# Which companies do you boycott and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368 "2010-04-08T02:06:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/21 "2010-04-08T13:23:29Z")
Planet Fitness They dont seem to like people that make noise when they work out. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/22 "2010-04-08T13:28:38Z")
Walmart. I can’t even remember why. Something about unfair labor practices to whales and Tibet. All I know is that I’m a happier person since I quit entering their domain. Metallica. Not that this is too difficult anymore. There’s something not right about wealthy rockstars whining to the federal government to help them. It’s just so unrockstar-like. It wasn’t even about whether I agreed with them or not. Once they pleaded to the senate, they became The Man. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/23 "2010-04-08T13:31:58Z")
I refused to go near a Circuit City after a warranty fiasco. My appliance broke on the day the warranty expired. Days of phone calls to get it fixed. People hanging up, not returning phone calls, general dumb-assery. Finally getting someone on the phone who says “But it’s expired,” and me screaming “But it wasn’t expired when I started calling you people!” I didn’t go to Best Buy for years because I had gotten another appliance that was missing parts and trying to exchange it took an entire day. I remember calling a store and saying “look, before I drive all the way there, can you just open the box and make sure it’s all in there? I’ve already gone through 3 of them today at 2 different stores,” and the kid on the phone said “Well, it’s Saturday and it’s busy, so no.” I’ve worked retail. If I said that, I would have been fired. I stopped going to my local Rite Aid too because they also would mess up my prescriptions. Why auto-call me to tell me it’s ready, but yet when I go there, it’s NOT ready? And why would no one who works there think that’s a problem? I try to avoid paying for entertainment that is created by people I don’t want to support, like Mel Gibson, as was already said. Like I might watch Lethal Weapon if it’s on tv for free, but I won’t go pay to see his movies in theaters. I didn’t watch ABC for years because the local affiliate pre-empted national programming of a mini-series to show a local softball game. I didn’t watch another channel somewhere else because they released accident victims’ names before the families were notified. An episode of Malcolm in the Middle has the family going out for pizza at their favorite place and they piss Lois off and the rest of the family panics, knowing that if the restaurant goes too far that Lois would never let them go back. I’m kinda like that. When something I really like starts to really piss me off, in my head I’m like “Please, please don’t do anything that makes me never come back here!” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/24 "2010-04-08T13:36:58Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Citgo. I figure that Hugo Chavez actively wants to be our enemy and I see no reason not to oblige. If anyone counters back that I’m hurting the franchisees more, they’re always free to change affiliations. This. I was actually having a problem coming up with a company I’m “boycotting” for reasons other than their service/product sucks, but fortunately I saw your post. Also, Apple. I can’t stand Mac-heads, I hate their commercials, and Steve Jobs has always rubbed me the wrong way. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/25 "2010-04-08T13:41:47Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Walmart, for various reasons, some of which have already been mentioned on the SDMB over the years. Most recently, Walmart has decided to cut most of its fabric and crafts departments, and put in party supplies instead. Now, Walmart had destroyed the business of a great many small fabric and craft stores, especially in small towns, and now it’s going to quit carrying fabric by the yard and most crafts. This is my biggest problem with Wal-Mart. The labor practices and other things are horrible too but coming into an area and undercutting the prices so that all the local businesses have to close and then raising prices again or discontinuing products is the biggest reason I haven’t shopped there more than once in the last 3 years. The only other business I boycott is American Airlines due to their horrible customer service. I have at least 3 flights to take in 2010 and Jet Blue now has my business because the woman at AA yelled at me and refused to do anything to help solve my problem. ---
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/26 "2010-04-08T13:58:28Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > I will never buy another Ford product, including Volvo, Mazda or any brand they own. Volvo were recently acquired by a Chinese manufacturer (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group). My own boycotts : Coca-Cola, any product, because of their general exploitation practises; and Nestle for that whole babymilk-substitute fiasco. I don’t buy any branded sports-clothing in general because of sweatshop practises. I sold my car years ago so I guess I could call myself a (proud) default boycotter of all oil companies. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/27 "2010-04-08T14:09:50Z")
Airlines that charge $45 to put carryon luggage in their overhead bins. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/28 "2010-04-08T14:15:29Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Exxon…for the whole, you know, Valdez thing. Random trivia: The _ **Valdez** _ is still in service; it was repaired and renamed _ **Exxon Mediterranean** _, _ **SeaRiver Mediterranean** _, _ **S/R Mediterranean** _, _ **Mediterranean** _, and currently _ **Dong Fang Ocean** _. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/29 "2010-04-08T14:19:00Z")
