So I was thinking yesterday about companies I don't buy from based on their politics or practices I don't agree with, and realized I didn't really do the same thing with diaper-making companies/WAHMs.
I like that I am supporting small business with WAHMs and that is really important to me. I haven't actively boycotted any WAHM but then I realized I don't do a lot of research about who I am buying from! Not like I do with a lot of other things. I don't know if this is good or bad and it has been bothering me a bit. As I said, I love that my money is supporting a mom and her family, but then I wonder if I should look at the bigger picture.
So, I want to know if you apply the same decision making when shopping for diapers as you might when shopping for other things. No naming names of course!
A person's ethics and morals mean a lot to me. Actually ethics and morals go hand in hand to me. A mom trying to do the best she can and stay home with her children says more to me than anything else. By reading their reviews I can usually tell if they run a biz with ethical/moral practices.
Their religion, political views, etc, IMO are none of my business. I have no way to know the full story and cannot judge others for doing the best they can. If someone is running a charity donation sale that I don't support then I may not buy until the donation is done with, but I would never write them off or judge them based on that.
I would love to know more about the WAHMs that I buy from. I am with those above who avoid overly religious sites, and would definitely buy from those who are more into environmental causes, liberal politically, etc, if I knew who they were.
But since I don't, I am just happy to be supporting a WAHM to help her stay home with her kids.
I do avoid large corporations whose policies and politics I disagree with, as much as possible (or whose top executives' politics I disagree with). Wal Mart and Safeway come to mind...
Originally Posted by greenmansions
I would love to know more about the WAHMs that I buy from. I am with those above who avoid overly religious sites, and would definitely buy from those who are more into environmental causes, liberal politically, etc, if I knew who they were.
Well, after this thread I'd have to say most wahms probably would NOT share those views with anyone anymore. I'm a wahm (that hasn't sewn in ages cuz I've been WOH for about a year) but now I see that sharing some things that are really nobody elses business could hurt my company. I like getting fabric at walmart gosh darnit!
Originally Posted by amicrazyyet
A person's ethics and morals mean a lot to me. Actually ethics and morals go hand in hand to me. A mom trying to do the best she can and stay home with her children says more to me than anything else. By reading their reviews I can usually tell if they run a biz with ethical/moral practices.
Their religion, political views, etc, IMO are none of my business. I have no way to know the full story and cannot judge others for doing the best they can. If someone is running a charity donation sale that I don't support then I may not buy until the donation is done with, but I would never write them off or judge them based on that.
particularly..."cannot judge others for doing the best they can" especially since there really isn't a way for me to know the reasons/cause/full story behind it.
Their religion, political views, etc, IMO are none of my business. I have no way to know the full story and cannot judge others for doing the best they can. If someone is running a charity donation sale that I don't support then I may not buy until the donation is done with, but I would never write them off or judge them based on that.
Amen.
I think this thread, while interesting, could potentially become very damaging to some WAHM businesses. The comment of the list of dead-beat customers... not sure where that is, but I am sure the WAHM who has a list that lists her in progress customs is scratching her head right now, wondering where the words "dead-beat" came up. Come on. Dead-beat customers? Seriously? Sure, there are customers who don't pay. So why can't that be reflected? I would never assume that the person who didn't pay is being blatantly evasive. Dead-beat to me is a father who owes child support. He is under a legal obligation to carry through with the court's order. He doesn't. He's a dead-beat dad. But a customer,who makes a promise to a WAHM to purchase what s/he has obligated themselves to purchasing, is a dead-beat?
Sorry... that just really got to me.
And for what it is worth, I think it is a slippery slope when we start to view WAHMs in a fish bowl. We all have different outlooks on parenting. I couldn't nurse my last one, no matter how hard I tried. Does that make my any less AP than someone who COULD get nursing to work for them? I don't think so. But the customer who might see me out on the street someday with my 2 YO, who has a bottle in her mouth, automatically assumes that I am not an advocate for breastfeeding, that I formula feed my child, so let's not buy from her. where is the line drawn?
I can see where you would want to deal with an ethical WAHM. I support that. I try to be that. No one wants to part with their hard-earned money to never see a product in return. But when you start to pass judgment on someone for what you *think* you see, then that is where I draw the line. Make sense?
