# How far do you go to not do business with a specific company? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 14, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060 "2026-05-14T02:44:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/21 "2026-05-14T18:00:07Z")
I’m conscious of it but I’ll admit it’s easy to do. Chik-Fil-A? I don’t eat there…but I don’t eat any fast food besides McDonald’s anyway. Target? Don’t need anything there. Amazon was the hardest to stop using MENTALLY but dang, once I decided to cancel my Prime membership I suddenly had no need to buy stuff there. Everything I need I can buy at other websites or in person. I still shop at Home Depot. It’s closer than Lowes, their business practices seem as bad as Lowes, and my boyfriend works there, so like…I dunno, I’m lazily loyal to them. I have just started ratcheting down my consumerism altogether. I buy the food, gas, pet supplies and home supplies I need. I maintain and fix my stuff. I either buy stuff used, or buy it to last. I’m faaaaar from a bastion of anti-consumerism or zero waste, but I try to be conscious about it all. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/22 "2026-05-14T18:08:22Z")
Chick Fil-A, but it’s easy to boycott them since I live a solid hundred miles from their nearest location. And Popeye’s is right across the street and tastes way better. Until a few months ago, I had boycotted a certain grocery store because they allowed their employees to smoke on the job. AT A GROCERY STORE. I guess they’ve put an end to that because I was in there a few months ago when I literally had no other choice and no one was smoking. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/23 "2026-05-14T18:08:43Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I still shop at Home Depot. It’s closer than Lowes, their business practices seem as bad as Lowes, and my boyfriend works there, so like…I dunno I have a friend and fellow market vendor who is very definitely not MAGA and who works at Tractor Supply. So when shit started coming out about Tractor Supply, I asked her abk it. She said that particular brick-and-mortar is staffed about half with LGBTQ people and the manager has their backs. So I still shop at that particular Tractor Supply. I’m too broke to buy very much anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/24 "2026-05-14T18:19:54Z")
I won’t order from places like Temu or AliExpress because I’m concerned about their sources of labor as well as less terribly but still shady business practices. I like to paint models (because I’m totally cool and not a dork), and someone suggested I check out AliExpress. I saw a whole bunch of models priced very cheaply to the point where I started to wonder if they were legit. If this model normally costs $40 at retail, how are you selling it to me for $5? Is this a recast? Did you rip someone off to sell it at that price? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/25 "2026-05-14T18:36:20Z")
I largely agree with **bump** here. Sometimes a box of fender washers is just a box of fender washers and why do I want to make my life harder when I need them? I “boycott” the Southland Corp (7-11) because they fucked me over years ago, but there isn’t one really anywhere near me, and there is nothing I would want/need there. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/26 "2026-05-14T19:08:46Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Wait, you’re disowning Target for being cowards on DEI but [actual settler colonial occupier companies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SodaStream#Boycott_campaign_and_factory_relocation) are cool? You do you. Not everyone here hates Israel. > [@HeyHomie](#): > > Until a few months ago, I had boycotted a certain grocery store because they allowed their employees to smoke on the job. AT A GROCERY STORE. That is illegal in most states. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > I “boycott” the Southland Corp (7-11) because they fucked me over years ago, This is why I boycott companies- when they have personally screwed me. I boycott Panera. Local restaurant screwed me over, and the response from corporate? “Sounds like a “you” problem.” Mind you- I dont care for Chick-fil-a, so i dont go there, and that’s fine. I might go a block out of my way. > [@HeyHomie](#): > > And Popeye’s is right across the street and tastes way better. Yep- way way better. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/27 "2026-05-14T19:16:59Z")
I’m actually more likely to shop at HD than Lowe’s. My primary reason for not patronizing them is they were both big Trump donors. I don’t know if they still are or not. I favor HD over Lowe’s because of their support of Olympic athletes. > [@snowthx](#): > > Not picking on you specifically, but what are the trade-offs with this sort of strategy? You end up giving more money to the evil oil companies, right? True, but we’ve been driving a first-gen Prius since 2002 (over 400K miles so far), so we don’t fill Big Oil’s coffers nearly as much as we used to. > [@snowthx](#): > > we occasionally visit In-n-Out, even tho they print Bible stuff on the cups and packaging I conveniently forget about the Bible citations on their packaging, because sometimes I need a good burger. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/28 "2026-05-14T19:20:41Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You do you As the OP’s response shows, not everyone is actually always fully informed as to the extent of various companies’ ethical positions. Passing on that information, is a public service I’m happy to provide, when it comes to apartheid profiteers. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/29 "2026-05-14T19:38:20Z")
I think the OP is referring to boycotting due to societal/moral concerns, not because of personally disliking their food or how they were once treated. > [@MrDibble](#): > > Wait, you’re disowning Target for being cowards on DEI but [actual settler colonial occupier companies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SodaStream#Boycott_campaign_and_factory_relocation) are cool? The Wiki said that SodaStream finally moved the factory from the West Bank into southern Israel in 2015. So the boycott and protests worked? Then why continue to boycott them after getting what was wanted? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/30 "2026-05-14T19:51:46Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Then why continue to boycott them after getting what was wanted? While closing the WB factory was a success for BDS, that was not the be-all and end-all of Sodastream’s [ethical](https://bdsmovement.net/news/%25E2%2580%259Csodastream-still-subject-boycott%25E2%2580%259D) [failures](https://www.cjpme.org/fs_244). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/31 "2026-05-14T21:36:32Z")
