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I've made my contribution by not ordering anything from Amazon. Though pretty much every ecommerce site of any significance is stressed to the max right now. An

I've made my contribution by not ordering anything from Amazon. Though pretty much every ecommerce site of any significance is stressed to the max right now. And B&H is, as usual, closed for Passover. Still trying to support local businesses as much as I practically can.

dominotw 7y ago
> Still trying to support local businesses as much as I practically can. how are supply chains for local businesses. My neighborhood corner grocery story is almost empty. Not sure what is going on.
- epistasis 7y ago
  My independent, neighborhood grocer (am almost unheard of type of business these days!) has been better stocked on the very few occasions I have gotten out. I don't have a ton of comparison points, unfortunately. For example, when it comes to dry goods like beans or flour, the small local grocer could repackage and rewrite the vast industrial size containers I'd these products, and continue selling product where the larger chain grocers must rely on their suppliers to repackage to smaller amounts.
paypalcust83 7y ago
I'm crossing my fingers that the two SSDs I ordered in B&H's last order window ship today because their stores are closed and the warehouses are on reduced hours. Always buy from good small businesses first (vote with your wallet). Megacorps are unfortunately a practical, but depressing, evil last resort. Btw, Instacart (YC S12) works here in Paradise, CA with a smaller chain discount grocery store! :) (Local CVS ((still listed on IC)) closed due to loss of customers, there is a Walgreens franchise in-town ((not on IC)) and CVS delivers medications by mail for free right now.) And our most recent shopper was lightning fast and a good shopper too.
- nickvanw 7y ago
  > Always buy from good small businesses first (vote with your wallet). Megacorps are unfortunately a practical, but depressing, evil last resort. Not to be a downer, but if you're looking for _good_ businesses, B&H is likely to score no higher than Amazon by most criteria. They: - Don't pay appropriate sales tax: https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/20964980/b-h-photo-taxes-lawsuit-new-york-state https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/20964980/b-h-photo-taxes... - Discriminate against Hispanic workers: https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/us/bh-photo-lawsuit/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/us/bh-photo-lawsuit/index.htm... - Discriminate against non-Jewish employees: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/new-lawsuit-claims-b-and-h-discriminates-against-non-jewish-employees-571983 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/new-lawsuit-claims-b-and-h-di...
  - learc83 7y ago
    I noticed that all of your supporting evidence is articles talking about allegations made in lawsuits. What were the results of these suits? Were any of the claims substantiated?
    - nickvanw 7y ago
      I believe the tax lawsuit is still pending, the most recent documentation I can find from the NY AG is a summons from mid-November of last year: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2019.11.14_nyag_v._bh_-_summons_complaint.pdf https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2019.11.14_nyag_v._bh_.... There is a corresponding press release from the NY AG office: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/attorney-general-sues-bh-foto-electronics-defrauding-new-york-out-millions-sales https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/attorney-general-sues-b... The 2017 case was settled (https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ofccp/ofccp20170814 https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ofccp/ofccp20170814), with B&H agreeing to pay $3.2mm in back wages and "hire a workplace consultant to correct its employment practices and conduct" They settled a similar 2007 case by distributing $4.3m in monetary relief: https://compensation.blr.com/Compensation-news/Performance-Termination/Performance-Employee-Appraisal/BH-to-Pay-4.3M-to-Settle-Suit-Alleging-Pay-Bias-Ag/ https://compensation.blr.com/Compensation-news/Performance-T... My point is not that B&H is bad, but that "support small business" doesn't mean that you're supporting an ethical business.
daxorid 7y ago
> Though pretty much every ecommerce site of any significance is stressed to the max right now This is certainly not the case for clothing retailers.
- Finnucane 7y ago
  Yeah, I suppose no one is really worrying about dressing up right now.
  - Leherenn 7y ago
    It's also difficult to return items.

dominotw 7y ago

> Still trying to support local businesses as much as I practically can. how are supply chains for local businesses. My neighborhood corner grocery story is almost empty. Not sure what is going on.

epistasis 7y ago
My independent, neighborhood grocer (am almost unheard of type of business these days!) has been better stocked on the very few occasions I have gotten out. I don't have a ton of comparison points, unfortunately. For example, when it comes to dry goods like beans or flour, the small local grocer could repackage and rewrite the vast industrial size containers I'd these products, and continue selling product where the larger chain grocers must rely on their suppliers to repackage to smaller amounts.

paypalcust83 7y ago

I'm crossing my fingers that the two SSDs I ordered in B&H's last order window ship today because their stores are closed and the warehouses are on reduced hours. Always buy from good small businesses first (vote with your wallet). Megacorps are unfortunately a practical, but depressing, evil last resort. Btw, Instacart (YC S12) works here in Paradise, CA with a smaller chain discount grocery store! :) (Local CVS ((still listed on IC)) closed due to loss of customers, there is a Walgreens franchise in-town ((not on IC)) and CVS delivers medications by mail for free right now.) And our most recent shopper was lightning fast and a good shopper too.

nickvanw 7y ago
> Always buy from good small businesses first (vote with your wallet). Megacorps are unfortunately a practical, but depressing, evil last resort. Not to be a downer, but if you're looking for _good_ businesses, B&H is likely to score no higher than Amazon by most criteria. They: - Don't pay appropriate sales tax: https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/20964980/b-h-photo-taxes-lawsuit-new-york-state https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/14/20964980/b-h-photo-taxes... - Discriminate against Hispanic workers: https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/us/bh-photo-lawsuit/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/us/bh-photo-lawsuit/index.htm... - Discriminate against non-Jewish employees: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/new-lawsuit-claims-b-and-h-discriminates-against-non-jewish-employees-571983 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/new-lawsuit-claims-b-and-h-di...
- learc83 7y ago
  I noticed that all of your supporting evidence is articles talking about allegations made in lawsuits. What were the results of these suits? Were any of the claims substantiated?
  - nickvanw 7y ago
    I believe the tax lawsuit is still pending, the most recent documentation I can find from the NY AG is a summons from mid-November of last year: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2019.11.14_nyag_v._bh_-_summons_complaint.pdf https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2019.11.14_nyag_v._bh_.... There is a corresponding press release from the NY AG office: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/attorney-general-sues-bh-foto-electronics-defrauding-new-york-out-millions-sales https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/attorney-general-sues-b... The 2017 case was settled (https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ofccp/ofccp20170814 https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ofccp/ofccp20170814), with B&H agreeing to pay $3.2mm in back wages and "hire a workplace consultant to correct its employment practices and conduct" They settled a similar 2007 case by distributing $4.3m in monetary relief: https://compensation.blr.com/Compensation-news/Performance-Termination/Performance-Employee-Appraisal/BH-to-Pay-4.3M-to-Settle-Suit-Alleging-Pay-Bias-Ag/ https://compensation.blr.com/Compensation-news/Performance-T... My point is not that B&H is bad, but that "support small business" doesn't mean that you're supporting an ethical business.

daxorid 7y ago

> Though pretty much every ecommerce site of any significance is stressed to the max right now This is certainly not the case for clothing retailers.

Finnucane 7y ago
Yeah, I suppose no one is really worrying about dressing up right now.
- Leherenn 7y ago
  It's also difficult to return items.