Boycott Amazon

[Guest]

Look at the figures in the table at the bottom of this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20580980

Starbucks have announced that they will be changing their tax practices. Customer pressure? Maybe.

So ....let's all boycott Amazon and not hide behind 'my conscience is clear'.

[Dave2002]

Look at the figures in the table at the bottom of this page http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20580980

Starbucks have announced that they will be changing their tax practices. Customer pressure? Maybe.

So ....let's all boycott Amazon and not hide behind 'my conscience is clear'.

In the short term spending £77 million to recoup £22 million per annum does not seem very clever, though as a longer term "investment" it may pay off. It will at least stimulate economic growth by giving employment to tax inspectors.

[Tony Halstead]

It will at least stimulate economic growth by giving employment to tax inspectors.

[remdataram]

My conscience is clear.

Amazon, Google, Starbucks and others are all trading lawfully. If they aren't paying enough Tax it is because the law needs changing - so why not boycott the government?

What really irritates me is how HMRC relentlessly chase private individuals, whilst doing nothing (except moan) about large corporations and political party contributors.

[Tony Halstead]

My conscience is clear.

Amazon, Google, Starbucks and others are all trading lawfully. If they aren't paying enough Tax it is because the law needs changing - so why not boycott the government?

What really irritates me is how HMRC relentlessly chase private individuals, whilst doing nothing (except moan) about large corporations and political party contributors.

Agreed.
hear hear!

[MrGongGong]

Surely this should have the headline

"Capitalists in profits shocker".............. ?

now about that chap in the frock in Rome
and the bears

[amateur51]

My conscience is clear.

Amazon, Google, Starbucks and others are all trading lawfully. If they aren't paying enough Tax it is because the law needs changing - so why not boycott the government?

What really irritates me is how HMRC relentlessly chase private individuals, whilst doing nothing (except moan) about large corporations and political party contributors.

I agree but I do wonder about customer pressure too. Amazon doesn't really have any rivals in its niche whereas Starbucks is in a highly competitive market

[amateur51]

Surely this should have the headline

"Capitalists in profits shocker".............. ?

now about that chap in the frock in Rome
and the bears

[Nick Armstrong]

My conscience is clear.

Amazon, Google, Starbucks and others are all trading lawfully. If they aren't paying enough Tax it is because the law needs changing - so why not boycott the government?

What really irritates me is how HMRC relentlessly chase private individuals, whilst doing nothing (except moan) about large corporations and political party contributors.

[gurnemanz]

I agree but I do wonder about customer pressure too. Amazon doesn't really have any rivals in its niche whereas Starbucks is in a highly competitive market

Naive I may be, but I now avoid Amazon. There are plenty of rivals for recorded music, books, electrical goods, computer stuff. Starbucks do seem to be responding to pressure.

[VodkaDilc]

I agree but I do wonder about customer pressure too. Amazon doesn't really have any rivals in its niche whereas Starbucks is in a highly competitive market

Amazon has no rivals? I have never used it, but often buy things online - usually at a competitive price.

(Starbucks coffee is horrible and they are also withdrawing staff benefits - is there a reason to go to one of their outlets?)

[teamsaint]

Since there are arguments on both sides, an easy (cop out) solution is to just buy elsewhere where you can.
Even a modest reduction in turnover would hit them hard. They do work on fairly tight margins.

[Resurrection Man]

Disappointed at the general smugness of the comments especially from those who continually espouse against all things 'unfair and it's the poor that suffer'.

In the short term spending £77 million to recoup £22 million per annum does not seem very clever, though as a longer term "investment" it may pay off. It will at least stimulate economic growth by giving employment to tax inspectors.

So that's a 'Don't Care Vote', is it?

These three companies are not the only ones that do this. Let's take a look at that darling of the socialist conscience, the Guardian. Now what do you think they did on the profit they made when they sold Auto-Trader ? Do you think they (the Guardian) paid their fair dues in tax? Of course not. They are as hypocritical as the rest. http://order-order.com/tag/guardian/ Monday Dec 3rd 2012 is the date to look for. I will remember this little gem the next time I see someone quoting a hand-wringing article from the Guardian.

Naive I may be, but I now avoid Amazon. There are plenty of rivals for recorded music, books, electrical goods, computer stuff. Starbucks do seem to be responding to pressure.

Not naive at all. It's called having a sense of personal integrity.

Since there are arguments on both sides, an easy (cop out) solution is to just buy elsewhere where you can.
Even a modest reduction in turnover would hit them hard. They do work on fairly tight margins.

Well said but I'm not sure what the argument is 'on the other side'.

And just getting back to hypocrisy. Margaret Hodge...the one doing all the shouting. Can I nominate her for Hypocrite of the Year 2012 ? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/b...in-the-UK.html

[amateur51]

And just getting back to hypocrisy. Margaret Hodge...the one doing all the shouting. Can I nominate her for Hypocrite of the Year 2012 ? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/b...in-the-UK.html

That'll be The Daily Telegraph owned by the reclusive (particularly from the tax man) Barclay Brothers, I take it?

[teamsaint]

Hodge is just a disgrace, and always has been.
The Amazon issue is surely tied up with the whole business of ethical shopping.As I have mentioned before, even supposedly squeaky clean outfits like M and S have been caught out on abuses within supply chains, and they no doubt all have sharp financial minds minimising their tax bill...so what to do?
Perhaps a list of worst offenders by sector, (and by category EG tax avoidance, supply chain abuses,etc) would be useful, so that we could more easily make good, or least worst , choices.