Jeff Bezos has (sorta) been printing up business cards for small business owners, many of whom are barely hanging on because of the so-called Amazon Effect.
As part of an initiative called “Unbox Local,” Toronto agency Taxi is distributing business cards made from used Amazon delivery boxes that have been recovered throughout Toronto. The idea is that the businesses can distribute the cards to prospective customers to encourage them to shop local.
The grassroots campaign launched this week with cards for two local businesses: Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop, and the book shop Another Story. While the cards are real, the initiative is more about delivering a message about the destructive effect of the pandemic—and associated lockdowns—on small business.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, more than 74,000 small business closed in Ontario alone during the first two lockdowns, and the third will add to that total. Amazon, meanwhile, has thrived over the past year, reporting 2020 revenues of $386 billion, a 37% increase from 2019.
“Amazon’s soaring profits are leaving small businesses hanging by a thread,” reads the message on the associated website UnboxLocal.org. “So, we’re turning used Amazon boxes into business cards to help small businesses encourage their communities to shop local.”
The site features an email address that small business owners can use to obtain a stamp with their business name and address so they can make their own cards.
Who needs Vistaprint or Moo when you can get literally some Prime business cards on recycling day?