A week ago, a (tragically young) worker died at my local Amazon warehouse, the same day that we got a package delivered. Most likely from heart issues complicated by a too-hot warehouse. Even if he wasn't the worker who packaged our (EXTREMELY un-urgent) goods, the guilt and shame are too intense for me to ignore. We haven't had Prime accounts in years aside from occasional free trials to get a few things. But that was it - no more.
May I recommend the Kobo e-reader as a way of reading eBooks without lining Bezos' pockets? You can use Libby with it, there's a Kobo store you can use, and you can send eBook files directly to the reader. I'm a die-hard physical book person, but the Kobo is nice to have for travel.
Oh my goodness. Was just texting with my bff about the Amazon of it all last night, I got similarly sucked into the Amazon forcefield after my baby was born a few weeks early in 2025. I'll never forget the midwife in the hospital saying to my husband and me, this is the time to use Amazon. The baby is more of a toddler now and it's time for us to stop it!!! Thank you for this timely reminder!!!
I relate to this sooo much. I have not taken the final leap of canceling. It is like they/IT knows. This month I tried to cancel my Amazon Prime subscriptions to HBO,Apple, etc. And immediately was offered a reducccccccccced pricccccccce if I stayed with the subscrition a few months more. Slithery. And like a whimp, I stayed. Like you said; the lure. Save.
If you cancel Amazon Prime, they will forever tell you on your next order that you can subscribe again for a limited-time offer of $0.99 for a week to get free shipping. You will of course forget to cancel and then they've got you back in again. Don't ask how I know. haha
I loved this! PS I don't understand how anyone with kids can have Alexa. Whenever my kids are anywhere near an Alexa they begin yelling at her to do stuff. They're now 15, 10, and 6, but as young as like 2 they caught onto her and loved screaming for jokes or bad songs or insulting her, etc. Seems like a shortcut to hell!
I mean this as more of a “yes, and!” than a “well, actually…”: a lot of people treat “no ethical consumption under capitalism” as a free pass to do whatever, but I don’t think that’s the original intent. The fact that any participation in capitalism is a perpetuation of it means *you should limit your consumption as much as possible* and be thoughtful about what you *do* consume. We’re all still accountable for our choices and there’s usually a less-bad option than buying Amazon or Nestle or whatever.
Also this comic rings very true, as someone who recently used an Amazon baby wishlist to take advantage of a promotion that actually expired 2 years earlier but was still advertised prominently, which felt extremely alienating.
I loved this!!! I've been trying not to buy stuff online this year and totally agree that it's actually really nice :) I normally would've just ordered from Target whatever Reddit told me was the best 3-year-old present for my little niece's party this weekend, but instead went to the local kids' bookstore and our little neighborhood gift shop and got some really cute stuff (butterfly temporary tattoos! a little fairy garden set! books!). She might like the stuff a little less than the perfect 3-year-old gift as agreed upon by online consensus but I realized.... I don't care! If my present is slightly less ideal... oh well!! lol
Hell yeah! I’ve never had an Alexa or any smart home devices because they freak me out. Your experiences definitely match what I’d imagined would happen to me. Light switches rule!
Living in a rural area Amazon comes in handy. I cancelled my subscription last May. I still get free shipping. Lately I have noticed that my orders are taking 2-3 weeks to arrive. Guess they are wanting me to rejoin but I will not be doing that.
yes! a better world is possible when we (who are able to) agree to go back to human interactions as a friction point for purchases! please make this a zine I can buy and post in our mailroom!
This comic helped me change a habit — instead of buying my journals from Am*z*n with that stupid-easy “order again” option, I’m walking to the neighborhood stationary store to stock up from now on. I can afford to move that money and energy, and I will. Thanks, HALMAIL!
This post feels very serendipitous. Yesterday we spent two hours returning a new ai phone that we hated after a week. Today is the first day of my husband having a dumbphone and he loves it. He's already said he's much more tuned into the kids at the park because it's just in his pocket not tempting him to check it. Unplugging from what you can feels great. Thanks for reminding people it's an option. Sometimes it's easy to forget.
