How to Stop Shopping on Amazon (And Why You Should)

In the first weeks of this year, I noticed a huge uptick in folks talking about a “No Buy” or “Low Buy” year in response to the Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy documentary on Netflix. A lot of the chatter centred around quitting fast fashion, which is a great entry point. But friends, the first step to reducing your consumption is to stop buying STUFF, and this means learning how to stop shopping on Amazon.

Before we dive in, it is important to acknowledge that quitting Amazon simply isn’t doable for everyone. Depending on where you live, your budget, and your specific needs, Amazon might be one of your only options for accessing certain items – and that’s okay! The goal here is progress, not perfection. This is about exploring ways to shift our consumption habits where we can and to reduce reliance on a platform that we know has hefty environmental and ethical baggage. Set yourself up for success by managing your expectations, cutting yourself slack, and giving yourself room to learn and grow.  As always, focus on what you can do, and don’t worry about what you can’t.

Prefer to listen? This episode of the Sustainable in the Suburbs podcast, I break down why it is so hard to quit using Amazon , how to get started, and what to do instead. Click ‘share’ to add it to your podcast player.

Why We Decided to (Mostly) Quit Using Amazon

One morning, I returned home from walking the kids to school and found a large bubble mailer from Amazon on the welcome mat. I brought it into my husband’s office and asked “Did you…Prime a single pack of Post-It Notes?!” And in that moment, he got it. Everything I had been saying for a few years now – convenience is killing us. It was time to stop.

But did we actually quit using Amazon? Mostly! We still order the odd thing from The Bad Place after exhausting other options, because we aren’t perfect and neither are the systems we live in. That being said, we have made a HUGE shift toward shopping secondhand and/or locally first. It has been an eye-opening process, to be sure.

Why You Should Stop Shopping on Amazon

Simply put, it is one of the most ubiquitous shopping platforms and is designed to make overconsumption cheap and easy. I could write a book on this topic, but here my top three reasons to quit using Amazon:

1. Environmental Impact

• Amazon has a huge carbon footprint, including emissions from shipping and home delivery. In 2023 alone, Amazon itself reported a carbon footprint of approximately 68.82 million metric tons of CO₂
• Amazon’s plastic packaging contributes significantly to global plastic pollution. In 2020, the company generated an estimated 599 million pounds of plastic packaging waste, a 29% increase from 2019.

2. Ethical Concerns

• Exploitation of workers, including dangerous working conditions, underpaying employees and gig drivers, and impossible productivity quotas.
• Amazon pays minimal taxes in various jurisdictions, despite generating billions in revenue, thereby underfunding the public infrastructure it uses for profit.

3. Overconsumption → Overspending

• The platform is geared toward impulse purchases and “one-click” ordering makes it easier than ever to purchase with very little thought or intention.
• Your personal data and search habits are used to directly target you to buy more things you do not need.
• “Free shipping” and “free returns” are an illusion. The cost of shipping is built into the cost and most returns are bound for landfill, not restocking.
• Amazon Prime creates a false sense of savings, encouraging people to spend more to “justify” the annual fee. 
• There is now an entire ecosystem of Amazon influencers, trends, and “must-haves” that fuel overconsumption and overspending.

How to Stop Shopping on Amazon in 7 Steps

Quitting anything cold turkey often fails, but you can succeed by slowly weaning yourself off while developing more mindful practices. With each step, reflect on what you notice and how it makes you feel.

1. Cancel Prime

• Saves money right away by eliminating the annual fee.
• Reduces impulse buying as “free shipping” and exclusive sales can lead to purchases of things you don’t need to justify the fee to yourself.
• Reduces small, frequent deliveries and use of packaging materials.
• Resets your expectations about shipping time.

2. Pause and Reflect

• Ordering is easy, but waiting is HARD. Start slow with choosing a specific day of the week for your orders, and let things sit in the cart until that day. Once this habit is established, up it to biweekly, monthly, and so on.
• Audit your cart. You are likely to remove items before ordering as the pause allows you to reflect on what you actually need to purchase (vs borrow, find secondhand, or purchase from a local retailer).
• Bundling items together for a single delivery reduces packaging and carbon emissions.

3. Unsubscribe and Unfollow

• Delete the Amazon app from your devices and delete payment information from your account. Entering these details every time is part of pausing before purchasing.
• Unsubscribe from Amazon marketing emails and notifications.
• Unfollow Amazon influencers and unsubscribe from their newsletters.

4. Use Amazon as a Search Engine, Not a Store

• If you find an item on Amazon, it also exists off Amazon. Look for it elsewhere, prioritizing local small businesses wherever possible.
• Look into other online retailers such as well.ca or bookshop.org

5. Support Local Small Businesses

• Make a list of local small businesses to support instead of Amazon.
• Spending money locally is a direct investment in your community.
• Strengthen community connections by getting to know the owners.

6. Shop Secondhand

• Almost anything and everything you could ever need has already been made.
• Shopping secondhand takes longer, but that’s the point. It is a practice in shopping mindfully, carefully, and with intention.
• Check out your local Buy Nothing Group, get obsessed with Facebook Marketplace, become a regular at your local thrift, and download a variety of secondhand shopping apps right after you delete Amazon.

7. Celebrate Your Progress

• Pay attention to how much money you are saving by shopping more slowly and avoiding impulse purchases.
• Reflect on how it feels to shop more in line with your values.
• Celebrate your small victories! Disengaging from the stats quo is hard, but worth it.

The Benefits of Quitting Amazon

Learning how to stop shopping on Amazon (or even reducing your frequency) offers benefits for your wallet, your community, and the planet. By supporting local businesses and sustainable alternatives, you strengthen your local economy, reduce environmental impact, and enjoy more meaningful, durable purchases.

Quitting Amazon fosters intentional spending, curbing impulse buys and encouraging thoughtful choices. Exploring second-hand options and borrowing not only saves money but also promotes a circular economy and reduces waste.

Shifting your spending locally builds community resilience and aligns your purchases with your values. While it takes some adjustment, these changes lead to less wasteful living, greater satisfaction, and financial freedom. Focus on what’s feasible for you and celebrate every step forward.

Will you join me in reducing your consumption through Amazon? Share your tips or concerns below!