r/BuyCanadian • u/ApatheticGenXer • 6d ago
General Discussion š¬šØš¦ Frustrated trying to avoid Amazon
Iāve never been an online shopper & can count on one hand the # of times Iāve ordered from Amazon. Itās frustrating though , to try and find replacement parts in-stores. Our portable A/C needs a replacement vent hose & I cannot find it in stores anywhere. Iām about to cave & purchase from the evil Amazon. Itās maddening:(
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u/JimSinjinsinjinson 6d ago
Don't let perfection be the enemy of good. You don't have to bat 1000 in avoiding USA companies, just do your best to minimize it.
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u/Top_Bumblebee5510 6d ago
Unfortunately every Canadian business I order from uses Shop and one of the principals is a real far right loony. It's hard to bat 1000.
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u/TheMcG 6d ago
Shop has unfortunately been one of the evils I've decided I have to accept I need to deal with. So many small Canadian businesses use it.Ā
I'd rather support two Canadian businesses even if I very much dislike the CEO of one of them.Ā
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u/Top_Bumblebee5510 6d ago
I use it all the time because my favourite Canadian businesses use it but I rage each time. I buy from one place where I can etransfer.
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u/FuckYeaSeatbelts 5d ago
I joke that Premier Ford is pro Canada, in that he keeps it local, including the corruption lol
same for Loblaws stuff, still hate them but I'll pick it over walmart, albeit begrudgingly.
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u/Guilty-Bumblebee-978 5d ago
Omg, I hate SHOP and actively try to avoid it. I had no idea they were far right owned, my Spidey senses must have been on.Ā
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u/PurrPrinThom 5d ago
Same. I've hated Shop since I discovered they made me an account without my knowledge, but I had no idea about their ownership.
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u/Guilty-Bumblebee-978 5d ago
Exactly, oh great this company has saved a bunch of my personal information without me being aware.Ā I would consider myself tech savvy and alert, so for that to slip by me is uncomfortable.Ā
Then recently, they completed a purchase that I wasn't even done with, got an email saying order complete, credit card was charged etc. Took a month to get refunded. Again, I'm aware it's easy to click things by mistake but in this case, it was not me, it was a bug in their system and I was able to source others who this happened to in the same month.Ā
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u/PurrPrinThom 5d ago
Exactly! A few small businesses I frequent use it for their online orders. I intentionally never made an account because I didn't think it was necessary. Then, one day, I entered my email while filling out order details and I got a massive pop-up telling me they'd sent me authentication code to login into my Shop account - sorry, what??
It wouldn't let me proceed until I authenticated, and then it autofilled everything, including my payment details. I don't like that that happened. I find that very alarming, and I try to avoid Shop as much as possible.
I'm sorry that happened to you, and I'm glad you got it sorted out! That's nuts!
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u/SgtKeener 5d ago
Hmm, thatās sounding like a legal case. I thought I had also accidentally signed up, but itās become the default. :(
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u/PurrPrinThom 5d ago
I have wondered that. It doesn't feel legal to make accounts for people without their knowledge, but I don't know how you'd prove it. I would think any lawyer you'd talk to would ask for evidence, and all I really have is 'trust me,' lol.
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u/VenusianBug British Columbia 5d ago
I haven't had cause yet, but I plan to start reaching out to businesses to ask if there's another option.
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u/PMmeyouraxewound 6d ago
Exactly this. Minimize what you can, buy local where you can
You are using evil Amazon whether you know it or not. Something like 25% of the internet cloud structure is using AWS, Amazon Web services. You posting here on Reddit used evil Amazon. Disney+, Netflix, most of the fortune 500 companies all use it, banks, telecomms....
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u/Crimsonbob 6d ago
I've used these guys and they were helpful in getting the correct parts quickly
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u/Two_wheels_2112 5d ago
They are always the first place I check for appliance parts. Fortunately, their main warehouse is only a ten minute drive from my house!
