The People’s Union USA is urging a one-week boycott of Amazon starting Friday, March 7. Founder John Schwarz stated that any dip in sales would be considered a success.
Schwarz described the blackout as “not just a boycott” but a “calculated strike” and a way to send a strong message to the retail giant, which has faced criticism for its treatment of workers despite its record-breaking profits.
The group’s first action took place on February 28, when they organized a 24-hour boycott of major corporations and encouraged people to support small businesses instead.
Several celebrities, including John Leguizamo, Bette Midler, and Mark Ruffalo, have voiced their support for the movement.
According to their website, The People’s Union USA is “not a political party” and “not a protest” but rather “a movement of people” working to reclaim control over their economy and, in turn, the future of the U.S.
For the upcoming boycott, founder John Schwarz is urging consumers to completely avoid Amazon and its services. This includes not shopping on Amazon’s website, as well as steering clear of Prime Video, Twitch, Zappos, Whole Foods, Ring, and Alexa, all owned by the retail giant.
For those deeply embedded in the Amazon ecosystem, Schwarz suggests going a step further by turning off Ring cameras and unplugging Alexa devices during the blackout.
Effects of the Blackout
In 2024, Amazon reported $638 billion in net sales, an 11% increase from the previous year.
During the February 28 boycott, data services company Momentum Commerce tracked Amazon’s hourly sales and found they were actually up 1% compared to the usual average.
Experts weren’t surprised by the minimal impact, noting that a retailer of Amazon’s size is “naturally resilient” to “short-term disruptions.”
Momentum Commerce plans to track sales again during the upcoming weeklong boycott to see how it affects overall trends.
The Start of a Series of Boycotts
Meanwhile, activist and pastor Jamal Bryant is leading a separate movement—a 40-day boycott of Target starting this week—to protest the company’s shift away from diversity and equity initiatives.
While these blackouts may not have a significant impact on these massive corporations at the end of the day, they serve as a way for consumers to voice their concerns and draw attention to key issues.
It also raises the question of where consumers should be spending their money.
