This is true. I hate giving Amazon the business, and try not to as much as possible. When you think about it, however, Amazon, along with Walmart, Target, etc. has successfully put the little guy out of business.
I live near a small town. There are still a couple of small, privately owned businesses in that town. A little jewelry store, the hardware store, the pharmacy (with a great gift section). If I was still giving anything other than money, that’s where I’d be shopping. I would seek out places like that.
It would be lovely to return to the days and ways of Mayberry, or It’s A Wonderful Life. Make your way up and down the main street in town, meet some people you know, enjoy the decorations, and support the small businesses. Sadly, those days are gone. This is not improvement.
I was just telling my grandson about the benefit of gift certificates to the seller. Stats say that about 1/3 of those gift certificates are never cashed in. That’s quite the windfall for these retailers.....plus it says a whole lot about society. We obviously do a lot of giving to a lot of people who don’t need anything.