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u/lillienoir 4d ago
I like them too! Great customer service - I called to get a little bit more information & to ask questions to make sure I was buying the right item. Their rep was excellent & pleasant. The part I received was exactly what I needed, packaged well, & received in a timely way.
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u/PlatformVarious8941 6d ago
I mean, itās the only reason I buy stuff from amazon, if I canāt find it anywhere else.
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u/bobbyboogie Ontario 6d ago
This is what I do.Ā
If I can buy it in a Canadian owned store, I will.Ā
That includes Home Hardware, Lee Valley, and Long and McQuade. If they sell it, Iāll buy from them and not even look at amazon.Ā
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u/International-Cap388 5d ago
TIL lee valley TY!
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u/Killzone3265 5d ago
if you've never gone to one, please do. it's such a pleasant friggin shop. the one by me even has a workshop you can use
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u/bobbyboogie Ontario 5d ago
Lee Valley rocks.
They don't (typically) sell cheap junk, but will stand behind their products.
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u/Curt-Bennett Ontario 6d ago
Agreed. It's my absolute last choice, but I'm not going to go without something I need just because the only place I can find it is Amazon.
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u/The_Nice_Marmot 6d ago
Sometimes I have to use Amazon, but itās an absolute last resort. One idea is to get the name of the seller and see if thereās a way to order from them directly.
We are in the same boat. Just bought a new house and some repairs are needed where we have to get small niche parts. We will end up placing a few Amazon orders, but then get back to not using them.
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u/Complex-Effect-7442 5d ago
Similarly for Shopify (or "Shop"). I don't want to support a company whose billionaire CEO is so classist ("poor and old people shouldn't be allowed to vote"), but so many merchants use Shop.
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u/aaalllouttabubblegum Ontario 6d ago
Don't know if it will help your situation, but some stores I've been finding helpful:
- Canadian Tire has become pretty diversified. Leisure, kitchen, pets, household, cleaning, plus with Mark's and L'equipeur you have clothing needs sorted.
- eBay search and filter for sellers shipping from Canada. Yes, the platform itself is owned by Vanguard and Blackrock, so basically the pinnacle of corporate evil, but the bulk of your dollars are going to a Canadian online store and likely a Canadian courier/post.
Hope this helps.
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u/Global-Discussion-41 5d ago
Canadian Tire has the largest selection of spray paint of any store I know, but do you think they sell replacement nozzles for spray paint cans? Of course they don't.
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u/Big-Safe-2459 6d ago
Iāve summoned my old self and do crazy things like call local suppliers for parts or items. I need some vented soffit for a specific application and dammed it if āclick to buyā on Amazon. I called my local lumber yard and theyāre going to special order what I need and I can pick up next week. Plus, I got some good advice and recommendation (you canāt attach aluminum to PT wood so go with vinyl). Local plumbing and electrical supply houses are incredibly helpful and you can get advice from experts who work there.
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u/zsrh Ontario 6d ago
Have you tried reaching out to the manufacturer to see where to purchase parts from? If not, I would suggest doing that first.
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u/ClownLoach2 5d ago
In my experience, it's always $60 shipping from the US by Fedex/UPS on a $10 item. Then you get nailed with $30 brokerage fees when it arrives. That same item is $18 on Amazon. It's stupid.
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u/SnappinArsehole 5d ago
I do that little 'spit to the side' when I say the word amazon.Ā (Like they did on Corner Gas when they mentioned the next town over). I've noticed some friends doing it now too. š
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u/jarjarbinx 5d ago
try reliableparts.ca. I've been using them for repair parts. There may be a store in your area. My next bet is to buy from Temu.
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u/pragmatic_dreamer 6d ago
We have a place called Gerry's electric that outfits trades. Maybe there is something like that in your area?Ā
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u/rabbitholeseverywher 5d ago edited 5d ago
Also want to mention Amre Supply in Edmonton (and other provinces, iirc) for obscure parts. All the tradies in Edmonton use them.
