TARGET Still GRINCHING the Salvation Army...

WMCA - New York ^ | 12.06.2004

[Mr. Lucky]

It's apparent to Target's way of thinking that the "less savory groups" in front of the other stores are customers.

Target wants to project an air of urbane sophistication; they can do without patronage from the sort of working class Christians who actually care about their fellow man.

[HiramQuick]

Isn't Target/Mervynn's and a couple other large retail chains the result of the Dayton family of Minnesota? The same Minnesota congresscritter that bears the family name. If I remember right he was the one that wanted to close his D.C. offices due to terrorist fears.


Just another example of "wonderful" (dripping sarcasm) liberalism at work.

[Gabz]

How and where people choose to spend their money is none of my business. What type of solicitation or none at all a private business permits on their private property is also none of my business.

Businesses make business decisions everyday, if you don't care for them don't shop there. It's not like the government is involved here telling them they can or can not have solicitors. I would have an entirely different position if this in any way involved government forcing their hand.

I've shopped in both - the only reason I don't shop in Target any more is the nearest one to me is 50 miles away and the prices and selections in Wal-Mart are better, and it's only 15 miles.

[mumzie]

Amen.
Supposedly Mervyn's published something a few days ago that said that THEY have not banned the kettles.

When the Target story first broke, someone on here said they thought it might have to do with the union - and that if they allowed the bell ringers, they'd have to allow the union to distribute info. That could be the "less-savory" group they're referring to.

All I can say is that Target is NOT getting any more of my business. I'll shop at the Salvation Army store right across the street!!!

I only wish we had a Macy's store nearby - I'd enjoy boycotting them, too.

[underdognewsgrl]

A few friends and I were bell ringers at a Krogers in Michigan, and maybe it was because the area is a low income town, but people would go out of their way to AVOID us. But, the greatest thing to see is when there are little kids who will come and donate their handful of pennies. It is so reassuring during the 3 or 4 hours shifts!

[BamaDi]

I heard over the weekend that Target had sold off Mervyn's....and Mervyn's is allowing the Salvation Army to ring out front. I went to Trader's Village (a huge flea market) over the weekend and for the first time, the SA is there this year! I go out of my way now to put $ in every bucket i've seen....i'm going broke...joke!

[PhiKapMom]

For what I would buy at Target, I can buy the same items cheaper at Walmart -- dog food/cat food comes to mind plus a host of other items. Walmart provides a lot of jobs in communities throughout the Country especially senior citizens who I see all over our stores. In talking to them, they enjoy what they are doing. Walmart here in Norman (two stores) is also supporting the Josh Heupel #14 Foundation for underprivileged children that you can take a card from a tree and buy a gift which we are doing.

I am a volunteer in several organizations and over the years we have always been able to count on Walmart several times a year to give us a donation for items we wish to purchase. Target -- NEVER! Walmart is a huge participant with various non-profits in our area.

BTW, I don't for a minute believe that income level disparity either -- think Target would love to have people believe it though but here in Norman I don't see it.

[LegionofDorkness]

Are all of you who are boycotting Target saying that you can't envision some "unsavory" group suing Target, K-Mart, or any other store or mall so that they can also set up shop outside the entrance like the Salvation Army does? I certainly can. In fact, I'm shocked that they haven't yet.

[Hildy]

The Target nearest my home has had a table set up for about a month now to sign a petition for parental notification for abortions. I was very surprised at that.

[HamiltonJay]

Personally I don't care for Wal-Mart...their stores are cluttered, its impossible to move about in them, POS displays block every isle, and its ALWAYS OVER CROWDED with not enough checkers working. To me, going to Wal Mart is about as close as you can come to feeling like a cattle being herded.

I have shopped target in the past for a few reasons, generally they have wider open unobstructed isles, cleaners stores and carry higher and better quality products that Wal mart does not carry. They always have enough people working the checkouts so I can get in, shop and get out without being stressed.

Now, with that said, I won't be shopping at Target any longer, this was the last straw. I also don't plan on going to Wal mart either, as I just don't need that stress. I know Wal Mart/Sam's does lots of charity work... THey have helped my wife's Girl Scout troop on many occassions allowing them to raise money outside their stores.... They just aren't stores that I personally care to shop at.

I'll probably end up at Sears/KMart this season and spend the money there that I would have spent at Target.

[Coop]

I went to Kmart earlier to drop off film and on the way out I gave the SA lady outside some money. I really love the Salvation Army.