I am all for the customer being as informed as possible. You should be. It is your right, and really it is your obligation. But when someone starts to question what toothpaste I use, because only XXXX brand toothpaste is the one you use, then don't you think that takes it a little too far?
Originally Posted by amicrazyyet
A person's ethics and morals mean a lot to me. Actually ethics and morals go hand in hand to me. A mom trying to do the best she can and stay home with her children says more to me than anything else. By reading their reviews I can usually tell if they run a biz with ethical/moral practices.
Their religion, political views, etc, IMO are none of my business. I have no way to know the full story and cannot judge others for doing the best they can. If someone is running a charity donation sale that I don't support then I may not buy until the donation is done with, but I would never write them off or judge them based on that.
I think this thread, while interesting, could potentially become very damaging to some WAHM businesses. The comment of the list of dead-beat customers... not sure where that is, but I am sure the WAHM who has a list that lists her in progress customs is scratching her head right now, wondering where the words "dead-beat" came up. Come on. Dead-beat customers? Seriously? Sure, there are customers who don't pay. So why can't that be reflected? I would never assume that the person who didn't pay is being blatantly evasive. Dead-beat to me is a father who owes child support. He is under a legal obligation to carry through with the court's order. He doesn't. He's a dead-beat dad. But a customer,who makes a promise to a WAHM to purchase what s/he has obligated themselves to purchasing, is a dead-beat?
Sorry... that just really got to me.
And for what it is worth, I think it is a slippery slope when we start to view WAHMs in a fish bowl. We all have different outlooks on parenting. I couldn't nurse my last one, no matter how hard I tried. Does that make my any less AP than someone who COULD get nursing to work for them? I don't think so. But the customer who might see me out on the street someday with my 2 YO, who has a bottle in her mouth, automatically assumes that I am not an advocate for breastfeeding, that I formula feed my child, so let's not buy from her. where is the line drawn?
I can see where you would want to deal with an ethical WAHM. I support that. I try to be that. No one wants to part with their hard-earned money to never see a product in return. But when you start to pass judgment on someone for what you *think* you see, then that is where I draw the line. Make sense?
I am all for the customer being as informed as possible. You should be. It is your right, and really it is your obligation. But when someone starts to question what toothpaste I use, because only XXXX brand toothpaste is the one you use, then don't you think that takes it a little too far?
There is a WAHM that I had done a fair amount of business with until I heard from a fellow MDCer how badly she had been treated by this WAHM. Now, as much as I love the products- I just really feel that I can't give that company my business.
I am also aware of which WAHMs are contributing to charity, such as the upcoming Fluff Factory event...and totally respect that! And want to support them.
Originally Posted by jloveladycmc
I like that I'm supporting WAHM's. I feel like even if they don't have the same practices/belief system that I do..I like that I am helping them stay at home w/ their babies. If I didn't support any body unless they were just like me, then I'd better get real good at sewing/canning/farming/accounting/ etc. I'd rather give my business to a WAHM who I don't have one single thing in common w/ than give my $$$ to gerber for cheap prefolds made in China.
I like to support these small WAHM businesses, and often one will catch my eye reading a post and it'll seem like some sort of connection and so i try to buy from them.
i agree with the previous posters who mentioned avoiding websites that include a lot of religious copy. While it doesn't bother me to support WAHMs of any religion, I do get turned off when I see a lot of it on their site because it doesn't really pertain to me.
I love to shop WAHMs who just seem to love their children - you know how some sites really share that experience. Also, I love to buy from WAHMs who love what they're doing and are really into it. I get a good vibe from that and then don't feel that I need to delve deeper into their ethical and moral qualifications.
Yes it affects my shopping. I don't surf for nitty gritty details on every wahm purchase, but if I know of questionable (imo) stuff I'll avoid them. If there is pearl/ezzo support on a wahm site I'll click the X right away. I've clicked the X for wahms sending Y% of sales to causes I'm vehemently against. I've never not bought something because of the wahm's religion, Christian or Pagan, doubt I ever would either. I do go out of my way to purchase wahm dipes rather than the mass produced sort, not that there's anything "wrong" with mass produced, I just prefer supporting wahms. When I happen upon a new wahm site with a product I'm interested in, I assume they're "safe" to buy from, I assume innocence until proven guilty lol.
I don't shop at Walfarts, I try my hardest not to buy stuff (especially kid toys) made in China, I don't buy produce not grown in America, etc., I don't see why I shouldn't use those same tactics when shopping online.
