30 Secrets Amazon Don’t Want You To Know

Haunting Notes Hidden In Deliveries

Source: Daily MailA student in the UK, Zahina was surprised to find this plea for help in her birthday gift from her sister! Despite the obvious misery of the person writing it, she says it won't stop her using the commercial giant in the future. Well, when you're a student, you can't always afford to shop local... or ethical.

They Sell A LOT Of Adult Toys...

Source: turnerduckworth.com / romesentinelOh the anonymity of the Amazon box... that cheeky smile on the exterior... ever wondered what's causing it? Probably the over inflated bottom line, but possibly it's the dozen or so sex toys Amazon employees have to pack up on an average shift. You really can buy anything you want from there can't you...

They Have Free Vending Machines Of Tylenol

Source: mentalfloss.comWorking as a picker at Amazon has got to be a pretty demanding job. But don't worry if you pull something and run out of your own Tylenol. Trot on down to the vending machines where you can pick up no charge meds! Just as well, as a lot of their warehouses are in the US where medical care is, well, not as readily available as it is elsewhere.

You Can Send Messages To The Amazon Packers

Source: TwitterThis one might be obvious, but of course the packers can read your gift notes. So maybe next time you're buying something for yourself, make their day and say "hi", leave a joke or compliment their hair... just on the off chance that they have enough breathing space to read it.

Amazon Packers Are CONSTANTLY Being Monitored

Source: CSSI TechnologiesEver wonder how Amazon employees know what to pack? They're all issued with a handheld digital scanner which not only sends them on their next, insanely quick quest for items, but also reports back to their supervisors how long it takes them to collect their orders. They're always watching...

Meet Peccy - Amazon's Own Mascot

Source: worthpointWho knew Amazon employees have their own mascot? We certainly didn't. By the sounds of it though, they need all the encouragement they can get! Apparently named for Amazon's "peculiar" methods, employees can collect pins of Peccy to reward them for things like attendance. Weird. We kind of want one now.

That's A Stupidly Big Box!

Source: The SunWe've all had a pen-sized Amazon order turn up in a box big enough for a fridge (ok maybe not quite), but who on earth decided that that was appropriate packaging? Basically it's all about speed. Amazon employees are told on the order what type of packaging to use. They can override it, but that takes time and too many changes can go against their packing record. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Just Walking To The Toilet & Back Can Take Up Your Whole Break Time

Source: Logistics ManagerWe've all heard the rumours about unfair employment practices at Amazon, but one basic problem is - the place is just so flipping big. Employees have very strict time limits of 15 or 30 minutes for their breaks, meaning that is the amount of time allowed between scanning an item. So if the toilet or break room is a 8 minute walk away... then sorry!

They Have To Replace Every Member Of Staff Every 8 Months

Source: New York TimesAny business can expect turn over, especially one with repetitive, often menial work. But Amazon's stats are just insane. Even before the global lockdowns of 2020 and beyond, Amazon were losing 3% of its hourly workers a week. Scale that to a year and that's 150%! That means, on average, they'd need to replace everyone every 8 months. They must have one hell of a recruitment department.

What You Say Could Get You Fired

Source: TechCrunch.comIn 2020, The Washington Post (which, ironically, is owned by Jeff Bezos) reported that Amazon had fired 2 employees who where openly critical of their working conditions during the pandemic. At the same time, workers in 74 warehouses and fulfilment centres tested positive for Covid. A bad week for Bezos all round. Of course, Amazon denied there was a connection between the firings and the criticism, but how easy is that to believe?

Amazon Released A Phone - And It Was A Complete Waste Of Money

Source: InsiderNo? Neither did we. That might explain why the fire phone went from costing $200 at its launch in 2014, only to have the cost of a 2 year contract slashed to $0.99 (yep, we double checked that) two months later following truly awful reviews. It was discontinued a year later, costing the company $170 million. How embarrassing.

She's Always Listening...

Source: The GuardianIf you must get yourself a refurbed Alexia, beware. Voice recognition tech is still quite young and there are countless, some quite disturbing accounts of such devices going rogue. In Oregon, a woman found that her Echo had, without having being asked, sent recordings of private conversations to one of her husband's employees. Amazon claimed that Alexia must have misheard a string of commands and confirmations, all during a conversation about flooring. Unlikely. That's not the worst recording it could have shared of course. Be careful if you have a little helper set up by your bedside...

