Do economic blackout days really work?

[Rat Diva]

This right here: https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-february-28-list-stores-being-targeted-2030269

On February 28, everyone is supposed to boycott major retailers who have cancelled or are walking back DEI initiatives after Cheeto Hitler announced that Diffrint Pepul ar Bad, because his cranium and his Depends have the same contents.

I get it: the power of many, and hitting big business in the bottom line is the only realistic way of harming them even a little. This is also ostensibly to support the workers.

HOWEVER...

The workers, who have nothing to do with company policies, are the ones who will be hurt.

When I worked first at K-Mart in the 90s and then in a department store in the 00s, people got sent home or had shifts cancelled if business was bad. It's the counter drones, the warehouse people, cashiers, and waitstaff who will be sent home and lose money... and those are people who NEED their paychecks.

The gas station I go to is a Sunoco, but the franchise is Indian-American owned. Shouldn't I be wanting to support the owners? The franchisee who owns several McDonald'seses nearby is a woman. I want to support woman-owned businesses. And on and on.

Being cynical, I have visions of the interwebs exploding with perfomative virture on the 28th, promulgated by cred-seekers who either stocked up on the 27th or are planning to make up for lost time on March 1st.

I just think the only real way is for lots and lots of people to do what Rad Ed is doing and refuse to do business with any major company, as far as that's possible, but that's more of a sacrifice than most people are willing to take on.

Anyone have a more optimistic take? Or will this tank like my threads tend to do :palatr:

[Jaglavak]

Thats why you should never start a thread like this on the second floor. It needs a separate concrete foundation.

The soulless bastard pinstripe pricks who run major corporations only speak one language. The only way to send a message is $ign language. A one day boycott that is large enough to move the needle could be a relatively harmless way to let them know that a lot of customers are paying attention. Plus its easy enough for lots of folks to follow through.

OTOH the CEO's are under fire from shitgibbon & co, and that won't go away in a day. So what they will do is hunch over at their desk with a bottle of Rolaids and fervently wish the whole mess would just fuck off so they can get back to selling cheap crap and junk food.

[Kat]

I've read that they don't work, because everyone just reschedules their shopping to the day before or the day after, so the business comes out even for the week/quarter/however they break up their fiscal calendar.

[silenus]

The idea isn't to show economic impact so much as it is to show solidarity of purpose. Sort of a warning shot. "We can act together when pushed. Do you want us to prove it?"

Then you get serious with the boycotts.

[Sputnik]

I enjoy Walmart for the evening floor shows, the red carpet of fashion and the free electric cart rides. But iffin all of ya think it be best for me to boycott, I guess I’ll comply.

[What Exit?]

It lets people think they're doing something without actually having to do anything at all except putting off shopping a day.

But, if it leads to the more serious boycotts, those work.

[JackieLikesVariety]

so, we boycott, then?

[howietee]

Then you get serious with the boycotts.

It's getting serious with the boycotts. It can't be just be a one-off thing. It has to be a sustained effort to inflict economic harm, and to answer the OP's question, yes, it is worth it even if Johnny Bus Driver gets laid off -- provided that the purpose behind the boycott is clear and the organization behind it is credible.

[Metal Years]

This was originally promoted to me as "don't buy anything on the 28th" and that's my plan.

Recently there was "Latinos don't show up day." I'm acquainted with a lot of Latino people and a lot of them didn't show up that day. It was very noticeable and maybe a point was made. If enough people refrain from parting with any bucks on that one day, who knows? It might get some attention and maybe make Bitch-ass Donny T-Rump look bad or something.

[JackieLikesVariety]

I wonder if RW forums/whatever contain people talking about how they should buy more on the 28th, as a way to "own the libs" ?

[Radical Edward]

Generally if some company does something shitty enough for me to boycott for a day, I'll boycott it permanently. I'm already not buying Coke products, not shopping at Target, phasing out Amazon (it's hard to find pet stuffs at non-evil places) and investigating which gas station is less evil, scheduling weekly trips to loca used book stores, etc. I find it unlikely that one day of missed profits is going to make an impression upon them, especially when most likely people will just go buy the thing they want the day after.

[Metal Years]

I'm mad at The Coca-Cola® Company and don't buy their products anymore because they discontinued offering my all-time favorite beverage, TAB®.

[howietee]

This was originally promoted to me as "don't buy anything on the 28th" and that's my plan.

Recently there was "Latinos don't show up day." I'm acquainted with a lot of Latino people and a lot of them didn't show up that day. It was very noticeable and maybe a point was made. If enough people refrain from parting with any bucks on that one day, who knows? It might get some attention and maybe make Bitch-ass Donny T-Rump look bad or something.

Two words: general strike.

[howietee]

I wonder if RW forums/whatever contain people talking about how they should buy more on the 28th, as a way to "own the libs" ?

Yes.

[JackieLikesVariety]

:thinking:

[C2H5OH]

To get back to the OP, "Do economic blackout days really work?"

It depends on what you mean by 'work'. If your goal is to do any significant economic damage to the company, it won't work. If your goal is to send a message to management, specifically, "we, your customers, are not happy with what you did/are doing", the drop in sales that day indicates how many of their customers are pissed about it. That does work.

Whether or not it gets them to change is another matter entirely. If they don't give a shit, it won't work to change their behavior. Only full-on boycotts will do that.

[Sputnik]

I’m planning to boycott everything Musk. I won’t be buying a new Tesla or posting on twitter. Wasn’t planning on buying a Tesla anyway, or posting on twitter. Or, for that matter, calling it X, which works out just fine.
Boycott anything Musk too.

[JackieLikesVariety]

I’m planning to boycott everything Musk. I won’t be buying a new Tesla or posting on twitter. Wasn’t planning on buying a Tesla anyway, or posting on twitter. Or, for that matter, calling it X, which works out just fine.
Boycott anything Musk too.


Some of the world’s most recognizable brands have opted to continue their advertising partnerships with X despite the surge in hate speech on the platform and owner Elon Musk’s continued peddling of misinformation and right-wing conspiracy theories, including an endorsement last week of an antisemitic post.

The NFL, Walmart, State Farm, Wendy’s, Office Depot, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, USAA insurance, Formula 1 and Mondelēz International, the maker of Oreo cookies and Ritz Crackers

from CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/22/tech/elon-musk-brands-advertise-x-antisemitism/index.html#:~:text=The%20NFL%2C%20Walmart%2C%20Sta te%20Farm,amid%20a%20swell%20of%20controversy.)

I am suprised by some of these, but not most.

[Sputnik]

So no more Oreo cookies or Ritz crackers for me. This is getting painful.

[Jaglavak]

Sheryl Crow is my new celebrity crush.

Sheryl Crow sells her Tesla and donates proceeds to NPR (https://lite.cnn.com/2025/02/17/entertainment/sheryl-crow-sells-tesla-and-donates-money-to-npr)