Now We Know Why Things Are So Cheap At Amazon

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25034598

This is why I won't shop at Amazon. Its little better than slave labour. No unions as well, so nothing to stop Amazon getting away with this. Watch Panorama tonight.

[DrFilth]

ChillDoubt if you ever visit a large supermarket and you get a nice friendly person whom is new and a temp to serve you have a chat and ask her about job training while she/he is on benefit

[FredPuli43]

Amazon is cheap because of their ingenious tax structure, most of the time. As to warehouses, theirs are run by computer and this is much more efficient. Which saves costs and gets them a marketing edge over rivals. Can't believe that walking eleven miles over eleven hours hurts anyone who is reasonably fit. They will not be required to lift any thing heavy in that time, without aid of machinery. And of course they are contracted at extra money for the night shift and they are employed because it is Christmas and such long shifts are expected.

[Khandro]

Why is it when something is good, someone always comes along - usually the pinkos at the BBC - to tell me it's bad?
Amazon is great! I buy almost every week a book on it, I am happy, the book-dealers are happy, and the authors are happy.
The people in the Amazon warehouse are in a warm, clean environment. They may not get high wages, but it isn't exactly like toiling in the gulag.

[Sqad]

Khandro...good point.

Why do the lefties complain? ....Because it works, it is a product that is needed, they are efficient but worst of all, it is in the Private sector.

[ChillDoubt]

From the link:

After experiencing a ten-and-a-half-hour night shift, he said: "I managed to walk or hobble nearly 11 miles, just short of 11 miles last night. I'm absolutely shattered. My feet are the thing that are bothering me the most to be honest."

And that's from a 23 year old 'undercover reporter' who doubtless is as fit as a butchers dog, doesn't look overweight from his picture whose toughest job prior to this assignment was filling in his BBC expenses form.
It is bed-wettingly poor, over-exaggerated hyperbole from Auntie Beeb, but that seems to be the way it's gone over the last few years.

In the meantime, I've ordered 4 out of 5 of young ChillDoubt's Crimbo gifts from Amazon.
The 5th I've ordered from play.com who used to run their company from offshore so I'll get over the guilt and comfort myself with the thought that their workers are a little less stressed, have a nice sea view and spend their rest periods in a hammock on the beach.

[Svejk]

Bit surprised that 11 miles caused him any discomfort. Doesn't a gentle stroll cover 4mph? Of course, if you're not used to physical work, you will find it tiring for a few days/weeks. There are much harder jobs to be had. And if 'lazy' British people won't do them for a pittance we can import desperate people from poor countries who will.

[RATTER15]

Ok, I watched the program and I'm wondering what the fuss is about, sure it is hard work but nothing too much in excess in my opinion, ok they should be paid a bit more but really....

Im really surprised that Panorama got involved with it.

[237SJ]

I haven`t watched the programme but surely, the reason Amazon is cheaper is because they haven`t got high street overheads and business rates to pay?

[mikey4444]

Nor any corporation tax, if the evidence given to the Commons Select Committee is anything to go by. They also benefit from millions of pounds of public money given to them to build their warehouses in the first place. Bribe money, that is.

[pixie373]

I love Amazon. Have got so many presents from there, good prices, good delivery. What exactly is the problem for the workers? I don't like the phrase "slave labour". It really isn't!

[bednobs]

i didn't watch it. Care to elaborate or change my mind Mikey?

[gness]

I recorded and have yet to watch. I did see a short piece on the news. The time given to collect an item and the repercussions if a worker failed to do so within the given time looked, in the clip, like bullying... but as I said I have yet to watch and decide.

Not that Amazon would suffer from being boycotted by me....☺

[237SJ]

Amazon will put a lot of high street shops out of business in the same way that Tesco and the like have put high street butchers/greengrocers etc out of business. There will be financial "business incentives" given to them to locate in certain areas as are given to supermarkets, wind farms and many other businesses. As long as the UK public want to pay cheap prices for goods, that is the way it`s going to be in the future. Ethics go out of the window when a good bargain is in the offing, it seems.

[bednobs]

i suppose the thing is, there are certain jobs suited to certain people. Picking is not a job for people with arthritis, or people who are 75. If you started a job and weren't able to keep up, then they would "performance manage" you out, no matter what job. I don't see this is any different - it probably suits people who are relatively fit, but then so do loads of jobs

[mikey4444]

bednobs...all my posts have been self explanatory. The program is easily watched using the iplayer. I have tried to find the BBC reports from the Commons Select Committee but have not been successful. Here is a link to the Daily Express ::

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/400047/Amazon-s-pitiful-2-4m-tax-bill-on-4bn-sales-revealed-as-Google-faces-grilling-at-inquiry

And also from RetailWeek ::

http://www.retail-week.com/multichannel/online-retail/amazon-blasted-as-totally-evasive-by-select-committee-in-tax-hearing/5042809.article#

And the Guardian :::

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/16/google-tax-arrangements

[pixie373]

237, that was an argument with the big supermarkets, that they would put independent smaller shops out of business. This is how evolution and progress happens, things improve, become popular, we move on.

[ummmm]

But this post isn't about the Commons Select Committee. It's about slave labour...

[askyourgran]

........and don't forget there are thousands of Kosovan, Romanians and Bulgarians etc who can't wait to get over here to do the jobs you hate.

[237SJ]

Pixie - I agree but we definitely move on the to detriment of the employee

[237SJ]

*to the*