Pressured By The Robots

Source: nypostMaureen Donnelly had a lot to say about her month stint at the JFK8 fulfilment centre. She was left physically crippled at the end of each 12 hour shift, reporting her ankles were three times their usual size. She was assigned as a "stower" who stacked products delivered to her by an endless stream of robots which constantly informed her she was behind on her 12-a-minute target. No wonder she quit.

People Get Fired Over A Glitch In Their Computer System

Image: The Atlantic // Source: New York TimesThe don't just deliver items, robots seem to have a weird amount of power in that place too. To cope with being such a large company, Amazon automates a lot of its systems, including the one which deals with employee disability, leave and flexible working. More than 25 former employees reported that the system was so patchy, often people would find their booked leave counted as missed shifts and find themselves being fired by that system. Compassionate.

You Are Going To Get Hurt

Source: Daily MailWorking in any warehouse is going to carry certain health and safety risks (usually addressed frequently with training - cue Darryl Philbin from the US Office ranting about his bailer.) The stats which come out of Amazon however, are shocking. Looking at the numbers of serious injuries from 23 of the 110 fulfilment centres, there were reportedly 9.6 for every 100 workers. The national average that year was 4. That's over double. Ouch.

They Hand Over User Data To Law Enforcement

Source: candidWe all know smart speakers have to retain and use a certain amount of our person data to function. But where Apple and Google have been trying their hardest to keep their software running purely on their devices (so it doesn't get uploaded/sent elsewhere), Amazon have never made any such efforts. They also have a long and public history of, fairly indiscriminately, handing over user data to law enforcement. Now this may sound like a good thing, but as anyone who's read Orwell's 1984 will testify, it ain't.

ALWAYS Shop Through Amazon Smile

Source: cheapism.comYes totally we understand if shopping with this world dominating, carbon emitting, employee neglecting, multi-billionaire creating monster grates on your morals. But at least there is the occasional ray of sunshine breaking out of the dark fulfilment centre. If you regularly use the shopping platform, make sure you shop through Amazon smile. In doing so, 0.5% of your basket price will go to a charity of your choice. Yes it sounds a bit pathetic seeing as how at the time of writing, Bezos was worth $131.9 billion (yuck), but as of March 2021, the program has seem some $266 million go to charities, which is not to be sniffed at.

No Fun... Or Games

Source: InsiderIn May 2020, Amazon launched "Crucible," its first, and ultimately doomed, multi-payer game. After millions of dollars in development, it never had enough concurrent players to make any money. Unsurprisingly, it disappeared from Amazon's platform a month later. Maybe they should have made Peccy the main character...

Racial Inequalities

Source: The New York Times // Picture: GizmodoFrom the companies own records, the majority of its warehouse workers were employees of colour in 2019. If we look at JFK8, 60% were either Black or Latino. So why then were those Black workers 50% more likely to be fired than their White colleagues? The listed reasons were varied (productivity, misconduct or absenteeism) but still, that's a big discrepancy. Shockingly, Amazon didn't have much to say on the matter.

Endlessly Seeking New Ways To Take Our Money

Source: InsiderNot content with the online monopoly on books, household stuff and anything else you could ever imagine, Amazon launched endless.com in 2007 as its first standalone online-shopping brand. Focusing on shoes and accessories. Let's just say that it didn't go well...

Pets Are Not A Fulfilment Worker's Best Friend

Source: mentalfloss.comSpeaking of back pain and serious injuries, if you really want to hack off an Amazon fulfilment worker, order something bulky (to go in those giant boxes we assume.) Cat litter and dog food are reportedly amongst the most hated. Maybe write an extra nice gift message if you absolutely have to order those items.

Stick To Online

Source: InsiderAmazon has tried a couple of times to create physical spaces to showcase and hand over their goods. Here you can see a trial store of Amazon "Instant Pick Up", which does what it says on the tin. It only lasted a year and Amazon have never really explained why the project was canned. Maybe so much of its products are tat that the harder it is for customers to assess and return their purchase, the less likely they are to do so?

Ironically...Or Appropriately Named - We Can't Decide

Source: salon.comThe two huge Amazons - the commercial beast belonging to Bezos and the vast, sprawling rainforest in South America - are both causing enormous headaches for the planet. One, being chopped down at an alarming rate, cannot be blamed for its own issues. The other, however, most certainly can. Did you know that the sixth largest "country" in terms of electricity demand isn't a country - it's the internet. And while other companies such as Apple, Google and Facebook have robust and trackable records in their attempts to combat their carbon footprint, AWS (host to Netflix, Pinterest, Spotify and Vine, as well as itself) have made no such effort. All promises and no long term plans, a bit like Bezos' marriage (too mean?)