I made my departure in 2021, then started working in a Whole Foods and it became to tempting not to use the discount. After I left, I also felt relief. Congrats on unlearning the habit of convenience- it is SOOOO HARD! Lovely comic, I adore the vignettes of the emergency room and the dominatrix. ❤️
I’m in the process of divorcing Bezos myself. Early stages yet. I’ve been going to the store instead of automatically going online. The hardest thing will be the Kindle. I don’t mind switching to another e-reader, but I have a ton of books that I’ve bought the “licenses” for when they were discounted already on there….
Just looked this up yesterday. You can move your books from Kindle to Kobo, and is on my toDo list for this week.:
" Yes, you can send Kindle books to a Kobo device, but it requires removing DRM and converting formats because Kobo devices cannot natively read Amazon's proprietary formats or DRM protections.
There are two primary methods to achieve this:
1. Using Calibre (Free & Community-Driven)
Install Calibre on your computer and add the DeDRM plugin to remove Amazon's digital rights management.
Use Kindle for PC/Mac to download your purchased books to your computer.
Add the books to Calibre, which will automatically strip the DRM and convert them to EPUB or KEPUB format.
Connect your Kobo via USB and transfer the converted files using Calibre's interface.
Note: This method is most reliable for books published before mid-2025, as Amazon has tightened DRM protections on newer releases.
2. Using Third-Party Software (Paid & Automated)
Tools like Epubor Ultimate or Kindle Transfer can automatically detect, decrypt, and convert Kindle books to Kobo-compatible formats.
These programs often allow you to connect both devices to your computer and transfer files with a single click.
This is generally simpler for users who prefer a graphical interface over manual plugin."
A week ago, a (tragically young) worker died at my local Amazon warehouse, the same day that we got a package delivered. Most likely from heart issues complicated by a too-hot warehouse. Even if he wasn't the worker who packaged our (EXTREMELY un-urgent) goods, the guilt and shame are too intense for me to ignore. We haven't had Prime accounts in years aside from occasional free trials to get a few things. But that was it - no more.
May I recommend the Kobo e-reader as a way of reading eBooks without lining Bezos' pockets? You can use Libby with it, there's a Kobo store you can use, and you can send eBook files directly to the reader. I'm a die-hard physical book person, but the Kobo is nice to have for travel.
This is devastating 😭 💔
Oh my goodness. Was just texting with my bff about the Amazon of it all last night, I got similarly sucked into the Amazon forcefield after my baby was born a few weeks early in 2025. I'll never forget the midwife in the hospital saying to my husband and me, this is the time to use Amazon. The baby is more of a toddler now and it's time for us to stop it!!! Thank you for this timely reminder!!!
I relate to this sooo much. I have not taken the final leap of canceling. It is like they/IT knows. This month I tried to cancel my Amazon Prime subscriptions to HBO,Apple, etc. And immediately was offered a reducccccccccced pricccccccce if I stayed with the subscrition a few months more. Slithery. And like a whimp, I stayed. Like you said; the lure. Save.
Thank you for the post, Hallie.
If you cancel Amazon Prime, they will forever tell you on your next order that you can subscribe again for a limited-time offer of $0.99 for a week to get free shipping. You will of course forget to cancel and then they've got you back in again. Don't ask how I know. haha
this was such a pleasure to read, hallie! relatable as always. fuck bezos/amazon!!!
So timely. Thanks for this glimpse into your break up and away from Amazon.
I loved this! PS I don't understand how anyone with kids can have Alexa. Whenever my kids are anywhere near an Alexa they begin yelling at her to do stuff. They're now 15, 10, and 6, but as young as like 2 they caught onto her and loved screaming for jokes or bad songs or insulting her, etc. Seems like a shortcut to hell!
same. i really try to be cool with most choices other parents make but this is where im like "ya done fucked up" lol
I assume that if you get Alexa the kids quickly bore of messing with it...
