What would make you stop/start patronizing a business?

[AlexMack]

For the record-never use Geek Squad and never get a warranty at Best Buy. Both are total ripoffs.
There's a really popular coffee shop in my college's town called Rao's. Ever since I found out that it's run by communists (seriously) and they don't serve fair trade coffee there I've refused to give them any of my money.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by centaur532

There's a really popular coffee shop in my college's town called Rao's. Ever since I found out that it's run by communists (seriously) and they don't serve fair trade coffee there I've refused to give them any of my money.

So what's their deal? You would think that if you were Communist, unless you could get coffee grown in Cuba, maybe, the next best thing would be coffee grown in such a manner to benefit small scale growers and the rights of workers, such as they are in the coffee industry. Are they so anti-trade that they consider any regulation somehow worse because it makes revolution less likely? Are they simply hypocrites?

[SWTXBelle]

I've got to say - Best Buy has gone above and beyond for me. I took in my t.v. (under their warranty) and, when they couldn't get the part, I got a brand new television to replace the old one. No hassle at all.

[AGDee]

Oh yeah, there's a Chevy dearlership near me that I won't use for service (although I did buy a car there, but I needed one THAT DAY and had to go to the place that I could walk to). They told me I needed a new engine to the tune of $5400 on a car whose Blue Book value was $2000. Uhh sure, right. I took the car somewhere else where they fixed it for $450. It lasted me two more years and then the engine died. I definitely hadn't needed a new engine two years prior. Also, the second place said the PCV unit was SMASHED, as if someone put it in wrong or dropped something on it.

[honeychile]

The year my mother had two heart attacks & four surgeries in one month, she had purchased 6 computers (along with printers, faxes, etc) from Best Buy, so she bought their "frequent user" card (I forget what they call it). While we were worried if she would live or die, Best Buy sent her over $200 in coupons to use by the end of the month.

Once she was better - about 5 days after the expiration date - I called Best Buy and explained the situation and asked if she could use the coupons, either at the store or online. They said no. I again explained that, it would have been terribly hard for her to unhook all of her monitors to go to the store to use the coupons, and they still refused. The kicker was when the representative said, "Hey, we've had guys come back from Iraq, and we wouldn't honor their coupons, either!"

I told them that their policy was nothing to brag about, and since then, have done anything in my power to NOT patronize Best Buy.

Besides, jwright25 insinuated, if we only patronize the big stores, there will come a time when we won't have a choice about where we want to buy something!

[SWTXBelle]

My Best Buy manager may just be a cut above the rest - I've heard so many stories about other stores, but really, mine has been great.
If I had an alternative here in the middle of nowhere, I'd use it. I've written a couple of columns about the need to support local businesses. And I hate the "strip malling" of America! ARrrggggghhhhh.