peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390 
|
Post by peaname on Jan 19, 2023 17:32:55 GMT
I’m hearing a lot of complaints about Amazon Smile ending next month. Mostly from recipient organizations who fear people will not find an alternative way to support them. It’s 0.5% of your Amazon purchases to the organization you choose which is a very very small amount in my situation, like $50 a year. I’m not concerned about my organization losing that I’ll probably skip an Amazon order and just send the $50 and then I will get the tax benefit.
|
|
zella
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,884
|
Post by zella on Jan 19, 2023 17:38:30 GMT
Damn. I've been using Smile to support the charity Water for years. It's not a lot of money, but it's a way I can give without having to think about it, and give regularly. I'm afraid I won't remember to do it regularly on my own. Damn you Amazon! (I'll still buy from them sadly, since I can't easily go out to shop).
|
|
iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,295
|
Post by iowgirl on Jan 19, 2023 17:49:07 GMT
I am making more of a conscious effort to not shop on Amazon. It's so easy, that I just order way to much from them.
My shipping time has just become too much, considering I am paying for Prime 2 Day shipping. They hold the item for days, before actually shipping it. So most times it takes at least 10 days to get something. I can get things from Walmart and Target in one to two days. I don't think using Walmart or Target is any less 'evil' than Amazon, really, but I am just not wanting to support Amazon any longer.
I ordered a new piece of stereo equipment the other day. I had it in my Amazon cart. I decided to search for other sources. I ended up going with B&H (I've ordered a lot of camera and printer equipment from them). I had my order in 2 days and was happy I didn't buy from Amazon.
I know it isn't much - but if more people stop using Amazon, they will have to feel it eventually!
|
|
|
|
Post by aprilfay21 on Jan 19, 2023 17:54:13 GMT
Damn, I haven't generated a huge amount for Kaitlyn's Promise but I felt good knowing they were getting a little extra. This sucks.
|
|
|
|
Post by deekaye on Jan 19, 2023 18:10:04 GMT
Aww, really? That was such an easy way to donate. We use Amazon a lot since we live so close to the main (or one of the main) distribution centers so we can almost always get our order within 48 hours, sometimes even 24 hours or less.
|
|
pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,973
|
Post by pinklady on Jan 19, 2023 18:14:18 GMT
I was bummed when I got the email. Their reasoning sucks, because it didn't do as much as they wanted. Well it did some, right.
The animal rescue I support thru Amazon Smile sent out an email that they are going to miss out of $1000 per month and it's gonna hit them hard.
|
|
|
|
Post by littlemama on Jan 19, 2023 18:14:54 GMT
This sucks. I dont want to support Amazon's choice of charities, no matter what they are. Amazon makes more than enough profit to support those charities.
It doesnt matter if the amount was small, it was a donation to a place that I chose.
|
|
breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,457
Location: PNW
|
Post by breetheflea on Jan 19, 2023 18:19:24 GMT
.5% or whatever, is $5 for every $1000 spent. My non-profit uses it and gets $30 a few times a year…
|
|
|
|
Post by dnkmmw on Jan 19, 2023 18:26:34 GMT
I’m hearing a lot of complaints about Amazon Smile ending next month. Mostly from recipient organizations who fear people will not find an alternative way to support them. It’s 0.5% of your Amazon purchases to the organization you choose which is a very very small amount in my situation, like $50 a year. I’m not concerned about my organization losing that I’ll probably skip an Amazon order and just send the $50 and then I will get the tax benefit. You may not be concerned about the charities losing these funds, but I am sure there are charities that will be really hurting due to this change. They don't just lose your $50, they lose everything they were getting. Most people will not donate whatever their Smile equivalent was so the charities will lose more than just $50 a year. Dawn |
|
J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
|
Post by J u l e e on Jan 19, 2023 18:32:04 GMT
I was bummed when I got the email. Their reasoning sucks, because it didn't do as much as they wanted. Well it did some, right. The animal rescue I support thru Amazon Smile sent out an email that they are going to miss out of $1000 per month and it's gonna hit them hard. I support an animal rescue with my smile rewards too and this makes me so sad. |
|
|
|
Post by withapea on Jan 19, 2023 18:44:32 GMT
I’m so disappointed. I have a very rare cancer and our org self-advocates for research and information. Even small donations truly make a huge difference because they go straight to the source, the actual research, website maintenance for information for patients, caregivers,and doctors etc. It’s really hard for us to get donations and this was an easy way to generate at least some money.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeremysgirl on Jan 19, 2023 18:48:27 GMT
This bothered me too. I had all my donations going to The Trevor Project. I am going to send them $10 a month, which is probably making up for their loss of a donation from several people. I never did a huge ton of Amazon shopping. But at least I felt like I was doing a bit of good when I did.