Used to boycott _ **Domino’s Pizza** _, partly for Tom Monaghan’s pro-life activities, but mostly because their pizza sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/30 "2010-04-08T14:23:08Z")
> [@Ruby Sees](#): > > I refused to go near a Circuit City after a warranty fiasco. Circuit City went bankrupt in 2009 and closed up shop. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/31 "2010-04-08T14:25:03Z")
**Macy’s** for the whole Chicago/Marshall Field’s thing. No, I’m not one of those people who pickets or writes letters to the Chicago Tribune or anything. And I don’t hold hope that they’ll ever change back. But there’s a whole bunch of department stores out there so why shop at one that ticked me off? **DeBeer’s** for their whole advertising & business practice set-up. My wife and I had something of a potential cold war going leading up to our engagement but it was averted when I got a ring from an estate sale, thus keeping my dollars out of the diamond cartel’s pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/32 "2010-04-08T14:25:42Z")
Wal-Mart. I refuse to shop there, even set foot in one of their stores. If I am dragged in, you can bet I won’t spend a dime. I will not give them my money. Apple. I find them pretentious and obnoxious. They used to be kings of the user experience; now it just seems that they’re obsessed with design for design’s sake. Good marketing, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/33 "2010-04-08T14:26:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Circuit City went bankrupt in 2009 and closed up shop. And if you ever see one reopening, it’s because Tiger Direct bought the Circuit City and CompUSA names and is slowly planning on opening retail outlets in some markets using the names that already have some recognition. The Tiger Direct warehouse store near here is labeled as a CompUSA. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/34 "2010-04-08T14:33:33Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Circuit City went bankrupt in 2009 and closed up shop. They still exist [online](http://www.circuitcity.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/35 "2010-04-08T14:37:59Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > They still exist [online](http://www.circuitcity.com/). Not the same company. A mail order internet company bought the brand Circuit City out of bankruptcy. > **[Circuit City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_City_(2009_company))** > > Circuit City Corporation, Inc., formerly Circuit City Stores, Inc., is an American consumer electronics retail company, which was founded in 1949 by Samuel Wurtzel as the Wards Company, operated stores across the United States, and pioneered the electronics superstore format in the 1970s. After multiple purchases and a successful run on the NYSE, it changed its name to Circuit City Stores Inc. > Ronny Shmoel re-established the brand name in 2016 as part of his acquisition of the brand name and ... ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/36 "2010-04-08T14:39:57Z")
I boycotted Goldsmiths for years (I think they’re out of business now, so SEE, it worked!) because of the way they treated my mother, a 22 year employee, when she became sick. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/37 "2010-04-08T14:42:36Z")
Discover Card: They fucked me over on my credit report and it took 6 months to clear up. UPN: The president of programming openly admits hating science fiction and then cancels Enterprise. :mad: Apple: Smug and proud of it. I’m not hating on Apple owners but they also tend to have an umm… attitude. _ducks_ ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/38 "2010-04-08T14:44:04Z")
Pet Milk some time ago was found to have cheated on their contract to provide milk to schools in South Carolina. I still can’t bring myself to buy their product. I won’t shop at Food Lion unless I truly have no other options because of the way they handled the whole ABC investigation thing. “Oh, you caught us doing something completely reprehensible, but you lied to us in order to find out!” Fuck you, Food Lion. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/39 "2010-04-08T15:14:16Z")
**Wal-Mart** for reasons listed above. **Philadelphia Eagles** for signing Vick. My rescue group was invited to the conference for rescues the Eagles set-up once the shit hit the fan after they signed him. The organization lost all respect in my eyes after that meeting. The Eagles decided to help their image they would throw money at the problem. Along that same vein, I refused to support the \*\*Humane Society of the United States \*\* for partnering with Vick. Instead, I choose to support the **ASPCA**. The ASPCA was asked to partner with Vick, but refused. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368/40 "2010-04-08T15:26:56Z")
I semi-boycott Wal\*Mart, not because of any reasons above, but because they have or bad blaring ads in the checkout line. It’s bad enough that I’m about to part with my money to begin with, let alone having braindead ads that I can’t avoid being broadcast into my brain like I’m some stupid sheep. I hear they don’t have those anymore, but I’m not about to go back in and check. I still go there if I’m somewhere where I don’t know the nearest alternative, and it was really just one particular shop that had the ads, but I’d really prefer not to have to wonder. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-companies-do-you-boycott-and-why/535368.md?page=3)