Thread: Would you modify your buying decisions based on vendor's external conduct?

This came up today when a friend and I were looking at a large bulk ammo purchase. I had found a vendor which had seemed to have an okay reputation in terms of product quality and very reasonable prices. In doing more research on the vendor, my buddy found some links to the vendor's YouTube page and from there links to comments that vendor had made on other videos.

What was found were very derogatory, racist, and in some cases borderline violent. Because of that, we removed the vendor as a viable option for purchase.

So my question to you - do you pay attention to what potential vendors comment on/take positions on in public? And if so, how much does it influence your decision to purchase their goods and services?

A comment can advocate
violence or promote violence but I don't see how a comment can be violent.
Suit yourself as far as buying, everyone has their right to do business with
whomever they choose.

Who I choose to fund with my business is important to me. If you found out the best deal on a product you wanted was a business that supported companies based in countries that liked to kill American soldiers, would it change where you shop or would you be, "aw, f-it. I get a deal!" The question boils down to whether or not you interject personal principles in your spending decisions; the answer from the two respondants in this thread is 'no.' Got it.

I also wasn't aware that's a GOP v. Dem position, but since you asked I've been a registered Republican since the day I was old enough to vote. But I suspect you're probably wrong a lot, so that shouldn't surprise you much.

Well, to me this is like when I choose to buy Made in the USA products over Made in China. Ignoring how hard it is to really know if something is fully made in the USA, a person should vote with their money.

If I found out that some company, even if it was a great deal, were a bunch of racist scum bags, odds are I wouldn't buy their product. Heck, I've fold up my wallet and walked before because I thought the store was filled with scum bags.

It isn't enough for me to get a good deal. There are plenty of close to the same deals by companies and people who are respectable. I'll buy from them.

Of course, now I want to know who this is so I don't buy from them...

If the guy rubs you wrong move on. the chances of that dealer having the best price and after service should it be needed with no one to match is very unlikely.

I'm with you Sonic, integrity and professional attitudes from a business and their employees is important. I would choose to buy from a more professional and respectable source. I wouldn't hesitate to close up the wallet for the reason you stated.

An old proverb says...

out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks...

Money talks and where we place our money shows who we approve of. Integrity seems to be something that's lost.

I'm a real fan of the 1st amendment. It sure lets you know pretty quickly, who you want to hang with.

Originally Posted by SonicBlue03

So my question to you - do you pay attention to what potential vendors comment on/take positions on in public? And if so, how much does it influence your decision to purchase their goods and services?

Yes, I do.

Racist statement, no money.

I'd mention it to my people, and he wouldn't get any money from them, either.

As one can see, I edited a couple posts for racist remarks, even though they were used as examples.

Please, no need to give such examples...and ease up on the foul language as well.

One thing I do want to clarify is that this was *not* a vendor of NorthwestFirearms. While there are some vendors here whose views on things don't line up with mine and I won't support with business as a result of it, there are a few that I have been glad to support and continue to be happy to do so; for example I only buy my long guns now from Blackwater Tactical and refer as many people as I can to there. I've purchased ammo from a former vendor and had a great experience and was glad to do so. But I think it's important - in this case - to highlight this was not driven by a NorthwestFirearms vendor, but got me thinking about it since it was gun related.

What a person/vendor says inbehalf of himself or his enterprise is listened to by me. Just like entertainment employees and, yes, it has and will affect my decision to do business with them. Lots of alternatives out there and you might just as well support those who are sympathetic to your views.

I think the ability to "vote" with your wallet as well as your ballot is a basic right and duty of all citizens.

How a business/vendor conducts and represents themselves is pretty important to me. I won't waste my time or money on people and businesses that I don't support or like.

I believe in free speech, but I also believe in the right to vote with my dollars. A vendor can say whatever he wants, that's his right, but I won't financially support bigots or sexists, even if I have to spend a couple of extra bucks. That goes for reverse racism and sexism too.

I can't think of a better demonstration of the American ideal of democracy and capitalism than uniting the two by voting with your money.

We practice this in all aspects of our lives and an ammunition supplier would be no different.

Off the top of my head I very consciously vote with my dollar on:
Banking with state chartered banks and CUs
Movement groups - Give to EFF and TSRA, not to Brady Bunch
Food from CSAs and local pig/cattle farms
Buy local from family owned small business
USA made goods preferably from WA/OR/ID/MT
Fair trade coffee
I will never own a GM or Chrysler again
Humanely produced pet food
….

I am sure you all have 20 examples of your own.

On the flip side, a good name can help too. I proudly own an SI Defense AR-15. Montana made, disabled vet owned, employs a lot of vets and I've met a few of the people at the shop; they are all great human beings and you look forward to buying from them.