One Whopping, Dirty Secret

Source: revolution.scotITV recently made a shocking discovery at the Amazon Dunfermline facility. We're sure you may remember it, but here are the numbers. Up to 200,000 items a week were being chucked as "waste" (including brand-new, pricey electronics, like-new returned items and, potentially more infuriatingly, PPE.) Further digging revealed employees were set the target (yup, more targets, poor things) of removing 130,000 items from the facility per week. These numbers are shocking, but it simply costs more to store these objects than would be made by keeping and then selling them. There's got to be a better way though - in one week in April that year, 124,000 items were destroyed while only 28,000 were donated to charities. Think of all the good that tech could do for schools, kids doing online classes in the pandemic, hospitals, social care and its ever slashed budget... appalling.

This Could Save You A Few Bucks

Source: AmazonDid you know that Amazon have an online warehouse section? Despite their abysmal track record of destroying unsold and returned items, there are some bargains to be had here. So, if you must shop with them, check out Amazon Warehouse first! You may not  make much of a dent in Bezo's fortune, but it's a start, and a greener one too.

Refurbed Is Also An Option

Source: AmazonThe risk here is also pretty low as everything is inspected, tested, fixed, and cleaned, plus they're eligible for a replacement/refund within 90 days, and again, it's greener. A bit of advice though, it's always best to buy refurbed from the manufacturer (they made and know it best after all) so this is the perfect place to grab an Alexia, for example.

You Can't Go Wrong With The Voucher Page

Source: AmazonIf you're in the market for something more mundane, like a desk fan or Comfort fabric softener for example, check out Amazon's own voucher page. It's a lot more reliable than the old Google method and could save you those all important pennies (thank you economic down turn...)

Top Isn't Always The Best

Source: cheapism.comAnother secret when it comes to choosing your next Amazon purchase: top isn't always best. The item at the start of your options list is most likely a "sponsored" one and all those reviews? They didn't happen organically - the sellers of said items have coughed up the dough in order to get that top spot. The word "sponsored" isn't always easy to spot, so keep your wits about you!

Filter The Reviews Before You Buy

Source: cheapism.comAmazon probably won't mind you knowing this, it's just a bit embarrassing for them. For years Amazon has been plagued by fake reviews (which sucks for independent sellers as Amazon are rubbish at removing reviews) but there are solutions. Add-ons such as like Fakespot and ReviewMeta are great if legit reviews are key to your decision making process.

Don't Assume The Biggest Company Has The Cheapest Items

Source: cheapism.comIt's a fair assumption, the bigger the company, the higher the stock levels, the lower the unit price (that's what IKEA keep telling us anyway), but it's not always the case. Cheapism have some great add-ons to help out, PriceBlink or InvisibleHand but make sure you double check the shipping - especially if you have Prime. You've been warned.

According To Ex-Employees He Uses Harsh Insults

Source: BloombergNot only is Amazon known for its terrible reputation when it comes to worker. But, it has been said by many ex-workers that Bezos actually personally insults people. If they are unable to do a job has been reported to call people stupid and incapable - rather than taking a look at his own failings as a boss.

He Encourages Employees To Spy Essentially On One Another

Source: BBCAgain, the atmosphere at Amazon work centres is hostile...and encouraged to be so. Clearly the mental health of his workers is also as un-prioritised as their physical. He encourages workers to essentially spy in people. He included a feature in the company’s internal phone directory which instructs people how to give secret feedback on certain employees to bosses. It is called the Anytime Feedback tool.

Jeff Bezos Makes Around $3,715 A Second

Source: LaddersIt is impossible to know the exact vast amount Jeff Bezos is worth and earned daily. But, according to Yahoo's estimations Jeff Bezos himself makes around $3,715... each SECOND. Now that statistic is just frightening when you consider it is more than most people earn in a month.

The Day One Fund Is Not Transparent

Source: UMOMBezos is not know for his charitable personality - especially considering his vast wealth.In fact he's known as being the exact opposite. Back in 2018 Bezos  started the Day One Fund, which said it would aim to donate $2 billion to address homelessness and education issues. But, many have pointed out that there was a lack of transparency about what it was actually doing and many think it is merely a ploy to avoid negative public attention.