ETA: "questionable" to me, means really bad stuff, ezzo/pearl would be a primary example. I don't care if their baby pic has a pacifier and bottle in it next to their McDonalds happy meal with a crib in the background.
What I don't understand is this... some WAHMs, like myself, would rather NOT put all the personal info on their sites because number one, it's the internet! There are freaks out there (as we all have seen) and number two (follows very close to #1) is it's no ones business. Again this goes along with my whole, don't place judgement on ANYONE theory.
So (and this is just an example) if "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" HYENA diaper making WAHM was discovered to be someone in their personal life that you don't necessarily agree with personally, would you stop buying from that person and sell all your amazing and wonderful "hyena" diapers that fit and work sooo well on your baby? I have a hard time believing that!
Originally Posted by Danahen
What is an overly conservative company?
This is probably going to get me flamed.
I was using "overly concervative" as a delicate term for really hardcore fundamentalist republicans.
By "Overly Conservative" I'm talking about people who are very vocal in their "business life/image" with ideas that I personally think are whack (IE Killing innocent people in Iraq and Afganistan because they are "terrorists who hate freedom", Militant anti-choice groups, Racism, Patriarchy, Homophobia, Etc... I'm NOT saying that all of these things are things that every conservative does..
)
I don't really want to support someone who gives company money or spends time canvasing for GWB, gives company money to some anti-choice group who kills doctors, or someone who purchases their supplies exclusivley from Walmart...
I wont boycott a WAHM just because she's for GWB in her personal life... but there should be definate lines between personal life and business life.
If a person chooses to blend the two (IE putting lots of bible verses on their business website, political stuff.. whatever), then I feel like I should be able to judge a company based on what ideas are presented there.
I mean, i'm not sitting here googling wahm names trying to figure out what they are doing at home KWIM?
I do agree with this
Quote:
Originally Posted by amicrazyyet
Their religion, political views, etc, IMO are none of my business. I have no way to know the full story and cannot judge others for doing the best they can. If someone is running a charity donation sale that I don't support then I may not buy until the donation is done with, but I would never write them off or judge them based on that.
HOWEVER, I don't support many big companies because I feel their practices are unethical, should I be more leniant to WAHMs, just because they are WAHMs?
I'm not trying to sound like a hardass
Ok, this thread shouldn't have anything to do with how nice a mama is. It has nothing to do with that.
I want to know if people who boycot certain companies because of their political leanings charities they support, etc. do the same when shopping diapers.
I don't shop at Walmart. I disagree with the way they run their business, treat their employess and their competition and force suppliers to lower their prices so Walmart will continue buying from them. I don't buy Nestle. I boycotted Pepsi-Frito Lay because of their involvement with the government in Burma. There are more but I won't get into it all.
I understand what you are saying Meredith. I don't think this is about judging but about shopping based on our beleifs.
I for one don't care about formula or breast, what religion (DH does but he doesn't buy the diapers!) etc. I would not buy from someone who gave a % of regular sales to a charity I don't support and if there is any Ezzo/Pearl reference I would be out of there.
make sense? I try to be an informed consumer and do the best I can, just like any mama.
Going to try to avoid the slippery slope stuff and just answer the OP's question. Yes, there are several WAHM's that I do not shop from b/c of things I have seen them post, including a couple hyena ones, and there are also WAHM's that I made a point to do business with b/c of things I have seen them post. But I don't see it as "buy from *this* WAHM or be forced to go to Wal-Mart."
I've found that there is almost always an alternative, usually another WAHM.
Originally Posted by GranolaMoon
I don't shop at Walfarts, I try my hardest not to buy stuff (especially kid toys) made in China, I don't buy produce not grown in America, etc., I don't see why I shouldn't use those same tactics when shopping online.
Originally Posted by ChristinaB
What I don't understand is this... some WAHMs, like myself, would rather NOT put all the personal info on their sites because number one, it's the internet! There are freaks out there (as we all have seen) and number two (follows very close to #1) is it's no ones business. Again this goes along with my whole, don't place judgement on ANYONE theory.
So (and this is just an example) if "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" HYENA diaper making WAHM was discovered to be someone in their personal life that you don't necessarily agree with personally, would you stop buying from that person and sell all your amazing and wonderful "hyena" diapers that fit and work sooo well on your baby? I have a hard time believing that!
