Boycotting

[Green Gaia]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company? Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

 

[Malus 12:9]

Hello

A good reason to boycott a product/company is from either several issues with their products and service. If you have purchased a faulty product and gone to return it, and the staff were rude, then there is a reason. If the staff at the store/company are generally rude or uncaring or unsupporting there is another reason.

 

[Melody]

I regularly boycott stores who won't let Salvation Army kettles outside their stores at Christmas. The lame excuse that they'd have to let other solicitors do the same doesn't wash with me since, unlike some of the more obnoxious "gimme's", Salvation Army people *never* approach the customers. They can make the same rule for all the others and at the first complaint, throw 'em off the property.

Oops....did I just go off on a rant?

I boycott businesses and companies that depend on third world serfdom for their products (e.g. Walmart), treat their employees here in the U.S. badly (e.g. Walmart & Sam's) and/or have a poor record on their environmental impact.

I believe that one person can make a difference...no matter how small of a difference.

 

[michel]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company? Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

I would (and do) boycott products and companies that I see as being Immoral in the way they operate - and in the case of bad service. Does it do any good - no. Even if the boycotting is done on the grounds of bad service, there seems to be no attitude of "We must keep this customer", which was one of the important considerations when I worked.:jam:

 

[Malus 12:9]

Good to see us agreeing on something at least MICH

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

In the 70's I bought my wife a new Singer sewing machine. It was trouble from the start and they"fixed" it.
Still wouldnot work properly but they would not do anything.
Said I would come the next day with the local press and throw it through their window.
Got my cash back on the spot.
Direct action and publicity better than boycott anyday.

Terry
_____________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

 

[michel]

In the 70's I bought my wife a new Singer sewing machine. It was trouble from the start and they"fixed" it.
Still wouldnot work properly but they would not do anything.
Said I would come the next day with the local press and throw it through their window.
Got my cash back on the spot.
Direct action and publicity better than boycott anyday.

Terry
_____________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

Glad you didn't get as far as having to chuck it through their window, Terry; Would you really have done that ?:help:

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Glad you didn't get as far as having to chuck it through their window, Terry; Would you really have done that ?:help:

I was angry enough, But like poker if they think you have a strong enough hand with the cards they can see they don't dare call.

Terry
______________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

 

[huajiro]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company? Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

I think we should boycott all companies and go to a barter system. We are all over charged for products because of the executives that are off spending the money on "marketing".

But seriously, I have boycotted companies that do anything against animals. I don't think it really does much good, but it gives me piece of mind. It is hard to accomplish any boycott in the US, as we are so driven to consume.

 

[jewscout]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company? Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

Well i don't buy Volks Wagens though i couldn't afford them anyways

 

[retrorich]

Well i don't buy Volks Wagens though i couldn't afford them anyways

As a proud owner of a VW New Beetle, I resent that remark!

Only kidding--about resenting--I do own a New Beetle.

 

[michel]

Good to see us agreeing on something at least MICH

You have confused me Renaldo; is it so unusual?

 

[Yerda]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company?

When it treats people with no decency.

Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

Yes, Coca-Cola. Because of their links to paramilitaries in South America and the torture and murder of prominent union members in their factories. It has also come to my attention that Indian protestors frequently march to the gates at a Coca-Cola bottling plant and hold rallies. I'm not completely sure why yet (rumours of groundwater pollution) but I assume it's not good.

I don't think I'll bring the corporation to heel on my own, and I normally don't publicly declare my boycott, I am content in knowing that I'm not purchasing a product that harms people to get to me.

I also generally try to avoid non-fair trade goods, unfortunately I can't always afford to make that choice.

 

[Snowbear]

I don't buy anything from Exxon.... not for the accident that caused so much destruction in Prince William Sound, but for the company's response ~ their refusal to take responsibility for the damage done and pay up!

 

[Katzpur]

What is a good reason to boycott a product or company? Have you ever boycotted a company or product and why? Do you think it does any good?

When I am aware that animals were used in product testing, I boycott the product and the company. However, I'm sure that a heck of a lot of products get right by me unnoticed. It might not do any good at all, but I feel I am maintaining my own integrity if nothing else.

 

[Katzpur]

I regularly boycott stores who won't let Salvation Army kettles outside their stores at Christmas.

I probably would, too, if I knew who they were. Can you think of any chain stores that fall into this category (so I can start boycotting this coming Christmas)?

