Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy

There's great info in this documentary, but it was presented in a juvenile way. The computer generated voice that leads the viewer from topic to topic, scene to scene, was beyond annoying. By the time it was over, I felt like I had experienced a net loss of intelligence. The presentation was definitely, in my opinion, not directed to my generation (boomer) and maybe that's to be expected. In a movie titled "Buy Now-The Shopping Conspiracy", I would have expected to see a segment on influencers and such and was disappointed that the topic was skipped. Lastly, I did come away from the movie with an image in my head of how much useless clothing is in my closet and why it's there... Because it was cheap enough to be easy to buy and throw away/donate when I was done with it. And I think that's the bottom line. I'll try to be better.

I like to think I'm a conscientious person when it comes to the environment and consumption, but I feel sick to learn how bad these problems are. The documentary did a great job showing how corporations lie to us and compel us to buy. And it revealed the huge scope of the environmental and health disasters brewing. I took two stars off for the annoying AI and graphics and for leaving the viewer without any real solutions. As a budding minimalist I can see how mindless consumption is contributing to pollution and waste. I just hope I can get my friends and family to watch this documentary. Schools and universities should make it required viewing. We need to get the younger generations thinking about it and help solve this disaster!

As "Buy Now! The Shopping Experience" (2024 release; 84 min) opens, we get to know Maren Costa, a former Amazon "used experience designer" and inventor of the "one buy click". She details the enormous amount of science that goes into the Amazon buyer experience leading to super easy and quick (impulse?) purchases. But what happens after all that stuff has been purchased? At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from documentarian Nic Stacey ("Codebreaker"). Here he examines two separate but related issues: the first is how big companies like Amazon, Apple, and Adidas (all featured in the documentary) perfect the art of inducing consumers to buy, buy, buy, and then buy some more. The second is what happens with all of the unwanted or expired products afterwards. IT is the second one that is by far the more urgent issue, and the movie is in that sense a natural companion to "An Inconvenient Truth". To give just one example: we learn in this documentary that every day13 million mobile phones get thrown out around the world. Some of the footage in the documentary regarding waste and landfills shocks the conscience.

"Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy" recently started streaming on Netflix. Netflix recommended it to me based on my viewing habits. This documentary is currently rated 81% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. If you have any interest in the buying experience and what happens with stuff after that, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

The message and the intentions behind this documentary are good. This could have been a much better documentary with more impact had they not added what sounds like an AI voice throughout. The AI voice in combination with the special effects took me out of it. The message and information is something that needs to be out there and people should watch this documentary for that alone but it was a struggle for me to sit through it as the aforementioned choices consistently took me out of the story. I just think they missed the mark with how they delivered the message. But it is definitely a message that many need to hear.

The holidays were the perfect time to watch the documentary, "Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy", which was a timely reminder of the unsustainable consumerism fueling this late stage of capitalism, a system at odds with the health of our planet. This educational and entertaining documentary doesn't break much new ground, but effectively underscores a sobering reality: from floating islands of plastic rubbish in the Pacific to beaches in Ghana choked with discarded fast fashion, our buying habits have dire consequences. While not the most comprehensive take on the issue, its brevity works in its favor, driving home a clear message: we don't need most of the stuff we accumulate. Is it really necessary to rent storage for things we barely use? The new year is a good time to declutter, shop thoughtfully, and embrace small, sustainable changes. If you're looking for a quick dose of inspiration to consume less and live more intentionally, this is worth a watch.