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Do you boycott particular businesses?

Do you boycott particular businesses?

  • Social issues

    Votes: 15 38.5%
  • Political issues

    Votes: 15 38.5%
  • Treatment issues

    Votes: 24 61.5%
  • Other

    Votes: 16 41.0%

  • Total voters
    39
I shop at Wal-Mart all the time. But around 30 years ago at a McDonalds, they refused to put lettuce on a hamburger for the wife and I haven't been back to a McDonald's since. I don't know if that is a boycott or just not going back because of bad service. the only other thing I can think of is I will never go see a jane Fonda movie. But since she hasn't made any movies in over a couple of hundred years, it is no big thing either.
This has been my biggest beef (no pun intended) with McD's over the years... they're way too inflexible. They have improved ever so slightly, but they're still too inflexible.

But, you're going to make me retract what I said in post #1. I do boycott somebody over social/political views: I will no longer watch Oliver Stone movies.
 
This has been my biggest beef (no pun intended) with McD's over the years... they're way too inflexible. They have improved ever so slightly, but they're still too inflexible.

But, you're going to make me retract what I said in post #1. I do boycott somebody over social/political views: I will no longer watch Oliver Stone movies.

Everybody has something. Fonda in my case isn't over social views although I guess it could fall into the political arena. But when she went to Hanoi and sat in that anti-aircraft gun that was too much for me. I understood being against the war, that's all well and good, but he action was directly abetting and helping the enemy. that is a very long time to hold a grudge, but as far as I am concerned she earned. If she confined her protests and action to the states, I would have thought nothing of it. I didn't even care if Bill Clinton demonstrated in England. But to go to Hanoi, that was too much.
 
Do you boycott particular businesses? If so, which ones and why?

Yes, we have certainly boycotted particular businesses and for all of the above reasons.

The way I see it, spending money is one of the few controls I have in the world. Giving my money to the bottom line of a business that I don't support is likely the best way for me to influence change.

Some of the particular places that I've boycotted are:

  • Chick-fil-A (which was very painful, because I like their food)
  • Marks' Barber Shop
  • Wal Mart

I'm sure there are others, but generally once we decide to stop patronizing a business we put it out of our minds. So, I likely wouldn't know what else we boycott.
 
Hmph. I can't say no, but is a relatively minor factor. I stopped drinking Blue Moon after I learned it was made by the Coors Brothers, but I never really liked Blue Moon and the Coors Brothers as a business don't have any redeeming attributes that would let me overlook their support of right-wing think tanks and lobbying groups whose influence over Washington I dislike.

I did the same thing with Naked Drinks, when I found out they were operated by Pepsi I stopped buying them.
 
Yes, we have certainly boycotted particular businesses and for all of the above reasons.

The way I see it, spending money is one of the few controls I have in the world. Giving my money to the bottom line of a business that I don't support is likely the best way for me to influence change.

Some of the particular places that I've boycotted are:

  • Chick-fil-A (which was very painful, because I like their food)
  • Marks' Barber Shop
  • Wal Mart

I'm sure there are others, but generally once we decide to stop patronizing a business we put it out of our minds. So, I likely wouldn't know what else we boycott.

About the only business I avoid is Chevron.
 
I don't boycott at all. If I like the place, I shop there, if I don't, I don't. Boycotts are generally worthless, you have to have shopped there in the past and the people have to know not only that you're not shopping there now, but why, and it takes a huge number of people to do it all at the same time to make a difference, which is extremely unlikely.
 
About the only business I avoid is Chevron.

Chevron might be a good one, though I'd argue that it's hard to avoid them in some situations.

I'd likely avoid Comcast and PG&E if it were at all an option.
 
They were the first major electronics company to audit for conflict minerals among their suppliers.

... I don't like Apple either, though.

Meanwhile they don't give a damn how they are actually made.
 
I boycott all the gasoline majors. Try to buy local. Give to charities that spend locally i.e. food pantries, Salvation Army, historical societies, schools, etc. All spending in my Community.

Where do you find local gas stations?
 
That is definition of a boycott.

Then I automatically boycott virtually every business on the planet because I don't shop at the overwhelming majority of them. In fact, I boycott 100% of every business beyond a small circle from my house. Is that a boycott or just not shopping there?
 
Everybody has something. Fonda in my case isn't over social views although I guess it could fall into the political arena. But when she went to Hanoi and sat in that anti-aircraft gun that was too much for me. I understood being against the war, that's all well and good, but he action was directly abetting and helping the enemy. that is a very long time to hold a grudge, but as far as I am concerned she earned. If she confined her protests and action to the states, I would have thought nothing of it. I didn't even care if Bill Clinton demonstrated in England. But to go to Hanoi, that was too much.

It's not only vets who haven't forgotten, Pero. Many could not believe what they were seeing! :shock:
 
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I am a loyal-as-can-be shopper at Bed Bath & Beyond. Their return policy and customer service is absolutely awesome. Anything I can buy there? I won't buy anywhere else.

That's a great point, and I completely agree.

More than businesses that I boycott, I have a list of businesses I prefer and will patronize to any extent possible:

In-N-Out
Costco
Trader Joe's
USAA
Enterprise
Pauls Barbershop (super local place in MA)
The bakery down the street (not naming for privacy reasons)
Canon
Apple
Eddie Bauer
J. Peterman
Lamberts Cafe
Jet Blue
Clif Bar
Ghirardelli
 
Then I automatically boycott virtually every business on the planet because I don't shop at the overwhelming majority of them. In fact, I boycott 100% of every business beyond a small circle from my house. Is that a boycott or just not shopping there?

