Would you buy a product that supports an organization you disagree with just because the product is a really good deal with coupons?

[leqet]

Here's the scenario: There's a product I usually buy that is a really hot deal this week. When I buy it it will basically come out free after coupons (I have NEVER gotten this item free, BTW). However the promo that is making this product free to me is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales to an organization that I don't like. Now I'm really torn on whether to do the promo. This company has supported other causes I agree with in the past. And I like the product, it's one of the few in its category that I am able to buy and use. So I will keep buying this company's products in the future regardless of whether I do this promo. The question is whether I should take advantage of this promotion knowing part of the money will go to an organization with practices I view as slightly heinous. What would you do?

[CW&M Mom]

It would depend on the heinous nature of the situation.

[jen276here]

Question - do they normally donate to this cause even outside this current promotion?

[BostonRed]

The reality is that your single purchase will seldom have any impact on how much the company is donating to the charity. Most of these donations are capped and many of them have already (or will already) given the check, regardless of the outcome of the promotion.

Most of these promotions are designed to influence you to buy and to rationalize your purchase as "helping charity x". Unless the charity is "Satan's Fund to Hurt Puppies and Small Children", I wouldn't sweat it. The promotion won't have any impact at all on the money donated.

[gem7]

I agree with PP, as long as it's not harmful to anyone or pets, I prolly would.

[leqet]

It would depend on the heinous nature of the situation.

The main "offense" of this particular organization is that they rake in millions of dollars and very little of it goes to support the cause they claim to be raising funds for. I have no problem with the cause this organization promotes, but I have a problem with their handling of funds. I would never give to this organization directly, but I have given to other groups supporting the same cause. Does that make sense?

[leqet]

Question - do they normally donate to this cause even outside this current promotion?

The cause, yes. This particular organization I'm not sure about. Every year for as long as I have been couponing (3-4 years now) this company has had a promo where they said that a certain percent would go to support this cause. However I don't recall if the specific organization was involved as I only became aware of this organization's misuse of funds within the past year myself.

[CW&M Mom]

The main "offense" of this particular organization is that they rake in millions of dollars and very little of it goes to support the cause they claim to be raising funds for. I have no problem with the cause this organization promotes, but I have a problem with their handling of funds. I would never give to this organization directly, but I have given to other groups supporting the same cause. Does that make sense?

I probably know exactly who your thinking off. I would still purchase the product but write them a letter telling them your disgust of this charity and maybe give them some idea's of some better charities (for a similar cause but better motives) for them to get behind next year.

I'm thinking about a 1/4th of what we are purchasing currently has that "logo" all over it.

[derketchup]

I voted differently, because I understood the question differently. For example, I was thinking of Motorola, a company that supplies Israel with bomb detonators and communication devices that are used to oppress/kill Palestinians.

But if you mean a company that is donating money to another charity, and that charity is misusing funds.... well I'd probably go ahead and buy it, so long as the "support this charity" symbol wouldn't be on prominent display in my house/on my person.

[CW&M Mom]

I voted differently, because I understood the question differently. For example, I was thinking of Motorola, a company that supplies Israel with bomb detonators and communication devices that are used to oppress/kill Palestinians.

But if you mean a company that is donating money to another charity, and that charity is misusing funds.... well I'd probably go ahead and buy it, so long as the "support this charity" symbol wouldn't be on prominent display in my house/on my person.

I think too...this company "misuse of funs" isn't extreme...they are just acting like most charities out there and having WAY too much overhead which is sucking up most of the money. So no "illegal" stuff is going on as far as I can tell.