This is empirically false. Amazon is the second most-trusted brand in America.
https://morningconsult.com/most-trusted-brands/
It's wild how easily SV types will tweet things like "No one trusts Amazon!" when the reality outside the Bay Area is so radically and demonstrably opposite.
I would really like to wonder of the people encountering frequent fake products on Amazon, what categories are you shopping in? Is it fashion items or something similar? My main Amazon purchases are household items/toiletries and then hobby electronic parts. I haven't had any issues with these - and beyond the review issue the Amazon pricing/delivery time/return policy is by far the best of any site I've dealt with.
There was an article recently with pictures of the real and fake items, both from Amazon. You wouldn't know which was which even if they were side by side.
But the fake will probably fall apart faster, may leak poison and is overall not what you thought to buy.
And that is all aside from the issue of fake reviews, which are so prevalent as to be the nrm. So the product might be an original, but it is not what you thought you were getting in way of reliability or noise et al.
A fake wire sodder, which was pretty expensive and cost me in damage to the item I wanted to build. I turned to the manufacturer and complained, and they asked me to send images... it was a fake.
We got Desitin with a very weird consistency and smell. I am convinced it is not real, and have been afraid to use it.
An external disk drive, wich wasn't fake, but was also clearly not the brand it said on the box. I complained about that, and am still waiting for a resolution.
Those are what I recall offhand, but mostly have been avoiding Amazon.
Even when it's not counterfeit a lot of brands sell a cheaper version on Amazon than they do through other retailers.
https://thewirecutter.com/blog/i-bought-these-things-from-am...
Edit to add: just last week I ordered a potty training seat from Amazon. Great reviews. Supposedly installs into every kind of toilet. It shows up and, predictably, does not work properly with any of our toilets. I wish I would have gotten it from Target or the local consignment store where I could look at it and ask about how it works, and I probably would have if not for the lock-down. So Amazon is getting my business right now, but it's very begrudgingly.
Upside is it soft-closes, so as to not BANG shut.
91% have a favorable view of Amazon
73% trust Amazon with their information
70% say Amazon has a positive effect on society
81% would be disappointed if Amazon disappeared
https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/2/21144680/verge-tech-survey...
Also didn't some celebs get their iCloud (or whatever their offering is) accounts hacked?
I am not saying that I personally find them less reliable than MS, but I can see why less techie people might have a mistrust.
Anecdotical, it's wasn't long ago that I was deeply impressed by Amazon's customer service and quality. This has changed drastically, and today I go as far as only using Amazon if I basically have to. Thanks to recent developments (I'd say over the past few years), I now prefer either the manufacturer's website, or shops specialized on the relevant subject. I even get my consumer electronics from Best Buy.
I might be a bit extreme there (or maybe just "further along", depending on how you look at it), but Amazon having gone downhill--from once being well-known for its customer facing qualities no less--is certainly not a new or hot take.
I tend to think this slow way is alot harder to bounce back from. It took what, 3 generations? For Japanese-made cars to be seen as equal to or better than, American made cars, because for a long, long time the perception was that Japanese-made was crap (and it was). It took generations to overcome that point of view (because it took generations to form it).
It looks to me like the same is happening to Amazon. Not many people fully trust Amazon anymore, but also don't distrust it enough to say "I don't trust it!" to a survey. More like "Well... kind of... ok sure... I trust them."
My last purchase was a lawn chair that was advertised with attachments, there was only one tiny 8point font note at the bottom that said translation something like "attachments are just attachments" which could vaguely be interpreted as attachments not included while all of the pictures and descriptions featured them. My return got denied.
All of the reviews are fake on thse two storefronts too. There are often promotions of "leave 5 star review with at least 3 pictures to win an iPad!" which would be illegal in many countries.
As much as I dislike Amazon, they are by far the most trustworthy general store front I've used.
I would say that they are hurting for trust, right along with everyone else.
Package lost? They send another one free. Package delayed too long? Get a refund (and keep the package when it arrives). Don't like the product? Return it for free.
There's never any friction, even in the bad scenarios. Combined with the fact that they consistently have the lowest price, it's hard to argue in favour of other services.
Also amusing: weather forecasting in the top 5.
(Bezos does own WaPo, though.)
Although, really only in my childhood..