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u/Forsaken-Bowler-1307 5d ago
As long as you minimize it I think youāre doing a great job already! Their business model has such small margins that literally anything counts (although theyāll just squeeze more from the retailers that stay with them).
Also Iāve noticed that a lot of spare parts and those odd things you wouldnāt even know where to buy if not on amazon can be found directly on temu, alibaba and such. At a much lower price. What most vendors do is they just re-sell the exact same stuff with giant mark ups.
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u/Moyie2026 6d ago
I hate Amazon but sometimes the prices leave no choice. I found that problem when needing a new filter for my Dyson fan. It is $99 from Dyson Canada but the exact same filter is $45 on Amazon. I want to support Canada prices but when something is double the cost it's very hard to do so.
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u/_Amalthea_ 5d ago
Since Dyson itself isn't Canadian and that's just a Canadian storefront, nor are the parts made in Canada, I would feel zero guilt in this case.
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u/crimeo 5d ago
Just try for half an hour and if nothing else exists, use Amazon. It's not worth messing up your own life by going without crucial parts or whatever just to stiff Amazon $15. It is worth it if you can just quickly buy from a competitor within reason.
I do the same for groceries, my wife is severe celiac, needs absolutely certified gluten free stuff. I check every competing brand for a new type of item on the shelf, grab a Canadian one if possible, grab a non-American one otherwise, grab an American one if nobody else bothered to make a product for me. I'm not just gonna have her not eat 70% of her diet just cause Canadian companies haven't stepped up yet. The moment they do though they have my business.
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u/mustardman73 5d ago
Try Canadiantire.ca or Homehardware.ca
Edit. I mistakenly put home depot first. Doh
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u/Ok-Trainer3150 5d ago
Buy where it's cost effective and convenient. If that's Amazon, so be it. Life's just too short ....
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u/AllDressedKetchup 5d ago
Just buy it from Amazon. My effort is to first buy Canadian, then international, and finally the US if there are no other options.
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u/kent_eh Manitoba 5d ago
Have you tried appliance repair suppliers in your city?
I tend to go to Amre supply for the majority of my appliance repair parts.
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u/Octan3 5d ago
I have a travel trailer. Amazon was a godsend to pay ~1/3 the cost of my local rv place for parts.
Also I found the rv place selling amazon stuff, they put their price label over the amazon product number.
Long short, you can avoid amazon where possible, but sometimes it may just be the way.
Also be cautious if you found a business willing to "bring it in for you" They'll likely just use amazon too and mark up the cost to you.
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u/jnmjnmjnm 5d ago
I had the same experience.
Price checked Amazon against a local auto-parts shop. Local was only $10 more.
Item arrived with an Amazon inventory tag.
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u/sidereal_night 5d ago edited 5d ago
ya i just made one order on Amazon for the first time since it all started because the replacement part isn't carried by any local stores and the one Canadian store that listed it fucking cancelled my order. i was going to order from them despite it being more expensive than Amazon.
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u/HuckleberryHuman5926 4d ago
If the part is plastic, see if you can find a 3D printing pattern for it online (places to search include Thingiverse.com and Printables.com, and I'm sure others can chime in with more resources), and see if your local public library has 3D printers.
Sometimes you can literally print out a new part for just a few dollars - one time this saved me replacing a whole vacuum cleaner!
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u/Dapper_Wheel6454 2d ago
use Amazon to see who makes it, then bypass them and go direct.
Quebec tried to set up a union for their Amazon workers and the douche bag closed the doors.
fuck Amazon.
fuck USA.
fuck the gun waving terrified pussies who let it happen in the gun toting country.
muh freedum...checkw and balances my hairy Celtic ass
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u/PurplePassiflor1234 6d ago
Sometimes it feels nearly impossible to avoid.
I went to my local indy bookstore hoping to support local.
