Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently advised Americans suffering from inflation to postpone significant purchases, such as homes and vehicles, due to the impending possibility of an economic slowdown in the coming months.
During a CNN interview, Bezos recommended Americans to save some money to prevent suffering in 2023 if economic conditions deteriorate.
“Take some risk off the table. Just a little bit of risk reduction could make the difference,” he said. “If you’re thinking about buying a large screen TV, maybe slow that down, keep that cash, and see what happens.” He also advised against buying new cars, appliances, and homes.
Billionaire’s new suggestion has sparked controversy on social media since it is unlikely to be the advice you would expect to hear from someone who owns an online retail that dominates Black Friday sales every year and its successful Cyber Monday.
Moreover, a tech writer, Mike Elgan, pointed out that the commodities Mr. Bezos advised Americans to postpone purchasing — automobiles and homes in particular — are among the few products unavailable on Amazon.
“Bezos urged people to put off expenditures for big-ticket items such as new cars, televisions, and appliances,” he wrote. “TRANSLATION: ‘Bezos urged people to put off expenditures for items people don’t buy on Amazon to save money for Amazon purchases.’”
Mr. Bezos’ advice comes on the heels of a New York Times article alleging that Amazon plans to let off around 10,000 employees, primarily from its Alexa, retail, and human resources divisions, making it one of the company’s greatest mass layoffs in history.
The advice comes only a week before Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States when buyers are expected to swarm Amazon in search of Christmas specials and low-cost big-ticket purchases. However, he did not advise Americans to postpone their Black Friday shopping.
On Black Friday, which will be more than just a successful day, Mr. Bezos will face the largest walkout and protest in the company’s history. Amazon employees worldwide are planning strikes.
Employees on strike demand better access to labor organizing, more salaries, Covid-19 regulations, a smaller carbon footprint for the company, and the removal of Amazon surveillance equipment like Ring cameras.