I don’t go very far to boycott companies for political positions. I do go out of my way (and pay more) to do business with companies i have reason to think are good players, though. Mostly little local places. I really like the farm i buy pastured chicken from, and sometimes buy their milk and vegetables and bread (some are from affiliated vendors who use their shelf space) because i want to support the place. I do business at a local independent pharmacy, because i hope they stay in business. I bank at a local place that treats their employees well. But i also buy a lot of cheap shit on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/32 "2026-05-14T21:43:28Z")
Avoiding Target is difficult for me, because they are the closest store to my house. I don’t mean the closest big box store, I mean literally the closest store (ok, other stores in the same shopping center and the shopping center next door are effectively just as close, but you know what I mean). I can walk there from my house in about 10 minutes. A big part of why I chose to live in that neighborhood was for the walkability, so I don’t really want to get in my car and drive to another store when there’s one within walking distance. As for Chick-fil-a, like others, I don’t eat there unless it’s pretty much the only option, but I don’t eat much fast food anyway apart from In-N-Out. And if I want a chicken sandwich there’s a local chain that has much better ones anyway. As for In-N-Out, the Bible citations don’t really bother me, and I’m not aware of their owners having an anti-LGBTQ stance like Chick-fil-a’s (Correct me if I’m wrong here). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/33 "2026-05-15T00:34:56Z")
Which Bible verses do they cite? (there isn’t one near me, and I rarely eat out anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/34 "2026-05-15T00:51:13Z")
'Zactly. I’ll stop using a store or buying a product when they give me shitty service or the product is junk. By and large applying politics to retail commerce is a fool’s errand. Every giant corporation is plenty evil enough if you actually were able to look under the hood. Substantially every small to medium business owner is a Republican even if not a frothing MAGA. And many are in fact frothing MAGAs. I’ll skip past a retailer with posted RW propaganda, or any overt evidence of religiosity. But that unhappy stuff is all found at the mom & pop places that are easy to bypass. There’s another burger joint or paint store or whatever nearby. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/35 "2026-05-15T01:37:48Z")
A lot of these boycott stories involve political, religious or social reasons. I get that. If I can help it, I don’t shop at stores that have publicly stated policies that offend me. I boycotted Target for many years for a different reason. They pissed me off. I bought a set of Sony computer speakers. They had one pair left, boxed, and none set up for demonstration. When I got them home, I took them out of the box, didn’t even unravel the wires, tried them out and didn’t like them. I gently reboxed them and returned to the store, intending to exchange them for a more expensive set of Bose speakers. They refused to take them back because I had opened the box. I said “How could I hear them without opening the box?” They steadfastly refused to take them back. Their policy was that they would not take back electronics if the box had been opened. They said “We can’t take them back just because you don’t like how they sound!” I replied that the whole purpose of speakers was sound, and if they don’t sound good, they’re worthless. I rarely make a scene, but I did that day. To no avail. I estimated that we probably spent about 3 thousand dollars at Target every year. After that I refused to set foot in Target for the next 6 years. Their loss for being so prickish about a set of $99 speakers. And then when we did go back, to buy something we couldn’t find elsewhere, they overcharged us on some items that were marked down for sale, and I had to go to the office and get a refund. And then there was that credit card scandal. I still don’t shop Target unless I absolutely must. As for the Sony speakers, they sat in the box in my garage for a few years. I finally took them to work and used them on my office computer, so I did finally get some use out of them. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/36 "2026-05-15T01:43:03Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Which Bible verses do they cite? (there isn’t one near me, and I rarely eat out anyway.) You wouldnt likely see them- on the bottom of the drink cup, pretty much hidden is John 3:16. The messages are quite discreet and hidden. They dont make a big deal out of it. > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I boycotted Target for many years for a different reason. They pissed me off. > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > And then there was that credit card scandal. I still don’t shop Target unless I absolutely must. Very legit reasons for a personal boycott. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/37 "2026-05-15T02:00:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You wouldnt likely see them- on the bottom of the drink cup, pretty much hidden is John 3:16. The messages are quite discreet and hidden. They dont make a big deal out of it. That’s not so bad. I routinely shop at stores run by local Old Order Mennonites. They’ve often got Bible verses up; but they don’t pick the hateful ones. And they don’t proselytize; they’re just telling you who they are. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/38 "2026-05-15T02:08:04Z")
I don’t bother with boycotting giants like Amazon. They’re hardly going to notice my not doing business there. Where I can hope to have at least a tangible impact is in not buying from relatively small businesses/restaurants that do disgusting things, and letting others know about their practices. For instance, Baker Creek, an heirloom seed supplier, lies about GMOs to boost their business and invited Cliven Bundy and RFK Jr. to be keynote speakers at their spring planting festival. I don’t buy seeds from them anymore and publicize their history on social media. It’s gratifying to see responses indicating that others will do the same. \*I’m not perfect in that regard. I still get seeds from a longtime supplier whose owner has a sometimes extreme anti-government bent, and who supported the Canadian truckers’ protest convoy during the early days of Covid. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/39 "2026-05-15T03:05:12Z")
Most people where I live boycott our local Popeye’s because the place is always getting shut down by the health department. I have no idea how they stay open. When it did open, people literally ran out of gas waiting in line, and they had police directing traffic in all directions. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060/40 "2026-05-15T04:01:39Z")
Im kind of lazy when it comes to boycotts. I go to walmart, but I prefer costco over sams club due to how they treat their employees. Costco is about the only grocery store that is ethical from what I know, so I shop there. I don’t know what ethical alternatives to walmart there are. I cancelled hulu after what they did to Kimmel. I avoid chick-fil-a and target (unless its an item only target has). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-do-you-go-to-not-do-business-with-a-specific-company/1030060.md?page=3)