My problem with this article is that this writer admits to still being a Prime subscriber to spite everything, meaning they had already made a commitment to purchase from Amazon, and in the end they buy from Amazon. So how hard is he looking for alternatives, really?

You wanted a wig, in late September....and you couldn't find a costume store? Spirit Halloweens are popping like weeds right now.

Did you Google it? Did you look at any other sites?

It has the same energy as people complaining endlessly on Reddit but haven't even bothered to try Lemmy or any of the others: your displeasure is meaningless if you're not willing to endure a little inconvenience and support competition. Entrenchment isn't just a matter of corporate manipulation, it's also a result of users that are unbelievably lazy, impatient, and inflexible. That is the blood pumping through Amazon's dark heart.

Yeah, this shit should be regulated, and the FTC needed to nut up and do something about this years and years ago, but that doesn't absolve us of our hand in it.

Stop using Amazon. And if that means having to suffer a slightly less convenient experience, stick to your guns and deal with it.