I thought that was an amazing thing that Amazon was doing (but let's face it, not totally altruistic) but my coworker told me that his family dropped Prime because he (or more correctly, his wife)...
I thought that was an amazing thing that Amazon was doing (but let's face it, not totally altruistic) but my coworker told me that his family dropped Prime because he (or more correctly, his wife) didn't want to subsidize poor people. I pointed out that college students have been getting a discounted rate for a long time now and I thought it was interesting that "subsidizing" others only became a problem for them when it was poor people. We laughed (but it wasn't really a joke).
But they're okay with keeping wages so low that companies can have full time employees still come in under the poverty line and qualify for these benefits? These things don't subsidize poor...
didn't want to subsidize poor people.
But they're okay with keeping wages so low that companies can have full time employees still come in under the poverty line and qualify for these benefits?
These things don't subsidize poor people, they subsidize large companies that underpay their workers.
That like, doesn't even directly affect his family, what the fuck? It's not like Amazon hiked up his prime rates over this. Quite frankly, Amazon is likely making bank with this b/c they'll be the...
That like, doesn't even directly affect his family, what the fuck?
It's not like Amazon hiked up his prime rates over this. Quite frankly, Amazon is likely making bank with this b/c they'll be the only source for many items in food deserts (which often also affect the ability to obtain other necessities).
Is the existence of poor people somehow a threat to them?
Tell him that if they hate subsidizing poor people so much, they should try living without all the ways working people subsidize their lifestyle! No more eating out, consumer electronics, cheap clothes, etc.
If I had to guess it was less about subsidizing poor people and more about enabling poor spending habits, maybe? I haven't really looked at amazon's policy, but different states have different EBT...
If I had to guess it was less about subsidizing poor people and more about enabling poor spending habits, maybe? I haven't really looked at amazon's policy, but different states have different EBT restrictions so that might be cause for weirdness since it's not exactly difficult to abuse. This seems like a really cool program so it seems weird to me that someone would be outright against it (considering it literally doesn't affect them in any way.) Unless your friends wife is just an asshole and hates poor people, maybe shes just missing some information.
I’m going to brush over how this is a good thing that is going to be incredibly helpful for low-income families and how much of assholes your coworker and his wife sound like and focus on the fact...
I’m going to brush over how this is a good thing that is going to be incredibly helpful for low-income families and how much of assholes your coworker and his wife sound like and focus on the fact that they aren’t subsidizing anything? A subsidy would imply that everyone else is paying more in order for people on EBT or Medicaid to get the $6.99 prime. No one is paying more for them to have a lower price. Amazon is offering a lower price for people who meet a specific criteria. It’s the equivalent of a veterans or senior discount, not a subsidy
Yup, this looks like classic price discrimination - Amazon have found a way to make some profit from poorer people without cannibalising their sales to wealthier people. They're almost definitely...
Yup, this looks like classic price discrimination - Amazon have found a way to make some profit from poorer people without cannibalising their sales to wealthier people. They're almost definitely making more profit by doing this.
Although having typed that out it's really hammered home to me just how absurd a person's attitude would have to be if they think that it's fine to pay $10 and help Amazon's shareholders, but not OK to pay that same $10 for the same service if it's helping the poor.
For anyone like me who didn't know what that was. Next, having large companies that can give back a little is a very good thing (almost regardless of reason and yeah I'm with you, let's not...
Electronic benefit transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows state welfare departments to issue benefits via a magnetically encoded payment card, used in the United States.
For anyone like me who didn't know what that was.
Next, having large companies that can give back a little is a very good thing (almost regardless of reason and yeah I'm with you, let's not pretend it's pure altruism). Your friends remind me of the gas station a while back that was selling $1 hot dogs to the homeless that had to stop because non-homeless people didn't think it was fair they had to pay full price.
Exactly this. "Friends" is probably too strong of a word though...
Your friends remind me of the gas station a while back that was selling $1 hot dogs to the homeless that had to stop because non-homeless people didn't think it was fair they had to pay full price.
Exactly this. "Friends" is probably too strong of a word though...
For the record, EBT is for food (certain foods, not all) and some products like toilet paper, feminine products, over the counter meds and a few other things. EBT funds pay the exact same price at...