Lawyers Intervened With The Gazelle Project

Source: Oprah DailyThe Gazelle project basically consisted of taking small publishing firms for everything they were worth - like a cheetah hunting a gazelle, which it has been likened to. The small companies would become reliant on Amazon for book sales because it has taken over so much, and then Amazon would take advantage of this

Bezos Has A Reputation As A Control Freak

Source: Financial Times

Jeff Bezos has a reputation as being an utter control freak. His former employees have had things to say about his attitude and in an interview Noel Tichy from the University of Michigan described Bezos as a "control freak" and that Amazon was a "one-man show."

Amazon Dodges Tax

Source: CNBCYou'd think that being the richest man in the world, on his way to being a trillionaire that he wouldn't make such an effort to avoid any tax possible. But that is not the case, such as is often the case with the super rich. It is now known that Amazon pay minimal tax and avoid it at any loophole possible.

He Has Unrealistic Standards

Source: BBCAmazon, and Bezos came up with a new set of rules basically setting unrealistic and unhealthy standards. These 14 rules required workers to obsess over the customers, to accomplish more with less, and to make speedy decisions while still maintaining "relentlessly high standards."

Workers Sometimes Go Days Without Sleeping To Get Tasks Done

Source: LeongreadsWhen we say poor working conditions, the extent of it is not truly known. Some workers have actually gone days without sleeping in order to accomplish the impossible work tasks in the given time. It is a completely ruthless corporate culture with no thought the people's well being.

The Warehouses Are Like Prison

Source: Paste Magazine

The Amazon warehouses are just like prisons. In fact in 2016, author James Bloodworth went undercover in an Amazon warehouse to do research for his book. He soon found that the job was so chaotic and fast that he didn't have enough time to eat or drink properly and he felt as though he was in a prison.

They Pay Low Wages

Source: ForbesIt is no secret that the wages of Amazon workers are low. And it is not just that fact in itself which is horrendous. It is the fact that Amazon has made on man the richest on the planet. And, they do not reward workers for their extreme expectation. It is all these combined which make it so unfair.

With Unfair Conditions

Source: VoxLike we have mentioned...the Amazon working conditions are amongst the worst especially for such a high profile global company. The fact that this gains bad press does not make Amazon yield in wanting to be fair to the people who earn them their money.

Amazon Fights Against Unions

Source: Geek WireUnions are there to protect workers,to ensure that they are being treated well and to ensure they have rights. Yet, Amazon fights against Unions (...wonder why?) because it would not allow him to take advantage of people whilst not paying them correctly.

In Peak Seasons Workers Work 60 Hours Work

Source: RedditYes working for Amazon day to day is hard in itself. But when it comes to the peak seasons it is a whole other level. This starts from the week of black Friday and continues until after christmas. At these points workers are expected to work a 60 hour week.

Extreme Weather Conditions Is No Excuse

Source: EuronewsExtreme weather is not considered a reason not to be able to come in to work. Be it rain or shine (or extreme turbulent weather conditions like 7 feet of snow) you are expected. One ex-employee even camped in his car in order not to miss a shift at Amazon.

The Workers Are Tracked

Source: EndagadgetNot only are they just supervised with extreme scrutiny as well as watched over, they are actually tracked. There are computer screens that gave updates on employees' hourly productivity, monitoring them continuously every single day. Again with the big brother...

Workers Have To Go Through Security

Source: Geek WireWorkers working in the huge factories have to enter through security systems first, the likes of which are seen at airports. This makes more sense than many things on this list but when we combine them altogether there is a severe hostile environment and attitude towards workers.

Jeff Bezos 'Worst Boss Ever'

Source: European CEOJeff Bezos may have a of claims to fame. But he now also has a new one. The union ITAC, has deemed him the worst boss ever. Now to most people tis would be shameful. But, Bezos does not seem to acknowledge any of these things or it seems care about them.

List of Most Dangerous Employers

Source: Ideastream

Amazon was actually listed as one of the most dangerous employers. This is because of the amount of people who have died whilst working for Amazon. And, recently two more employers died whilst working for Amazon. All because of the terrible treatment. It's time for change.

Drivers Have To Wee In Bottles

Source: BBCIt became so well known that Amazon drivers had to urinate in bottles due to the unfair working conditions that Amazon had to reply. They said "We know that drivers can and do have trouble finding restrooms because of traffic or sometimes rural routes, and this has been especially the case during Covid when many public restrooms have been closed."