When you go to pick up your film, may I suggest you stop at the Customer Service desk to thank Kmart for hosting the Salvation Army? I'm Kmart and the SA would appreciate it.

[rightsmart]

I will shop more at Target!

My family gives a significant portion of our income to charities, but we make careful decision about where we send our money. I do not give to anyone who "begs" for money without first knowing about the group. I prefer to make informed decisions and not spontaneous ones.

What bothers me about the SA bell ringers and many of the responses to this post is the attitude that the SA is entitled to beg at the entrance of stores. In past years there have been news articles about other organizations and even some individuals that setup shop in front of stores as if they were the SA, but then use the money for their cause or even for themselves. If a retail store allows the SA to solicit for money, how could they justify stopping another organization from doing the same? Would you like MoveOn.org (or any organization that you don't like)at the entrance of every store raising funds for their political candidates? Or, as a business owner, would you like MoveOn.org to tell everyone "don't shop here because they won't allow us to solicit. To me it is a lose-lose proposition for Target and they are wise to get out of the whole arrangement.

While I do not work for target or hold stock in their company, the nonprofit that I work for (an education-based one) has benefited greatly from Target's corporate giving. Just because they do not support SA bell ringers does not mean they are the Grinch. Our organization recently received a letter from Target on this issue that pointed out that the SA was informed of this decision a year ago so that if there was to be a financial impact on their organization, they could plan for it and come up with alternative funding sources. If their is a financial impact on the Salvation Army, it is the SA's problem, not Target's.

[Coop]

This whole story is way overblown. The SA is not even leading the charge.

You're right about the SA not leading the charge. But I completely disagree about the story being overblown. You're seeing grass-roots response at its best. And just like it's Target's right to decide how to conduct charity work, it's our right to decide how to spend our money.

[mysterio]

I've boycotted Target ever since they stopped selling smokes back in '99. It's just an overpriced Walmart anyway.

[Coop]

But, the greatest thing to see is when there are little kids who will come and donate their handful of pennies. It is so reassuring during the 3 or 4 hours shifts!

I'm looking forward to it. Target's foolish PR move motivated me to donate some time as a bellringer this year.

[newgeezer]

Sure, I can envision that. But, I don't think we're yet to the point where that has any chance of getting anywhere. State-mandated smoking bans are one thing; taking away store owners' rights in regard to which solicitors they'll allow on their private property is something else.

Maybe the possibility of litigation was in the back of their mind. But, I tend to think Target did this more to (1) take the pressure off of store managers ("Sorry, it's nothing personal; we don't allow anyone to solicit on the premises. Have a nice day.") and (2) remove any appearance of bias ("Yes, we allow the S.A. to solicit but, sorry, you folks from the Church of Satan are not welcome here.")

As I said, if Target wants to lead this effort, I've no hard feelings about it. Surely they came to this decision knowing full well it would cost them some customers. I'm just exercising my consumer rights in the free enterprise system.

If/when their competitors ban the bell-ringers -- for whatever reason -- I might decide to shop at Target.

[Gabz]

I've done my best to avoid KMart for years and I used to love shopping there.........but as a few of the other discounters in town started closing, KMART pretty much had a captive audience and stopped caring.....the store was perpetually dirty, with mistocked shelves, only 2 registers open, etc......and nothing, not complaints to management, letters to the editor, even an unflattering article did anything to wake them up.

That is until Wal-Mart came to town.........practically overnight, KMart changed. Wal-Mart was a hassle to get to, so I rarely went, but did prefer it to K-Mart. Then along came Target, practically on my corner. I was underwhelmed, but it was convenient and resonable for things like paper products and printer cartridges.

Now that I've moved I'm back to shopping at Wal-Mart of occassion, because it's convenient, well stocked, well lighted and the staff is very friendly and helpful.

I guess it is all a matter of personal preferences and our own perspectives. I don't particularly like to shop so when I am in the mood I like to head for one of the small towns around here and meander the different shops. But I need time and the right mood. sometimes Wal-Mart is just far easier.

[Coop]

If their is a financial impact on the Salvation Army, it is the SA's problem, not Target's.

Baloney. Although I do give Target credit for informing the SA back in January and not waiting until later.

[rightsmart]

According to choosetheblue.com, a website that encourages people to buy from companies that financially supported democrats rather than companies that supported republicans, Target Corp donated 72% of their political giving to republicans and only 28% to democrats.