I’ve been working in the last few years of getting rid of big tech services. PayPal and Amazon are left. I’ve been questioning the need for PayPal in a world of virtual credit cards. My main reason for using it was security of purchase but I feel this need is no longer there. BTW, equivalent EU service to PayPal that is equally well accepted? Feels like this one may be more difficult to satisfy.

  • SteleTrovilo@beehaw.org
    8·
    1 month ago

    I’ve been happy not using Amazon since 2010!

    For paper books, find a good local bookstore first. Then for online ordering, bookshop is good. B&N is iffy ethically - they helped crush a lot of smaller stores in the 90’s, but they aren’t part of the current tech giant oligarchy either. Target will usually have a section of best-sellers. If you have to buy from a big store, maybe offset it ethically by donating to a library.

    For ebooks, Bookshop is good! They point out which of their ebooks have DRM and which don’t. For some cases, you can also buy books directly from the publisher - these basically never have DRM in my experience. I mainly experience this with technical books and tabletop RPG books.

  • Ardens@lemmy.ml
    2·
    1 month ago

    Keep up the good work. I don’t know what you need. Mostly I get by cash, Dankort (Danish “credit” card) or Visa in some rare situations. Don’t buy anything from Amazon anymore.

    • Hansae@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      2·
      1 month ago

      God I love dankort, amazing system. Really wished more people in DK made use of it. Britain selling their own card system out to MasterCard was a actual crime against the population. Apparently cash usage in DK has crashed since I was last there 5 years ago though : (.

      • Ardens@lemmy.ml
        2·
        1 month ago

        Yeah - companies are, sadly, breaking the law here, and some refuses to take cash… But we are quite a few who stubbornly cling to cash.

        • Hansae@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          2·
          1 month ago

          Really annoying when companies do that, unfortunately here they’re allowed to as legal tender is basically meaningless.

          Also just reminded me I have a few 1000kr notes I really need to pay into a bank next time im over there.

          • Ardens@lemmy.ml
            2·
            1 month ago

            Well, then I have bad news for you - because they just fased out the 1000 kroner bills… :-( The highest bill now is 500,- kroner. Last day to use the or exchange the 1000,- kroner bill was may 31… :-(

            • Hansae@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
              1·
              1 month ago

              Yeah Ik, its why I need to go and pay in the 5 of them I have lying around lol, the exchanges wont take them here. If nothing else I can probs sell them to collectors.

  • Matt@lemmy.ml
    1·
    1 month ago

    EU service to PayPal

    Maybe SEPA Instant, but that’s a protocol for bank transfer. Or just use a normal payment gateway provided by the website. Or use Apple/Google Pay on sites where it’s supported.