• Adalast@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    And in 5 years they are going to automate the entire thing providing precisely 0 jobs to the local economy.

    • OldWoodFrame@lemm.ee
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      7 months ago

      That would be pretty rough. Outcompete all the other employers in town so they all go out of business and then automate all the jobs.

      • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I mean, that’s literally what Amazon does. Anyone remember diapers.com? Amazon lowered their prices on diapers, losing at least $200 million, to stop diapers.com’s growth. When the business started losing money, Amazon bought them, and then shut them down.

        Then immediately raised their prices on diapers. I fucking hate Amazon, like, literally refuse to purchase anything from them. I’d rather pay 3 times the price then give Amazon a penny for literally anything.

        They’re already implementing automation and robots into their warehouses, once one of their engineers making six figures (compared to Bezos’s billions) comes up with a way to automate delivery, you can bet your ass and mine they’ll drop all of their subcontracting delivery companies with zero notice or fucks given. I’m amazed they haven’t gone after chewy.com or barkbox, but maybe they are.

        I remember back in like 2015-2017, when I finally swore off Amazon, I posted on Reddit asking what other shopping sites people recommended that weren’t Amazon, and was downvoted and chastised for even asking because not wanting to suck Amazon’s Dick-of-Convenience wasn’t comprehendible, and look where that fucking got us.

        Sorry, this is a long response to your comment, and that’s the end of my rant, but just… Fuck Amazon, to the moon and back… Twice.

        • Ragnarok314159@sopuli.xyz
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          7 months ago

          Doesn’t Walmart still employ more people?

          I agree with every you said, just thought Walmart still held the exploited labor crown.

          • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            I’m honestly not sure who employs more people, but I would imagine Walmart does since, despite all of their BS (their employees being paid so low they’re on food stamps so we, the taxpayer, are subsidizing their pay, union busting, etc), everyone working in Walmart is a Walmart employee.

            Amazon uses a shit ton of subcontractors, in contrast, for a lot of their stuff. I was briefly a delivery driver for them, but officially worked for an LLC despite wearing an Amazon uniform and driving an Amazon van, delivering Amazon packages and having to adhere to all Amazon policies.

          • laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            7 months ago

            Walmart also has employed that same strategy many times over, often leaving entire towns with nowhere else to shop, including for groceries.

            Then close the store, basically destroying the town.

        • bartolomeo@suppo.fi
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          7 months ago

          I fucking hate Amazon, like, literally refuse to purchase anything from them. I’d rather pay 3 times the price then give Amazon a penny for literally anything.

          I like you, man.

          Let me just plug here 2nd hand stores and just not buying stuff.

          • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            That’s what I’ve ended up doing, haha, and trying to shop local when I can. Only stuff I tend to still go new/big bucks for are tools, just because I want to have some peace of mind that I’m not buying the table saw some guys kept in his damp garage for 20 years in, hahaha.

            • bartolomeo@suppo.fi
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              7 months ago

              Yea, I feel you. My whole economy has changed since I adopted “reduce, refuse, and repair”. I spend much less on clothes but much more on food (usually straight from the farm/mill), much less on tech/appliances, and nothing at all on things I don’t need. It’s changed the world for me. Big, long lasting purchases are good to get new. Same with safety gear- I buy a brand new bike helmet every 3 years, for example. The bike itself is 25 years old or so already lol.

        • guacupado@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          So someone was already becoming successful but sold out to Amazon and it’s Amazon you’re mad at?

            • bartolomeo@suppo.fi
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              7 months ago

              Lmao. It might be a skill issue but I’ve noticed a special breed of coward that defends capitalism (while simultaneously being crushed by it) in the hopes that the master will give them a few crumbs somewhere down the line. Sometimes they even sacrifice their own brother for said promise of extra crumbs, it’s disgusting.

          • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Amazon undercut them, stole their customers, bought them, and then shut them down.

            How is that “becoming successful but sold out?” Amazon has their hands in so many baskets, from tools and everyday household items to government defense contracts and everything in between, they could afford to lose money on one niche area for probably decades. In contrast, diapers.com sold: diapers and their related accessories, and did not have billions stowed away to undercut Amazon’s prices that they already couldn’t compete with.

            Fuck Amazon and everything they have done to the world.

      • Adalast@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        That’s the plan. And they are barely being subtle about it. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/how-amazon-deploys-robots-in-its-operations-facilities https://www.geekwire.com/2023/amazon-unveils-sequoia-warehouse-robotics-system-and-starts-testing-agilitys-digit-robot/ https://www.engadget.com/amazon-says-its-new-ai-powered-robots-reduce-fulfilment-time-by-25-percent-122517342.html

        There are so many more. The end goal is fully automated fulfillment canters and automated drone delivery. The company who currently employs more people than any other in the country is 100% trying to eliminate the “labor” line item on their balance sheet.

      • capital_sniff@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        They still need consumers though right? I mean they can’t automate that away can they? Cause I consume a lot of stuff and it takes a fair amount of effort, also it is like the only thing I am really good at.