Over the years, more and more facets have been added when it comes to customers choosing the products they buy. Personally, I support companies that strive to do their best and do not cut corners simply to save money. After I learned that the majority of clothes sold in the United States are not made in the United States, I stopped supporting Abercrombie and Fitch and other mainstream mall stores. Only 2% of clothes are made in the United States. This is because we have better labor laws than other countries. The majority of clothing companies in the United States outsource their clothing to other countries to be made for a minimal amount to turn around and charge customers of the United States as much as they think they can get for it. This causes for the greatest amount of profit but is it ethical? I do not support it because I will not support unfair labor laws of other countries. In not buying their product, I say to those companies’ workers “I see your struggle and I take a bit of that burden off of you.”
I used to believe that I needed to buy all American-made products but our economy work in an interesting way. Even if I buy products from a company outside of the United States, I still use American dollars. There is still an exchange rate and strength to how much the dollar is. My American dollars never disappear. They just get exchanged from one person to the next. If I see a company striving to do their best, I am going to reward them with my support and money as a customer no matter what country they happen to be in.
For example, I did not care for some of the gay men’s clothing companies of the United States. Their focus seems to be on selling sex alongside their clothing. Now that I have a boyfriend, I want to be faithful to him. Part of that is not going around and see all of these other guys and I would also include ads as well. I found a company that I like called 2wink Australia that produces underwear and swimwear for men. The focus is not on sex and they seem to have a strong, successful product. I have been waiting to purchase when I got the money and put an order in today for a couple of pairs of underwear. Hopefully I will be able to review the product and continue to promote a solid company. With less than 16,000 likes on Facebook, they have not come to their full potential but are moving in the right direction. If you have had any contact with 2wink Australia before, feel free to share your thoughts. If you are a guy who is interested in buying some underwear or swimsuits, please check them out and give them a chance. In looking for any posts about 2wink Australia, there was only one that I saw. As a customer, I have no problem spreading the word when it comes to a company that does business right and has a product that is everything it says it is. For more information: http://www.2wink.com.au/
I wish there was a easier way to keep companies accountable for the choices they make. As a customer, we have the power in choosing what companies succeed and what companies fail. We vote by how we spend our money. Let us reward those who work hard and give a nudge to others that they need to get back on track.
Two things that I hugely dislike about where I work is that they are not honest with their customers about their product. There are two candles stores: The main store which has the best quality of candles and the Outlet which has a lesser quality of candles. The company has decided to rename the Outlet candles a different name than the Main Store candles when they are the same wax and fragrance. The only difference is the quality. They want customers to assume it is a different candle and buy it. Also, when we change what fragrance of candle we are running, we put 12 “color change jars” through the machine. This gets all of the wax from the previous fragrance out of the machine and makes sure the next fragrance is ready to pour. They have decided to sell the “color change jars” in the Outlet as regular candles when they are not regular candles. They are a mixture of two fragrances. Also there are specific wicks that work best with each fragrance so the candles burn the best they can. The “color change jars” just have a wick in them. What wick the color change jars have does not matter though the regular candles do causing the candle to be sub-par from the regular candles. If a customer knew this was going on, they would not buy those candles but it happens. The company allows it to happen so that they can sell more product though the quality is way less than it should be.
I am appalled at what people will do to get more money and we need to be real and honest with people. When it comes to products and services, lying only hurts the company and its customers.
Many people just buy the product that are most easily available. I do not judge for that. It is convenient and it works. I just take buying products to the next level and ask myself and others if a specific company and product is ethical. It helps me make a more educated decision and further makes a difference in the world.
-Josh
Gay Everyday 