Recently, though, I’ve begun to hear this paradigm described as a “red herring” because Amazon subsequently emerged as the most serious threat. Two decades ago, my first local business clients were most concerned with competing against big box stores like Walmart and Borders. That’s below our cost! That turned into a Twitter thread, which turned into an open letter, which turned into a zine, which turned into a book, with me getting more curious and more in-depth at each step.” “It all started with a small moment: a customer explaining that they weren’t going to buy a $26.99 book from us because it was for sale on Amazon for $15. ‘Make a strong case for what you’re doing.’ĭanny began by telling me about the incident that signified the time was right for his book. The book’s description sets the tone for just how serious the struggle against the ruthless efficiencies of Amazon is: When a company’s workers are literally dying on the job, when their business model relies on preying on local businesses and even their own vendors, when their CEO is the richest person in the world while their workers make low wages with impossible quotas… wouldn’t you want to resist?ĭanny Caine believes we’re at a point where many customers are ready to say, “Yes, I want to resist!” This is news all small business owners need to hear and it was my honor to interview Danny and bring away a message I feel will strengthen all local entrepreneurs within reach. His 2019 viral Twitter thread on how Amazon was impacting his Lawrence, Kansas book store launched him on a research project that became his book, How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Privacy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future! Perhaps no other American independent business owner knows better than Danny Caine that this desire for positive social change exists in our communities.

Nearly 6 in 10 shoppers say they would change their purchasing habits to protect the Earth while 83% of younger customers want an alignment of values from the companies they support. The numbers say there was a 100%+ increase of “available near me” Google searches in 2020 and that 72% of surveyed Nextdoor members view the hoped-for end of the COVID-19 pandemic as their opportunity to increase their local shopping. Where there’s strength of vision the pervasive fog that is Amazon can be pierced, offering glimpses of an America that wants to shop differently.

There is strength in numbers on Main Street. Raven Book Store Local businesses must tell their stories, build community, then explain: “Amazon puts all that at risk.”

How to resist amazon and why