|
|
|
|
Post by hopemax on Jan 19, 2023 19:03:52 GMT
You can see Amazon’s thought process here. Transfer charitable giving from them to individuals. Yes, individuals can always donate to cover the “measly” .5%. That’s not the point. Corporations usually don’t make thousands of tiny charitable donations to places that their executives and workers never even knew existed. AmazonSmile did. And now Amazon is saying we can’t afford to do that anymore. We only want to do what everyone else already does. Splashy larger donations to charities that have a larger presence. Their PR will likely work more effectively.
|
|
|
|
Post by snugglebutter on Jan 19, 2023 19:07:54 GMT
I am really sad for all of the small charities that will be hurting from this. I support Childrens Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation and I know that pediatric cancer research as a whole is incredibly underfunded. I plan to start supporting them directly.
That said, I am wondering if these charities are able to sign up as affiliates? I would definitely support through that route as well.
|
|
Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,717
Location: Kansas City -ish
|
Post by Anita on Jan 19, 2023 19:20:57 GMT
I'm really bummed. We used it to support the Fisher House organization.  |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 1, 2024 14:28:24 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2023 19:27:20 GMT
I had mine set up to benefit a local pride organization. I haven't heard how much they'd be missing.
|
|
peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390
|
Post by peaname on Jan 19, 2023 19:43:56 GMT
I’m hearing a lot of complaints about Amazon Smile ending next month. Mostly from recipient organizations who fear people will not find an alternative way to support them. It’s 0.5% of your Amazon purchases to the organization you choose which is a very very small amount in my situation, like $50 a year. I’m not concerned about my organization losing that I’ll probably skip an Amazon order and just send the $50 and then I will get the tax benefit. You may not be concerned about the charities losing these funds, but I am sure there are charities that will be really hurting due to this change. They don't just lose your $50, they lose everything they were getting. Most people will not donate whatever their Smile equivalent was so the charities will lose more than just $50 a year. Dawn I’m not concerned because I heavily support my organization separately from my little bitty Amazon money. I can see how it’s a major concern for many. |
|
|
|
Post by katiekaty on Jan 19, 2023 19:51:51 GMT
Just will send a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project instead. The donation will probably be more than what they usually get from my orders, even though I order a lot thu Amazon
|
|
leeny
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,780
Location: Northern California
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
|
Post by leeny on Jan 19, 2023 19:52:15 GMT
I am very saddened as well. The point was I could chose my organization, which is local. Don't think Amazon will do that. In fact, I checked briefly on their link in the email and I can't figure out where they are actually sending their money. It seemed very general.
|
|
grrlsmom
Full Member
Posts: 141
Jun 26, 2014 2:38:20 GMT
|
Post by grrlsmom on Jan 19, 2023 20:06:20 GMT
I'm disappointed. It was an easy way to donate. We chose our local school district.
|
|
|
|
Post by epeanymous on Jan 19, 2023 20:10:47 GMT
I've been donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center and . . . I bet they have gotten a lot from me.
|
|
|
|
Post by chlerbie on Jan 19, 2023 20:51:44 GMT
I donate to my local food bank from mine and much of my Amazon purchases are for my business. While I can (and do) donate to them on my own, I appreciated that they were getting something without me really thinking about it. I think all of the local charities who were benefitting from this are really going to be hit hard. Even small amounts can go far with some places.
|
|
|
|
Post by mellyw on Jan 20, 2023 0:21:15 GMT
I was bummed as well. I can see this effecting so many charities that aren’t well known
|
|
peasquared
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,731
|
Post by peasquared on Jan 20, 2023 0:26:25 GMT
Mine goes to my local humane society. I give to them monthly but I loved that they got this extra donation from me.
Between this and the lack of 2 day shipping, I’m going to ween myself off of them.
|
|
seaexplore
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,838
Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
|
Post by seaexplore on Jan 20, 2023 2:44:42 GMT
Between this and the lack of 2 day shipping, I’m going to ween myself off of them. My prime was set to renew in December and I canceled. I had a student account and it was around $65/year. My “2 day shipping” was 7-10 days. Not worth it. Now I just have a cart and when I get enough to qualify for free shipping, I purchase. I prefer target or walmart Pick up and I’m near one of those at least every other day. Some stuff is harder to find in person so those will still be amazon purchases sadly. |
|
artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,374
|
Post by artbabe on Jan 20, 2023 13:52:21 GMT
I've been supporting Big Cat Rescue since Smile first came out. They didn't get a lot of money from me but when so many people use it, it really adds up. I first learned about Smile stopping from reading a BCR post. They are understandably upset.
But I should be sending them money anyways. I'll just have to be good about remembering to do that.
|
|