But sometimes those values take a back seat. And I'm guilty too. I own two Saiga-12 shotguns. They make firearms used by others to kill, or want to kill, Americans. I own an iPad. That company currently holds 100 BILLION DOLALRS in cash and pays their workers horribly to build these devices in crappy conditions. And a bunch of other sketchy things they do.

Upon writing the last paragraph I realise it somewhat pales in comparison a to a racist ammo distributor. But I’d still not buy from them. Maybe because it’s easier to hold individuals responsible than a corporation.

The question is ultimately how you feel about your purchase vs the utility you get out of the product. We all bend somewhere, just need enough of a justification to do so.

Originally Posted by TANSTAAFL

I can't think of a better demonstration of the American ideal of democracy and capitalism than uniting the two by voting with your money.

We practice this in all aspects of our lives and an ammunition supplier would be no different.

Off the top of my head I very consciously vote with my dollar on:
Banking with state chartered banks and CUs
Movement groups - Give to EFF and TSRA, not to Brady Bunch
Food from CSAs and local pig/cattle farms
Buy local from family owned small business
USA made goods preferably from WA/OR/ID/MT
Fair trade coffee
I will never own a GM or Chrysler again
Humanely produced pet food
….

I am sure you all have 20 examples of your own.

On the flip side, a good name can help too. I proudly own an SI Defense AR-15. Montana made, disabled vet owned, employs a lot of vets and I've met a few of the people at the shop; they are all great human beings and you look forward to buying from them.

But sometimes those values take a back seat. And I'm guilty too. I own two Saiga-12 shotguns. They make firearms used by others to kill, or want to kill, Americans. I own an iPad. That company currently holds 100 BILLION DOLALRS in cash and pays their workers horribly to build these devices in crappy conditions. And a bunch of other sketchy things they do.

Upon writing the last paragraph I realise it somewhat pales in comparison a to a racist ammo distributor. But I’d still not buy from them. Maybe because it’s easier to hold individuals responsible than a corporation.

The question is ultimately how you feel about your purchase vs the utility you get out of the product. We all bend somewhere, just need enough of a justification to do so.

Apple owns no factories in China. Apple contracts with Foxconn to produce many of its products, as do many other companies. Apple has been leading the charge to improve working conditions at its suppliers since 2006:

CUPERTINO, California—February 13, 2012—Apple® today announced that the Fair Labor Association will conduct special voluntary audits of Apple’s final assembly suppliers, including Foxconn factories in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, at Apple’s request. A team of labor rights experts led by FLA president Auret van Heerden began the first inspections Monday morning at the facility in Shenzhen known as Foxconn City.

"We believe that workers everywhere have the right to a safe and fair work environment, which is why we’ve asked the FLA to independently assess the performance of our largest suppliers,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The inspections now underway are unprecedented in the electronics industry, both in scale and scope, and we appreciate the FLA agreeing to take the unusual step of identifying the factories in their reports.”

As part of its independent assessment, the FLA will interview thousands of employees about working and living conditions including health and safety, compensation, working hours and communication with management. The FLA’s team will inspect manufacturing areas, dormitories and other facilities, and will conduct an extensive review of documents related to procedures at all stages of employment.

Apple’s suppliers have pledged full cooperation with the FLA, offering unrestricted access to their operations. The FLA’s findings and recommendations from the first assessments will be posted in early March on its website, Fair Labor Association. Similar inspections will be conducted at Quanta and Pegatron facilities later this Spring, and when completed, the FLA’s assessment will cover facilities where more than 90 percent of Apple products are assembled.

Apple - Press Info - Fair Labor Association Begins Inspections of Foxconn

Perhaps you could name a few of the "other sketchy things they do"?

I no longer do business with a certain tractor dealer because of a racist cartoon taped to his counter. I see that lately he has also lost his factory dealership and is now just a parts place.

Hahaha! Apple Fan Bois are everywhere! So I missed Apple news from 2-1/2 weeks ago. *shrug* And I'm glad they are making those efforts. They've made a few good choices like fighting warrantless data intrusions by the government. But that's not what you asked for:

Originally Posted by ZigZagZeke

Perhaps you could name a few of the "other sketchy things they do"?

Absolutely! But I'm not sure how you've missed this Apple news from the last 6+ years. I'm 90% sure you're just trollin' me.

Apple v. Does - In 2006 Apple subpoenas journalists to name their sources of those who allegedly leaked information.

Apple's v. Right to Ownership - 2010 courts ruled in favour, for 3 years at least, on the right to ownership. Imagine your car or AR built by Apple; if you took them apart or installed non-factory items on them you would be in violation of the law.

Apple v. Open Source Community - Weird world we live in now. MSFT donates to open source projects and Apple attacks them.

Apple has police raid Gizmodo editor's home. That's not even a little spooky to you?

But most of all

*drum roll please*

Apple's horrible privacy violations.

If someone besides Apple made Apple computers, I'd think about reading the articles.