if you want to try an Amazon alternative of books, try ThrifBooks, they have new books as well as used ones

https://www.thriftbooks.com

There's a great website called geizhals.de which gives you a price comparison for a lot of different online stores for each product and there are almost always multiple stores that sell it cheaper than Amazon.

The junky shopping experience is especially clear once you leave and come back.

I mean, the junky shopping experience isn't unique to Amazon. You could find it in Walmart and TJ Maxx and any number of other low-income retailers a decade ago.

But that's largely a result of the pivot to Planned Obsolescence as a universal standard for consumer products. Things are junk because if they don't degrade in quality you won't be inclined to buy new ones. Your shoddy kitchen appliances break after a couple of years. Your electronics die just in time for a new release. Your IKEA furniture can't be disassembled without destroying the particle board its made from, so you need something new every time you change residences. Everything from your AC unit to your car radio to your dishwasher is designed to fail inside ten years, because that's how business gets you back in line to shop.

The prices aren’t even that good anymore.

Greedflation, baby. Everyone's got to justify their existence with steadily increasing profits.

The prices aren't even that good anymore.

That's because they have been forcing suppliers/sellers to raise their prices.

How nice for you. you must live near a metropolis and have much time on your hands and not living with something impacting your ability to leave the house. You must have multiple sources for products are already in your area because in many parts of the world amazon is supplying many things that are not sold even at local brick and mortars. And many people who live in disabilities/injuries/disease to not be able to go very far without passing out while they receive home treatment.