The biggest consumer season of the year is on now! It’s the perfect time to learn what happens to innovation when you buy Early Childhood books and resources from Amazon. It’s not pretty.
I know, you want to save money
It’s true that you can sometimes find lower prices on early childhood books and resources on Amazon. Prime memberships often offer free shipping (but not always.) And, yes, some of our favorite early childhood companies sell their products on the site. But, there are really devastating consequences for the companies that have been developing products specifically for early childhood education for decades. Amazon, like most retail outlets, takes a share of every purchase. In Amazon’s case, the share is massive and the volume is overwhelming. Because Amazon sells so many more of everything, the early childhood specific vendors earn much less on every sale than when you buy from them. I know, you think books and classroom materials are just too darned expensive, and you have to save where you can. I hear you!
So, what’s the big deal?
The amount of money smaller publishers give up with every sale on Amazon eats up the money they ordinarily use to reinvest in new products. They lose so much of their revenue in transactions through Amazon, they have less money to sustain their companies. Their employees, including editors, authors, and other staff members (who are often early childhood specialists) feel the pinch, and often lose their jobs. The loss of money also impacts all of the other elements that it takes to create and publish quality books. An entire ecosystem of people whose careers are invested in our field are impacted by the loss of revenue to one of the the wealthiest companies in the world. And Amazon grows more powerful each day. For a much more in-depth description and accounts from small companies appeared in the New York Time. Read it for the real nitty-gritty. Most importantly, the resources designed for the specific needs of early childhood classrooms, playgrounds, and professional development will eventually disappear.
Big, wealthy publishers that have more money don’t take interest in early childhood education. They do not invest in publishing resources for our profession. But there are some smaller companies that do nothing but create and distribute to our sector. Publishers like NAEYC, Redleaf Press, and Exchange Press, which are non-profit organizations, regularly hire early childhood experts to write books and develop resources specifically for our industry. Brookes Publishing, Gryphon House, Free Spirit Publishing, Teacher’s College Press, and other small publishers also continue to invest in innovations and support authors in our field to bring you the best resources to inform the workforce. Another excellent resource, Bookvine, which is one of the most beloved booksellers in our field, founded by Isabel Baker, has earned your support for decades of devotion to early childhood education. This is also true of curriculum companies like Teaching Strategies, High Scope, Tools of the Mind, InvestiGator Club, Frog Street, Conscious Discipline, Second Step, and more. You know the publishers and they will eventually no longer be able to afford to bring you the materials you have come to rely on if you buy them from Amazon.
What about classroom materials, furniture and playground equipment? The same is true. Think about companies like Nature Explore, and Community Playthings, which are known for decades of producing the highest quality furniture, materials, and playgrounds available to early childhood programs. Kodo Kids, a newer innovator in our industry develops extraordinarily beautiful and high quality products that support thinking skills. When you choose plastic toys from Amazon over products developed by a compnay that is solely focused on early childhood education, essentially your purchase contributes to choking out innovation. Companies like Kaplan Early Learning, Lakeshore Learning, Discount School Supplies, and Becker School Supplies, who have all invested heavily in supporting our community will suffer.
Here’s what you can do
The entire ecosystem of people who work for all of the companies and publishers feel the impact when you purchase from Amazon. And we all lose critical assets we need to do our jobs when this ecosystem is disrupted. We are an intentional and resourceful community of professionals when it comes to working with children and families. We need to be just as intentional about how we spend our money. I urge you to buy products from companies that care about your work and young children, not an amazonian company that does nothing to improve early childhood education. Your purchases from these fine smaller companies can be investments that ensure a legacy for early childhood education instead of a transaction.
I feel like this article is intended to be a guilt trip for those who do not buy directly from EC companies. As a bargain shopper and not being wealthy since I am in the early childhood field, Amazon may be the difference in me having it for my children or not having it at all. If the companies aren’t getting 100% of the profit, then I feel like they can choose not to sell on Amazon, but I bet even though they take a cut, they are still making something or they wouldn’t be doing it. I think that they would rather get a lesser price out of it than nothing at all which is the alternative sometimes when those of us who can’t afford it will just go without.
Hi April, Thanks for commenting. You make a good point. I don’t want to make anyone feel badly about anything EVER! I am really sorry the article made you feel anything negative. It’s wonderful that you invest in resources, and of course, you have to fit them into your budget.
