Amazon’s power is becoming more exposed during the pandemic

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Illustration by Alex Castro

When people were ordered to stay home during the pandemic, online shopping became a vital resource for basic goods like toilet paper, groceries, and cleaning supplies. People need those products fast, and Amazon provides that service.

Before the pandemic, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance reported in 2016 that Amazon captures nearly one in every two dollars that Americans spend online. Over the past month, Amazon’s stock value has increased significantly during a recession while its demand grows further, advancing its dominance in the online shopping market.

Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, says that kind of dependence should make us deeply concerned.

Mitchell has been a vocal critic of...

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source https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/28/21234925/vergecast-podcast-interview-stacy-mitchell-institute-for-local-self-reliance-amazon-monopoly

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