Monday, September 25, 2017

Stores: Please Pass the Charity Back to Us



I get a lot of emails reporting the big stores that donate millions of dollars to causes, worthy or unworthy, around the world.

I wonder, if they make such a profit off shoppers like us, why don't they donate that profit they use for the "causes" (many which people object to) back to the hard working American who is fast going into poverty...I mean EVERYONE who has to shop at Target, Walmart, Sears, and other huge chain stores. 

Most Americans are low income these days, due to high rent and high cost of any kind of housing. If these stores have so much extra money from the profits of our shopping, to financially support causes beyond our control, why not pass the profit and the charity back to us through lower prices? Then, with our savings, LET US DECIDE what charities we will support, out of our own bank account.

Some people are finding alternatives to the chain stores, but others are stuck shopping there due to distances and affordability. To those who don't have any choice, let the big box stores donate back to the shopper by giving us even lower prices.  They can still consider it charity.

I hope there is someone reading this blog who remembers when a store was just a store. Now you have to read their signs that say they donate so much to such and such a charity.  If they have that much extra money, it would be better to lower their prices and let the shopper choose his own charity.


10 comments:

anonymous said...

I was shopping at one of those big box stores recently and I noticed they were asking all their customers at the check out stand if they would mind rounding the change up to the nearest dime. Hmmmm! Maybe I'll ask for all my change back next time. It should be my choice where my change goes to.
Thank you for posting, I'll be more mindful from now on.
Janet

Lynn said...

Your suggestion is very very good, Lydia. I agree exactly with your plan.

Mrs. Bill said...

Very well said! A chain drug store in my area goes one step further. As you check out the clerk asks (in a loud voice) if you would like to donate a dollar to their cause du jour. I am never embarrassed to say 'no'. I feel very put upon when they do that.

Now,this may sound silly, but in a kind of protest, I decided to start my own 'extra dollar' ministry. I add that extra dollar to the tips I give to the people who carry my bags at the grocery store and to servers at restaurants. At least you can chat with them and thank them for their service and ask God bless them.

laura said...

They get taxes breaks for the donations. This practice won't end any time soon.

Tea & Crumpets said...

Amen! Well said, Lydia. At Walmart here you are asked to "round up" for whatever charity...so Walmart gets the glory for donating...our dollars! When I am asked I always reply, "not today" (of course, in my mind, I am thinking, "not ever!")

Lydia said...

Mrs. Bill I agree. Give it to someone , and let it be your choice. I'm not speaking of sudden disasters like fires, earthquakes or floods, but of regulation huge donations by stores ( from profits of our shopping) to support "causes "and groups of people who aren't really in need and where it's not an emergency. If stores make so much money off us to give millions to such causes, let them lower the prices and give us a break.after all we are the reason the business thrives. Give us a discount and let us give to our own choice of charities. Let people give to their grandchildren and children who are always on the edge of poverty. Many people here cannot even afford postage to send things to their families. Big box stores donate millions to things many customers don't approve of.

laura said...

I think what they give to charity is dwarfed by what they give to the two major political parties.

living from glory to glory said...

Morning, I guess I am one of those that just thinks my few extra coins might make a difference.
But I do enjoy giving to those that might be a bit more personal to them or the cause!
But as you said things are just getting so expensive and I do not enjoy the large chain store at all!! But sometimes we must do that because it is more affordable!
Really a good point and I may just keep my change for traveling to a store that is smaller and can enjoy the trip!
Hugs, Roxy

terricheney said...

I'm afraid I agree with Laura, I am sure they get a big tax write off for their contributions. In the past, I've offered a donation to only a very select few charities through a store, usually one that was not a well known but still a very good cause, like for literacy.

I wanted to mention the old five and dime stores, which we had when I was a child. There were quite nice things in them way back when and I still have a few pieces that I've bought at estate sales and thrift stores and commonly see that I'm pretty sure were bought at a five and dime. Now those stores have ceased to be and are replaced by the dollar stores where you can find a few items of quality and beauty but mostly find terribly cheap and poorly made items. Such a shame, too, when you go through a small town and there is just a dollar store and not even one of the nicer ones and perhaps some little run down grocery if you're lucky.

Not too long ago a small town near us lost their only grocery store. My husband asked me where people went to purchase food and I said I suppose they drive to the next nearest towns which are all a good fifteen miles away. I think of the much older population we have in our area and how that little grocery was their lifeline really who must now find someone to take them to purchase their groceries because they don't travel that far in a car alone anymore.

5webs said...

I agree with you 100%, but it's never going to change. The companies do what they do not because they care about any particular tragedy or "cause du jour" but because (as another person commented)they get major tax breaks AND, even more importantly, they get to indulge in "moral preening". It is a protective padding that offers up protection of giant corporations being labeled as uncaring or greedy or self-serving. But make no mistake, they are fooling no one. I work for a mega-corporation (name withheld for obvious reasons) who routinely asks us to make donations in their name to specific causes. Most of us are barely earning minimum wage with little to no benefits, and they have the absolute nerve to treat us so shabbily and then ask for a handout on top of that. And they waste!! You would not believe the hundreds and hundreds of dollars of perfectly good products that we throw away EACH AND EVERY DAY. Multiply that by the almost 10,000 stores that we have in the U.S. and you get the picture. And why don't they give that stuff away, or at the very least, offer it a steep discount? Because, we were told, "people won't pay full-price for our products if we are giving it to them for free..." "So you'd rather throw it away in the giant trash bins behind our stores so that no one benefits??? That's just evil, in my opinion....