No, you're missing the point.

The idea of not patronizing a business because you didn't like the service is a boycott. You clearly stated "If I like the place, I shop there, if I don't, I don't." As soon as you stop patronizing a particular institution, especially for cause, it becomes a boycott.

You cannot boycott a business you either haven't patronized yet or are unable to patronize.
 
Pappa John's ,
I wouldn't eat one of his crap pies if John Schnatter bought it for me and hand delivered it to my kitchen and offered me $100 to eat a piece.
It would go straight into the garbage bin outside before it could foul the air in my house.
 
No, you're missing the point.

The idea of not patronizing a business because you didn't like the service is a boycott. You clearly stated "If I like the place, I shop there, if I don't, I don't." As soon as you stop patronizing a particular institution, especially for cause, it becomes a boycott.

You cannot boycott a business you either haven't patronized yet or are unable to patronize.

I never mentioned service, did I? There was a frozen yogurt place that I always went to, it was close to my house, they were pretty good, but another place opened up that, while slightly farther, I drove past it more often and it had a much larger selection. So I go to that one now. I'm not boycotting the other place, I just found one I like better.

There are plenty of places I'd never walk into for any reason, like Dress Barn. I don't wear women's clothes, therefore I don't go there. It's not a boycott, it's a lack of motivation to walk in the door. This is what I was initially talking about, that you called the "definition of a boycott". It's nothing of the sort.
 
It's not only vets who haven't forgotten, Pero. Many could not believe what they were seeing! :shock:

For a lot us there, it was alright to be against the war, just don't help the other kill us.
 
I never mentioned service, did I?

You stated, and I quote: "If I like the place, I shop there, if I don't, I don't."

That is a boycott, now if that's not what you meant, fair enough. I suppose it gets pretty semantical after that, but it's hard to come out saying "If I like the place, I shop there, if I don't, I don't." and then say that you never said that.


There are plenty of places I'd never walk into for any reason, like Dress Barn.

And if you had simply said this in the beginning we wouldn't be having this conversation.
 
If you ever go back to Starved Rock, take Illinois 71, South of I-80, and look on the North side of the road for Hank's,
a great farm restaurant my wife insists on at least once a month.
Colors down here haven't really turned over yet and it's supposed to rain hard Wed/Thurs.
Clean out those gutters.
Treat me shoddy in a restaurant, and I won't be back so you can do it twice. That's probably the most frequent "boycott" I do...and not often, at that. Most restaurants in the Chicagoland area either give great service and great food or don't stay in business.

There's a casino about 30 minutes from my home that I won't go back to. They actually charge for cashing checks. Really?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I am a loyal-as-can-be shopper at Bed Bath & Beyond. Their return policy and customer service is absolutely awesome. Anything I can buy there? I won't buy anywhere else.
I like it when you women-folk smell good from B, B, and B .
 
Hobby lobby, I don't know how they trained that many employees to treat customers like crap but they did. Also not impressed with the owners attitude about really anything so we just don't do any business there.
We were in there just yesterday shopping for a Thanksgiving wreath; some dweeb of a manager "greeted" us with "hey" not even bothering to look at us. We asked where we could find wreaths and he brushed us off "next couple of aisles, there," raising his arm behind him. It was in fact just one aisle. We just left.
 
Chevron might be a good one, though I'd argue that it's hard to avoid them in some situations.

I'd likely avoid Comcast and PG&E if it were at all an option.

You're right they are hard to avoid sometimes. I travel a lot and I'd rather avoid walking up the interstate.
 
I never mentioned service, did I? There was a frozen yogurt place that I always went to, it was close to my house, they were pretty good, but another place opened up that, while slightly farther, I drove past it more often and it had a much larger selection. So I go to that one now. I'm not boycotting the other place, I just found one I like better.

There are plenty of places I'd never walk into for any reason, like Dress Barn. I don't wear women's clothes, therefore I don't go there. It's not a boycott, it's a lack of motivation to walk in the door. This is what I was initially talking about, that you called the "definition of a boycott". It's nothing of the sort.
Yeah. I don't consider refusing to frequent a restaurant or a store because of bad service or treatment a "boycott." I consider it a "message," :)
 
You're right they are hard to avoid sometimes. I travel a lot and I'd rather avoid walking up the interstate.

This is very true.

When I was working on the oil spill in the Gulf back in 2010 I remember people boycotting BP stations. Hell, some BP stations even covered up their signs with tarps & trash bags. However, it was hard to avoid those stations in some instances.

Personally, I buy fuel from Costco whenever the opportunity presents itself. This idea is two-fold, as they are usually cheaper and I like supporting their business.
 
Where do you find local gas stations?

Independents and Indian reservations. Don't forget Hugo Chavez's pumps. I know all the gas probably is from the major's refineries, but most of the profit goes to the local independent retailers.
 
Do you boycott particular businesses? If so, which ones and why?

Come to think of it, I also boycott particular nations as well.

We were planning on taking the Trans-Siberian railroad for vacation this year but squelched that idea in light of their recent advances in human rights.
 
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