For the record, EBT is for food (certain foods, not all) and some products like toilet paper, feminine products, over the counter meds and a few other things. EBT funds pay the exact same price at a retailer as people who pay cash or credit.
Next, Amazon isn't doing anything gracious here. ALL "grocery" stores above a certain yearly sales are typically required by state (EBT is State based, not Federal) laws. So my guess is because Amazon now has a physical presence in many states and sells food, they are actually required by those state laws to accept EBT.
They are not allowed to include delivery charges into the EBT payment.
OK. My son get's it for free as a college student. My daughter who is medically disabled (legally) get's it for $5/mth. I still don't see what the problem is...
OK. My son get's it for free as a college student. My daughter who is medically disabled (legally) get's it for $5/mth.
I thought that was an amazing thing that Amazon was doing (but let's face it, not totally altruistic) but my coworker told me that his family dropped Prime because he (or more correctly, his wife) didn't want to subsidize poor people. I pointed out that college students have been getting a discounted rate for a long time now and I thought it was interesting that "subsidizing" others only became a problem for them when it was poor people. We laughed (but it wasn't really a joke).
I. Can't. Even.
But they're okay with keeping wages so low that companies can have full time employees still come in under the poverty line and qualify for these benefits?
These things don't subsidize poor people, they subsidize large companies that underpay their workers.
That like, doesn't even directly affect his family, what the fuck?
It's not like Amazon hiked up his prime rates over this. Quite frankly, Amazon is likely making bank with this b/c they'll be the only source for many items in food deserts (which often also affect the ability to obtain other necessities).
Is the existence of poor people somehow a threat to them?
Tell him that if they hate subsidizing poor people so much, they should try living without all the ways working people subsidize their lifestyle! No more eating out, consumer electronics, cheap clothes, etc.
If I had to guess it was less about subsidizing poor people and more about enabling poor spending habits, maybe? I haven't really looked at amazon's policy, but different states have different EBT restrictions so that might be cause for weirdness since it's not exactly difficult to abuse. This seems like a really cool program so it seems weird to me that someone would be outright against it (considering it literally doesn't affect them in any way.) Unless your friends wife is just an asshole and hates poor people, maybe shes just missing some information.
I’m going to brush over how this is a good thing that is going to be incredibly helpful for low-income families and how much of assholes your coworker and his wife sound like and focus on the fact that they aren’t subsidizing anything? A subsidy would imply that everyone else is paying more in order for people on EBT or Medicaid to get the $6.99 prime. No one is paying more for them to have a lower price. Amazon is offering a lower price for people who meet a specific criteria. It’s the equivalent of a veterans or senior discount, not a subsidy
Yup, this looks like classic price discrimination - Amazon have found a way to make some profit from poorer people without cannibalising their sales to wealthier people. They're almost definitely making more profit by doing this.
Although having typed that out it's really hammered home to me just how absurd a person's attitude would have to be if they think that it's fine to pay $10 and help Amazon's shareholders, but not OK to pay that same $10 for the same service if it's helping the poor.
I totally agree but it's not how they see it apparently.
For anyone like me who didn't know what that was.
Next, having large companies that can give back a little is a very good thing (almost regardless of reason and yeah I'm with you, let's not pretend it's pure altruism). Your friends remind me of the gas station a while back that was selling $1 hot dogs to the homeless that had to stop because non-homeless people didn't think it was fair they had to pay full price.
Exactly this. "Friends" is probably too strong of a word though...
For the record, EBT is for food (certain foods, not all) and some products like toilet paper, feminine products, over the counter meds and a few other things. EBT funds pay the exact same price at a retailer as people who pay cash or credit.
Next, Amazon isn't doing anything gracious here. ALL "grocery" stores above a certain yearly sales are typically required by state (EBT is State based, not Federal) laws. So my guess is because Amazon now has a physical presence in many states and sells food, they are actually required by those state laws to accept EBT.
They are not allowed to include delivery charges into the EBT payment.
They are selling Prime for 50% less to anyone who has an EBT card. Sorry I didn't do a good job of explaining that.
OK. My son get's it for free as a college student. My daughter who is medically disabled (legally) get's it for $5/mth.
I still don't see what the problem is...
Right!?