Some of the companies do sell their books and products through the biggest of the big box stores and some do not. I can promise you the amount of revenue they are able to bring in from those sales is not enough to continue to offer high-quality materials. Eventually, the field will suffer from a lack of innovation and outstanding content. Here’s one secret I didn’t mention in the post: The price on Amazon is not always the best price. Amazon uses algorithms to change the price based on various variables. And, discount code for early childhood products on Amazon don’t exist. I suggest comparing the publisher/vendor’s price before checking out!
Wherever you decide to spend your money on materials to support your work on behalf of young children and their families, it’s all GREAT! Keep up the great work and thanks for reading and commenting on the blog!
Warmly, Fran Simon
Thank you for your article. It’s always tricky balancing your budget and trying to support ECE vendors. I put in my Amazon shopping cart several children’s books, the following day, the price had increased, in fact almost doubled. Amazon isn’t always the best price, it good to compare. I committed to include the publisher/vendor when purchasing items. Sometimes the price difference is small, so I prefer to give my business to the ECE vendor.
Good for you. Thanks for supporting independent publishers. Your support means even more now, during the COVID-19 era.
Thanks so much for the information. I always appreciate knowing the facts so that I am better able to make an informed choice of where I purchase my materials. Some folks will need to purchase at the lowest possible price. Those of us who are able to support the organizations who produce quality materials have the option of ordering direct. Information is always helpful. Jody
Thanks, Jody. The thinking behind this post was to help educators understand the big picture. I see so many companies struggle to fulfill their missions to support our work, and that is a threat to our work, and ultimately the children and families with whom we work. It’s troubling that their is so little funding for both classrooms and funding that will help feed innovation. I’m looking forward to a future in which early childhood care and education will be a top priority and will be a thriving mission-focused industry.
This was an interesting and informative article. Thank you for sharing this information. As a classroom teacher I have to be frugal with the small amount of money I get from my district and I often pay out of pocket for materials and books for my classroom. This article helped me see that the extra cost is an investment to help continue the creation of quality early childhood materials and resources.
Hi Jill, I am so happy you read the post and commented. It upsets me to hear about teachers having to pay for their own supplies. I know it is a reality. I was a teacher and an administrator long ago. I was fortunate to work in an organization that had a budget for professional resources and materials. I know that is not always the case, but it is so sad to hear stories from educators who don’t have the resources they need to do their jobs well. The problem that early childhood vendors and publishers face are part of the same big problem you face when you have to spend your own money: Our country’s lack of understanding about the real costs of high-quality early childhood programming, the low wages in our field, and the under funding of the programs. Thanks for your comment and your reflections.
Hi Fran
Thank you for sharing this information and your consistent vision for early child education. I think as a director of a school, balancing the costs of materials in the classroom, professional development for teachers and resources for teachers is a challenge. Understanding our options as you presented here and thinking about alternatives if possible, is our responsibility as educators.
Thanks for being open-minded. I just noticed an article on the New York Times which provides a lot more detail about what small companies go through when they sell on Amazon. It’s worth the time to read Prime Power: How Amazon Squeezes Businesses Behind its Store.
Thanks for the article.
A lot of factors determine where users buy from. I personally would love to buy directly from publishers, but I discovered that firstly, they don’t ship to all locations.
Secondly, those that will want to ship, we have issues with shipping cost. Sometimes, the cost of shipping could be up to thrice the cost of books or materials.
This leaves me with no other option than to buy from Amazon with sometimes lower cost of books and lower shipping fees.
Am just sharing my current realities here as regards purchasing directly from publishers.
I hear you! Shipping fees can be really expensive. Try contacting the publisher directly by phone to see if you can negotiate shipping. And, be sure to buy in bulk whenever possible, which should help offset the costs. Don’t assume you will pay shipping. Check with them first.
Balancing your program’s needs and limited funds is a huge responsibility.Those choices can make or break your program’s ability to continue to offer services to children and families. I hope you will take the time to explore the options the publishers and small vendors offer rather than just assuming the best deal is offered by Amazon. Ultimately, your choice of high-quality products will dwindle and you will no longer be able to obtain these materials. Then you will no longer have options as a consumer.
I just noticed an article on the New York Times which provides a lot more detail about what small companies go through when they sell on Amazon. It’s worth the time to read Prime Power: How Amazon Squeezes Businesses Behind its Store.