in my warehouse, the issues cried about in the press have been taken care of.

I understand the arguments against Amazon, but this season they hired almost 2000 contract workers, at a higher wage than most other places around here, in an area where the jobs haven't really come back. I think that's awesome.
...

I'm amused by this news, because a week ago, I saw a bunch of pallets with Hachette logos being broken down and distributed throughout the warehouse. Given that they arrived a week ago and shipping takes a day or two... I wonder how long ago they actually reached this agreement.
22
@12 "Amazon's warehouse workers are treated pretty much like warehouse workers everywhere and better than many."

They really are. Retail and 3PL warehouses are usually unsafe, low-paying slave drivers.

A friend of mine who used to work at Amazon and now works for a small (20 employees) company, says that he disliked the Amazon at the time, but wishes his current company paid as well, had any of the benefits, or followed safety regulations.

It bears repeating, Amazon treats its warehouse workers as well as or better than warehouse workers everywhere else.
23
I think my position would be much closer to asking "Is it okay to buy Hachette books?"



The answer hasn't really changed at all, as they've yet to publish anything I'm interested in.



In case people's interest in content runs this way, storybundle.com puts out a lot decent books at a very acceptable price, and you can decide exactly how much of your money goes to whom. (Humblebundle does the same... sort of. Their bundles tend to be mostly comics lately, and DC, Marvel, etc, consume their own enormous portion.)



The books are also DRM free, so you can read them on your Kindle, Nook, or whatever.



(I don't have anything to do with either of those websites other than being a customer.)
24
Paul Constant + Amazon = Hachette Job. Until Slog gets somebody else to report on Amazon, we might as well not bother reading these mindless hit pieces.
25
I'm in Afghanistan.. We pretty much don't have a 'local' store to shop for a lot of things. Even things that the Exchange Service doesn't carry here, I can find on Amazon and have shipped to my APO address. Sorry, but I've never had bad service from Amazon. I'm a HUGE fan of Amanda Palmer & Neil Gaiman, and am happy that this agreement was resolved so I can order Amanda's new book from Amazon to get shipped here :-)

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