'Those hoping to build more power for workers have much to learn from this book’s examination of organizing within Amazon' 'An excellent book … it is clearly written and contains a stack of information about Amazon’s practices and the resistance they are generating' Bill Fletcher, Jr., executive editor of It is about the transition in global capitalism and its implications not only for Amazon's workforce, but on the global working class' Professor Stephanie Luce, School of Labor and Urban Studies, CUNY 'This brilliant compilation of essays shows us how, like Walmart before it, Amazon has risen to global dominance through shrewd use of technology, data systems and supply chains, and also by skirting and breaking laws' 'This important and timely book on Amazon's global empire is a must read for those who are concerned about economic inequality, massive public surveillance, and the threat to worker rights and democracy around the world' Carolina Bank Muñoz, Tow Professor of Sociology, City University of New York

This stellar collection of essays documents exploitation and resistance at Amazon across the globe. Kirsty Newsome, Professor of Employment Relations, Sheffield UniversityĪ must-read for scholars and activists alike. 'Drawing on deep and wide-ranging scholarship, this compelling collection provides heartening evidence of push-back by communities and organised labour against Amazon. This book is available to download through the Open Access programme. The Cost of Free Shipping shows how Amazon represents a fundamental shift in global capitalism that we should name, interrogate and be primed to resist.

With cutting-edge analyses, this book looks at the many dark facets of the corporation, including automation, surveillance, tech work, workers' struggles, algorithmic challenges, the disruption of local democracy and much more. The company has also become the largest provider of cloud-computing services and home surveillance systems, not to mention the ubiquitous Alexa. Amazon is also one of the world's largest logistics companies, resulting in weakened unions and lowered labor standards. In turn, these subscribers are surveilled by the corporation. 'One-click' instant consumerism and its immense variety of products has made Amazon a worldwide household name, with over 60% of US households subscribing to Amazon Prime.

Its dominance has reshaped the global economy itself: we live in the age of 'Amazon Capitalism'. Amazon is the most powerful corporation on the planet and its CEO, Jeff Bezos, has become the richest person in history, and one of the few people to profit from a global pandemic.

Free the future of a radical price