I don't think that it has to do with personal info.
Say there was a business owner who spanked and hated nursing and smoked. And you were very into GD and breastmilk and anti-smoking. You might not want to shop there right?
As for the hyena comment, I don't know. I mean, if I had diapers made by a company that also owned stock in a venture that destroyed rainforests in South America, yeah I guess I would boycott them. I am pretty sure no WAHMs do this though
Originally Posted by spatulagirl
I don't think that it has to do with personal info.
Say there was a business owner who spanked and hated nursing and smoked. And you were very into GD and breastmilk and anti-smoking. You might not want to shop there right?
As for the hyena comment, I don't know. I mean, if I had diapers made by a company that also owned stock in a venture that destroyed rainforests in South America, yeah I guess I would boycott them. I am pretty sure no WAHMs do this though
I think there is a fine line as to the POINT you are trying to make and some comments that were MADE on this post.... I've read lots of posts that say they look at the WAHM's info, posts, info on the sites, etc.. that is what I am talking about. Just yesterday, I was looking at a hyena WAHM site (who happens to be in a similar situation I am in) and I was thinking to myself, I would never offer up that info because to me, it's dangerous. But that is me, same goes for ANY personal info about myself (and now pictures). I guess it's one thing to get an idea about who a person is from say, posting with them for years on a message board and another to look for that info. In the end, you are still just buying diapers and supporting a WAHM. (generalization in that last sentence
Originally Posted by ChristinaB
So (and this is just an example) if "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" HYENA diaper making WAHM was discovered to be someone in their personal life that you don't necessarily agree with personally, would you stop buying from that person and sell all your amazing and wonderful "hyena" diapers that fit and work sooo well on your baby? I have a hard time believing that!
I would. believe it.
I'm not trying to be argumentative. If I was honestly philosophically opposed to something then I'd no longer support the wahm in question. That's pretty cut and dry, black and white to me. Then again, I tend to buy diapers for performance, not hyena status, so I could easily find a suitable replacement item/wahm.
As long as the wahm isn't unethical to my knowledge (ie- ripping people off, etc), I don't probe any deeper than that. I would be really offended and annoyed if a wahm wanted to know what my parenting style was, what political group I was affiliated with, or what religion I practice before she chose whether or not to sell her product to me. I feel that the wahms I buy from deserve the same courtesy.
I think this thread, while interesting, could potentially become very damaging to some WAHM businesses. The comment of the list of dead-beat customers... not sure where that is, but I am sure the WAHM who has a list that lists her in progress customs is scratching her head right now, wondering where the words "dead-beat" came up. Come on. Dead-beat customers? Seriously? Sure, there are customers who don't pay. So why can't that be reflected? I would never assume that the person who didn't pay is being blatantly evasive. Dead-beat to me is a father who owes child support. He is under a legal obligation to carry through with the court's order. He doesn't. He's a dead-beat dad. But a customer,who makes a promise to a WAHM to purchase what s/he has obligated themselves to purchasing, is a dead-beat?
Sorry... that just really got to me.
And for what it is worth, I think it is a slippery slope when we start to view WAHMs in a fish bowl. We all have different outlooks on parenting. I couldn't nurse my last one, no matter how hard I tried. Does that make my any less AP than someone who COULD get nursing to work for them? I don't think so. But the customer who might see me out on the street someday with my 2 YO, who has a bottle in her mouth, automatically assumes that I am not an advocate for breastfeeding, that I formula feed my child, so let's not buy from her. where is the line drawn?
I can see where you would want to deal with an ethical WAHM. I support that. I try to be that. No one wants to part with their hard-earned money to never see a product in return. But when you start to pass judgment on someone for what you *think* you see, then that is where I draw the line. Make sense?
I am all for the customer being as informed as possible. You should be. It is your right, and really it is your obligation. But when someone starts to question what toothpaste I use, because only XXXX brand toothpaste is the one you use, then don't you think that takes it a little too far?
Originally Posted by phishmama
I would. believe it.
I'm not trying to be argumentative. If I was honestly philosophically opposed to something then I'd no longer support the wahm in question. That's pretty cut and dry, black and white to me. Then again, I tend to buy diapers for performance, not hyena status, so I could easily find a suitable replacement item/wahm.
Gotcha
But I have a feeling most hyena buying mamas would make exceptions, I really do.
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