 

[Malus 12:9]

I instantly boycott those "bargain stores" where you buy all that cheap tawain stuff. You know, the sort that have cd players with rip off names of real companies.Sanyo-Sankyo, Panasonic/Panaphonic etc. And the toys are bad. Was thrilled to see Star Wars figures, but, noticing chewbacca in han solo's packet seemed odd. The $2 rippoffs.

I boycott these kind of stores because, they sell dodgy stuff that breaks within a day. Or they sell you cds that stuff up your DVD drive on the pc. That made me never go back. Oh by the way Lady Laz, they wouldn't even refund the cds so I threw them on the floor and walked out.

There is a shop here called Harvey Norman that this particular branch is losing a LOT of business because of their poor service and support.

Hi MICH

 

[Aqualung]

I don't generally boycott things because it's usually pointless. For example, I never got vegetarians who didn't eat meat because it harmed animals. Did they think that because one person decided not to buy meat that it would somehow change the number of cows slaughtered, or change anything? Most things just have too big of a consumer base to warrant a boycott. Now if I knew that something I didn't like was being boycotted by millions of people, I would join in, but as it is, most things aren't worth it. The problem usually isn't that big in the first place (or there would probably be a lot more people boycotting) and one person can't change a big company.

 

[Bastet]

When I am aware that animals were used in product testing, I boycott the product and the company. However, I'm sure that a heck of a lot of products get right by me unnoticed. It might not do any good at all, but I feel I am maintaining my own integrity if nothing else.

That's pretty much how I look at it too. There are plenty of products I won't buy, for one reason or another, but even if I am the only one who knows about it, my conscience is clear.

I have boycott stores where I have received bad service, but since I don't go around announcing it to the world, they don't even know they have one less customer. I got the haircut from hell at a Priceline store once about 7 years ago, and when I went back to have them fix it, they made it worse (I was particularly upset because I had been growing my hair for my sister's wedding at the time, and just went in for a trim - and ended up with basically no hair - good thing the wedding never happened lol). I ended up going to another hairdresser (3 haircuts in 3 days!), that someone at work recommended, to 'save' what she could...I won't let anybody but her touch my hair now. I used to be a regular customer at Priceline (haircuts, hair products, makeup etc.), but I have not been back since, for anything...even if I can't find it anywhere else in town, I refuse to set foot in there to look.

It's funny, this reminded me of something that happened at work last week. We have this 'regular', who nobody particularly likes, cause he buys one cup of coffee and then gets about 10 (free) refills on it, while he sits and reads the paper and generally harasses the staff (who think he's creepy and do their best to avoid him). Well, I hadn't seen him for a while (he used to be in every day), and he came in last week. He had been going out to the other Macca's store at the other end of town, but they had stopped getting the newspapers in for some reason or another. He was proclaiming in a very loud voice to anyone who would listen, that he would not be going back out to the East store until they started getting the newspapers back in, and would instead be coming to our store every day. I immediately went to the manager and begged them to call East and ask them to get the newspapers in again, cause I don't want to have to put up with Pete (the customer) lol...but no dice...********. :biglaugh: Anyway, on the third day of Pete's return, he was once again telling his newspaper story, and I felt compelled to point out that it didn't really matter to the owner of the East store if he never went back, because he owned this store as well, so Pete's "boycott" really wasn't affecting him because the money was still going into his pocket. He shut up after that. Unfortunately, I have no doubt I'll be seeing him again on Monday...

 

[Bastet]

I don't generally boycott things because it's usually pointless. For example, I never got vegetarians who didn't eat meat because it harmed animals. Did they think that because one person decided not to buy meat that it would somehow change the number of cows slaughtered, or change anything? Most things just have too big of a consumer base to warrant a boycott. Now if I knew that something I didn't like was being boycotted by millions of people, I would join in, but as it is, most things aren't worth it. The problem usually isn't that big in the first place (or there would probably be a lot more people boycotting) and one person can't change a big company.

I think you'll find that people who boycott products/services/stores/whatever, don't do it so that they will shut the business down, they do it so that they know that they are not personally contributing to what they see as the problem. I don't agree with animal testing, so I do my best not to buy cosmetics etc. that have been tested on animals. I may not be reducing the actual number of animals being tested on, but I know at least that I am not contributing to it. Can you understand that? It's not that difficult a philosophy, really...