I don’t know about “better than amazon in every aspect”, but Aliexpress are sure as shit not perfect ideologically either. 5 minutes, and me having zero language or cultural context to know what spicy things to look for, and I found these blackface T-shirts:
As well as that, and whatever other “gaps” exist in content moderation, a lot of the clothing on AliExpress (and in my experience a bunch of the electronics) is basically disposable, which is setting the planet on fire. And there was allegedly a child who died working in an Alibaba factory in 2016 which is not exactly sounding like a workers’ utopia.
Amazon vs. another automated-negligence marketplace doesn’t seem like a fight worth having, when things like Fairmondo are out there.
Possibly. But let’s get some perspective too, the two t-shirts you pulled are from the same seller and only 1 unit was ever sold. Those are the only two items on the website when you search for blackface, it’s hardly a widespread problem. Regardless I was able to report the items directly to ali and we’ll see if anything comes out of it. Moreover, Amazon sellers are usually just aliexpress resellers, except their items are 3x more expensive. Amazon is just being a middleman for aliexpress (with the added benefit, perhaps, that your items arrive sooner though I’ve had very good delivery times on ali).
The child did not die in an Alibaba factory but in a seller’s that sells on the platform, as alibaba and aliexpress are just marketplaces.
which is not exactly sounding like a workers’ utopia.
Nobody is saying China is a worker’s utopia.
things like Fairmondo are out there.
Only available in Germany though.
Consumers are not responsible for climate change, and reading the vice article was somewhat funny because now UK retailers that have been racing to the bottom are, once again, being outraced by China and crying about it. They created this commodification (or rather capitalism did, and they were the mere vectors), and now they can’t stop it. While we are in capitalism, as workers we will partake in it. The only way to stop the climate crisis is revolution, but until then there will be online retailers, there will be giants, and there will be labour exploitation.
Those are the only two items on the website when you search for blackface, it’s hardly a widespread problem.
It’s not "widespread’, sure, it also seems like something they could easily have a search alert set up for.
The child did not die in an Alibaba factory but in a seller’s that sells on the platform, as alibaba and aliexpress are just marketplaces.
That’s my bad, it wasn’t Aliaba-owned. However from the original source:
According to reports, Zhiya has been approved as a “Quality Supplier” for Alibaba since 2012. Likewise, their factory also received the rigorous, on-site factory inspection from Alibaba Taofactory which verified “its trust based on the inspection carried out by the authoritative SGS organization”
I was talking about the Alibaba ecosystem, not China. I don’t really know what workers’ rights are like there compared to other places.
[Fairmondo is] Only available in Germany though.
The model seems like it could be replicated, there are a bunch of platform co-ops elsewhere. And they say they’re working on opening in other places themselves:
We are now working on internationalisation. If you want to be updated on the progress, or if you have suggestions or want to get involved, please send an email to: global@fairmondo.com
Consumers are not responsible for climate change
Alibaba isn’t a consumer in this situation though? It’s their choice whether to keep selling disposable stuff or not.
The only way to stop the climate crisis is revolution, but until then there will be online retailers, there will be giants, and there will be labour exploitation.
Agreed. In that mean-time, I don’t think there’s much to be gained supporting one damaging empire over another.
I don’t know about “better than amazon in every aspect”, but Aliexpress are sure as shit not perfect ideologically either. 5 minutes, and me having zero language or cultural context to know what spicy things to look for, and I found these blackface T-shirts:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003928029140.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003928001217.html
As well as that, and whatever other “gaps” exist in content moderation, a lot of the clothing on AliExpress (and in my experience a bunch of the electronics) is basically disposable, which is setting the planet on fire. And there was allegedly a child who died working in an Alibaba factory in 2016 which is not exactly sounding like a workers’ utopia.
Amazon vs. another automated-negligence marketplace doesn’t seem like a fight worth having, when things like Fairmondo are out there.
Possibly. But let’s get some perspective too, the two t-shirts you pulled are from the same seller and only 1 unit was ever sold. Those are the only two items on the website when you search for blackface, it’s hardly a widespread problem. Regardless I was able to report the items directly to ali and we’ll see if anything comes out of it. Moreover, Amazon sellers are usually just aliexpress resellers, except their items are 3x more expensive. Amazon is just being a middleman for aliexpress (with the added benefit, perhaps, that your items arrive sooner though I’ve had very good delivery times on ali).
The child did not die in an Alibaba factory but in a seller’s that sells on the platform, as alibaba and aliexpress are just marketplaces.
Nobody is saying China is a worker’s utopia.
Only available in Germany though.
Consumers are not responsible for climate change, and reading the vice article was somewhat funny because now UK retailers that have been racing to the bottom are, once again, being outraced by China and crying about it. They created this commodification (or rather capitalism did, and they were the mere vectors), and now they can’t stop it. While we are in capitalism, as workers we will partake in it. The only way to stop the climate crisis is revolution, but until then there will be online retailers, there will be giants, and there will be labour exploitation.
It’s not "widespread’, sure, it also seems like something they could easily have a search alert set up for.
That’s my bad, it wasn’t Aliaba-owned. However from the original source:
I was talking about the Alibaba ecosystem, not China. I don’t really know what workers’ rights are like there compared to other places.
The model seems like it could be replicated, there are a bunch of platform co-ops elsewhere. And they say they’re working on opening in other places themselves:
Alibaba isn’t a consumer in this situation though? It’s their choice whether to keep selling disposable stuff or not.
Agreed. In that mean-time, I don’t think there’s much to be gained supporting one damaging empire over another.