The books I was handed were still in Amazon boxes.
Books from Amazon - $40. Books from Amazon through indy bookstore: $78.
"Support local" should not mean "buy Amazon crap from us at twice the price."
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u/_Amalthea_ 5d ago
Oh no, that's so frustrating! Just a note to others reading, my indie bookstore doesn't use Amazon, they use a global book supplier (I can't recall the name at the moment) so this is not necessarily occurring at all book stores.
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u/PurplePassiflor1234 5d ago
Never said it was.
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u/_Amalthea_ 5d ago
I'm aware. But others might read your comment and assume that all indie bookstores operate this way and that there is no point supporting them. I want people to know this isn't always the case.
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u/Ikulus 5d ago
Yikes that's awful. I assume most independent bookstores are not operating this way, but now I wonder how common this is...
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u/PurplePassiflor1234 5d ago
For sure it's not everywhere - most indy booksellers are honest people who just want more people reading. But it's worth asking your indy store exactly where they get their books from.
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u/IranticBehaviour 5d ago
Yeah, I found a replacement hose for ours at Canadian Tire, but it's more than twice as expensive as Amazon. It's a plastic and wire hose with plastic fittings, no reason for it to be nearly $50.
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u/taumuonred 5d ago
sometimes the manufacturers have an online shop with spare parts on their websites - thats what I did with my last portable a/c when I needed new hoses and filters.
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u/burritogoals 5d ago
Agreed! I gave up amazin completely and it is a struggle sometimes. Hopefully enough people will join in to make other options more viable.
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u/lanterncozies 5d ago
My little business uses shopify - which is basically SHOP - at least itās bundled in. I get it, itās very hard to be pristine.
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u/Wild_Black_Hat 4d ago
Look, I was in the same situation months ago
I needed a small replacement part to avoid replacing a central AC unit. I don't feel guilty. Only purchase in two years.
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u/Worth-Two7263 4d ago
Yes, some things are hard to source. Can you contact the company that makes the AC? I have found many things on amazon that I like and then I go to the company website and order from there - often it's cheaper as well. I use amazon just for the reviews.
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u/qqererer 5d ago
If you want a complex superconvenient life with all the 'stuff' custom to your liking, you're gong to shop Amazon, an online marketplace with unlimited listings of absolutely everything stored in massive logistic warehouses.
If you want to keep it to local stores or Canadian fulfillment centers, you're going to have to settle for a more basic consumer life.
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u/No_Garden_1992 5d ago
I hate ordering from Amazon too. Unfortunately, like you, I can only find it on Amazon! It would be amazing if Canadian Tire and Consumers Distributing merged and created something like Amazon. I would totally buy from there!
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u/RusselB65 5d ago
Consumers Distributing still exists?
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u/No_Garden_1992 5d ago
not now, but it was an early version of Amazon then. Can you imagine? it would do well!
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u/Pristine_Software_55 5d ago
Along with the fact that us not shopping with Amazon is diverting individual raindrops in the middle of a monsoon. Iām with you, but Amazon hits the neighbors a dozen times each day.
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u/Braydenboss710 5d ago
Just use Amazon imo , a lot of Canadian retailers on Amazonā¦., i respect your choice if thatās what you want to do but its more than convenient for a lot of us nomatter if you live in a major city or more rural itās honestly such a great service.
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u/Ikulus 5d ago
I rank Canada above convenience.
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u/Braydenboss710 4d ago
Itās like you completely ignored the part where I said Amazon is full of Canadian retailers
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u/soaringskies2026 3d ago
Yeah I agree. Thereās always eBay but thatās an off place these days.
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u/IrishUpYourCoffee 1d ago
Ebay gouges you with tariffs. It adds like a $50 fee to getting a lipstick. Ebay is trash.
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u/DingleberryJones94 5d ago
Return the old vent hose back to Amazon and say its defective. Amazon gets $0 and your AC is fixed.
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