Where I Shop Instead of Amazon, Target, and Walmart

Every time we buy something, we're voting with our money. Amazon and Walmart have operated in ways that don't line up with my personal values for a long time, and Target has since joined that list. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, so here's where I shop instead.

I try to shop local and secondhand first. Supporting small, local businesses matters to me, so that's always my first choice, and I've started shopping secondhand wherever I can, including local thrift shops. But sometimes that's difficult, not possible, or just too expensive. When that happens, these are the stores I go to.

Everyday

Home & Clothing

  • Home & kitchen

    1HomeGoods2Local thrift shops

  • Clothing & shoes

    1Direct from the brand2Secondhand

  • Secondhand

    Local thrift shops

    I skip Goodwill. I'm not a fan of their business practices.

Books & Entertainment

  • Books

    1My library (Libby app)2ThriftBooks3Barnes & Noble

    I try to shop local where I can. I have mixed feelings about who owns Barnes & Noble, but its stores and teams line up more with my values.

    What I'm reading →

  • E-books

    Kobo

    I switched from my Kindle to a Kobo.

    Pro tip: Kobo connects to your Libby account, so you can borrow library e-books right on the device. For the ones I buy, I keep an eye on Kobo's deals and use BookBub to get an alert when a book on my list goes on sale.

  • Audiobooks

    1My library (Libby app)2Spotify Premium

    I'm not much of an audiobook person, but on the rare occasion I am, these are where I go.

    Pro tip: If you already pay for Spotify Premium, it includes a set number of audiobook listening hours each month.

  • Video games

    DigitalNintendo eShopPhysicaleBay

    Nintendo pro tip: Buy Nintendo eShop gift cards at Costco for about 10% off, then load them into your Nintendo account.

Gear

  • Electronics

    Best Buy

    Pro tip: Best Buy price-matches Amazon on items sold and shipped by Amazon. Just pull up the Amazon listing on your phone and show it at checkout.

    The headphones I use →

  • Outdoor & travel gear

    REI

    Pro tip: REI members can shop discounted used gear in the Re/Supply section at REI stores (it used to be called the Garage Sale).

Know a great alternative I should try, especially a local or secondhand one? Tell me on Instagram.

Last updated Oct 13, 2026