Yes, Boycotts Work

[Anonymous]

The bots here love to suggest that the boycotts don't work.

I'm sure they halved the Target CEO's compensation just for funsies and not due to revenue...

Walmart, Target and other companies warn about growing consumer boycotts

Corporate America is required to disclose risks to their businesses in their annual regulatory filings. This year, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Corona-parent Constellation Brands join an increasing number of companies advising investors about customer and legal backlash to their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. They’re also giving notice of the risks of rolling back these programs.

Businesses typically warn shareholders about economic downturns, data breaches, natural disasters, and tax code changes. But companies are adding new risk disclosures in response to the intense political divide over corporate efforts to increase diversity in the workplace, promote LGBTQ rights and slow down climate change, corporate governance and risk management researchers say.

“Companies face a Catch-22 situation,” said Kristen Jaconi, director of the Peter Arkley Institute for Risk Management at USC. “Consumers may be dissatisfied if a company takes a particular position on a social issue or if a company takes no position at all.”

Consumer brands are trying to avoid damaging boycotts like those against Bud Light, Tesla, and Target. They are also reacting to opposition to DEI on the right, including the Trump administration’s threats to investigate companies with “illegal” DEI programs, conservative lawsuits and activist shareholder proposals against companies, and right-wing activists like Robby Starbuck targeting companies with DEI programs.

[Anonymous]

DP. Maybe because businesses need to learn that consumers make them profits, not shareholders. Also, we live in an incredibly polarizing world, which the felon has amplified this year, so politics cannot be extrapolated from the economy and consumer spending. Businesses can make their choice. So will the rest of us.

I haven’t set foot in Target since the DEI announcement. I miss it, and it makes my life harder, but they can go out of business for all I care. Spending my $$ with a lot of environmentally friendly B-corp smaller businesses.

[Anonymous]

I admit I was wrong about Target. I never thought there would be enough boycotters to impact their bottom line.

I don't use Target, so I probably misread the type of consumers who shop there.

[Anonymous]

Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I admit I was wrong about Target. I never thought there would be enough boycotters to impact their bottom line.

I don't use Target, so I probably misread the type of consumers who shop there.

They spent years cultivating a diverse queen friendly liberal leaning customer based, then flipped us all the bird when Trump got elected. The real lesson here is to know your customers, pick a lane, and don't flip flop.

I know what I'm getting and what I'm supporting on the rare occasion I shop at Walmart. Target pretended to be better, and it was supposed to be justification for the higher prices for essentially the same products. If they're basically going to be Walmart but with higher prices, I have no reason to shop there. Haven't been since the DEI rollback, and it would take a lot to get me back in the doors.

I'm having a much harder time quitting Amazon, but I'm getting there. Once I find adequate replacements for everything, I won't be back. And I'm sure the same is true for many. Once the boycotts go on long enough that people have altered their shopping habits, it won't be a simple thing to get them to return as customers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

It’s certainly not hurting Costco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

It’s certainly not hurting Costco.

This. It's not hard to stay morally consistent with the stances you've taken and the customer base you've cultivated. The mistake is trying to have it both ways. They want liberal money (because MAGA is broke) but they also want Trumpism. Can't have both.

[Anonymous]

I also haven’t shopped at Target for months and see no reason to go back. I’ve also quit Amazon, using bookshop.org for books and looking at who’s selling what I need on Amazon and then buying directly from the company instead of Amazon. I’m willing to pay more to avoid Amazon. There are lots of us out here.

[Anonymous]

"Republicans buy sneakers too."

The best option is just to stay out of the political fray entirely.

That said, I just buy the best product, at the best price, with the best shopping experience for my needs at that specific time. If that has me at Target and Chick Fil A occasionally, I don't worry about it. I'm not driving the 15 extra minutes to Walmart or Costco to make some political statement if I wasn't going there anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

It’s certainly not hurting Costco.

It didn't hurt Target either until it did, correct?

You can't control all aspects of the landscape.

DEI is inherently racist and bigoted. It's just racist against an "approved" race.

Everyone knows exactly what it is, but is afraid to call it what it is. Approved racism and theft in the name of social justice to a minority.

It should be treated as the pariah it is and it should be systematically attacked and dismantled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

It’s certainly not hurting Costco.

This. It's not hard to stay morally consistent with the stances you've taken and the customer base you've cultivated. The mistake is trying to have it both ways. They want liberal money (because MAGA is broke) but they also want Trumpism. Can't have both.

The "stances" are not moral.

Don't put DEI on one side of the equation and Trump on the other. There's a whole lot of people against it, not just Trump and MAGA.

When people know what it is, they are uncomfortable with the reverse racism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target's mistake was ever pushing DEI in the first place.

Let that be a lesson. Don't venture in to that territory.

If a bisexual wants to buy a t shirt, it's on the shelf. If they don't, it's on the shelf.

It’s certainly not hurting Costco.

It's a hustle. It turns on its owners down the road like a pit bull.

https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/dei-is-a-con-five-hallmarks-of-a-hustle/

[Anonymous]

Yes it has hurt Starbucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit I was wrong about Target. I never thought there would be enough boycotters to impact their bottom line.

I don't use Target, so I probably misread the type of consumers who shop there.

They spent years cultivating a diverse queen friendly liberal leaning customer based, then flipped us all the bird when Trump got elected. The real lesson here is to know your customers, pick a lane, and don't flip flop.

I know what I'm getting and what I'm supporting on the rare occasion I shop at Walmart. Target pretended to be better, and it was supposed to be justification for the higher prices for essentially the same products. If they're basically going to be Walmart but with higher prices, I have no reason to shop there. Haven't been since the DEI rollback, and it would take a lot to get me back in the doors.

I'm having a much harder time quitting Amazon, but I'm getting there. Once I find adequate replacements for everything, I won't be back. And I'm sure the same is true for many. Once the boycotts go on long enough that people have altered their shopping habits, it won't be a simple thing to get them to return as customers.

This is the reason for me. They lied about who they were to the point of it being flat out gross when they "came out" as conservative. Say what?! Nobody asked them to overdo it, but they did, and that's what most people have a problem with. Bedazzled tiaras for boys, effing rainbows everywhere, and tuck bathing suits... We thought that's who you were, Target, but we never asked you to be that.

Honestly, Target is the only one I have beef with, and it's because they took it too far. Piss off, Target.

[Anonymous]

Wild I used to live at Target. They bandwagoned so fast and I said buh bye. They will miss my liberal dollars.