I mean this as more of a “yes, and!” than a “well, actually…”: a lot of people treat “no ethical consumption under capitalism” as a free pass to do whatever, but I don’t think that’s the original intent. The fact that any participation in capitalism is a perpetuation of it means *you should limit your consumption as much as possible* and be thoughtful about what you *do* consume. We’re all still accountable for our choices and there’s usually a less-bad option than buying Amazon or Nestle or whatever.
Also this comic rings very true, as someone who recently used an Amazon baby wishlist to take advantage of a promotion that actually expired 2 years earlier but was still advertised prominently, which felt extremely alienating.
I loved this!!! I've been trying not to buy stuff online this year and totally agree that it's actually really nice :) I normally would've just ordered from Target whatever Reddit told me was the best 3-year-old present for my little niece's party this weekend, but instead went to the local kids' bookstore and our little neighborhood gift shop and got some really cute stuff (butterfly temporary tattoos! a little fairy garden set! books!). She might like the stuff a little less than the perfect 3-year-old gift as agreed upon by online consensus but I realized.... I don't care! If my present is slightly less ideal... oh well!! lol
Hell yeah! I’ve never had an Alexa or any smart home devices because they freak me out. Your experiences definitely match what I’d imagined would happen to me. Light switches rule!
I feel this! For years I was free of Amazon then after the baby was here I went back. Proud to say I’ve spent $0 in 2026
Go you!
Living in a rural area Amazon comes in handy. I cancelled my subscription last May. I still get free shipping. Lately I have noticed that my orders are taking 2-3 weeks to arrive. Guess they are wanting me to rejoin but I will not be doing that.
yes! a better world is possible when we (who are able to) agree to go back to human interactions as a friction point for purchases! please make this a zine I can buy and post in our mailroom!
This comic helped me change a habit — instead of buying my journals from Am*z*n with that stupid-easy “order again” option, I’m walking to the neighborhood stationary store to stock up from now on. I can afford to move that money and energy, and I will. Thanks, HALMAIL!
This post feels very serendipitous. Yesterday we spent two hours returning a new ai phone that we hated after a week. Today is the first day of my husband having a dumbphone and he loves it. He's already said he's much more tuned into the kids at the park because it's just in his pocket not tempting him to check it. Unplugging from what you can feels great. Thanks for reminding people it's an option. Sometimes it's easy to forget.
I made my departure in 2021, then started working in a Whole Foods and it became to tempting not to use the discount. After I left, I also felt relief. Congrats on unlearning the habit of convenience- it is SOOOO HARD! Lovely comic, I adore the vignettes of the emergency room and the dominatrix. ❤️
I’m in the process of divorcing Bezos myself. Early stages yet. I’ve been going to the store instead of automatically going online. The hardest thing will be the Kindle. I don’t mind switching to another e-reader, but I have a ton of books that I’ve bought the “licenses” for when they were discounted already on there….
Just looked this up yesterday. You can move your books from Kindle to Kobo, and is on my toDo list for this week.:
" Yes, you can send Kindle books to a Kobo device, but it requires removing DRM and converting formats because Kobo devices cannot natively read Amazon's proprietary formats or DRM protections.
There are two primary methods to achieve this:
1. Using Calibre (Free & Community-Driven)
Install Calibre on your computer and add the DeDRM plugin to remove Amazon's digital rights management.
Use Kindle for PC/Mac to download your purchased books to your computer.
Add the books to Calibre, which will automatically strip the DRM and convert them to EPUB or KEPUB format.
Connect your Kobo via USB and transfer the converted files using Calibre's interface.
Note: This method is most reliable for books published before mid-2025, as Amazon has tightened DRM protections on newer releases.
2. Using Third-Party Software (Paid & Automated)
Tools like Epubor Ultimate or Kindle Transfer can automatically detect, decrypt, and convert Kindle books to Kobo-compatible formats.
These programs often allow you to connect both devices to your computer and transfer files with a single click.
This is generally simpler for users who prefer a graphical interface over manual plugin."