The extreme UNWISDOM of using retail to push culture

[MarathonMike]

The for sure underestimated the amount of hate in this country for gay people.

I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by it as well.

Gay is not Trans. My understanding of "tuck friendly" is that it's clothing designed for trans men and they specifically had a children's section which is what sparked the backlash.

 

[Donald H]

Right about now Target probably wishes they never even heard of the word Pride. Was it really a business decision to make a push in the public's face to sell products which were already available there and being sold there but now were being super promoted beyond what was necessary? Or....was it some kind of socio-political pressure that made them appear to become proselytizers of the Alternate lifestyle church? Not smart....people don't like being told what to do, what to like, what to believe.....especially when they show up with their wallets to get what they need from a place they like to shop at. Shopping for your needs is a vital activity that people like to do in peace, on their own, unmolested ( pun intended) and independently. Take that away from them and they will simply disappear. Not a very good sequence of events for a retail dependent organization where foot traffic is god. Having made the initial blunder they suffered pushback and the loss of billions in company value.....even worse....now trying to correct the initial blunder they have placed themselves squarely in the middle of a culture war with no allies at all....none. Retail is about foot traffic and customer base....that's all it should ever be about....beyond that you are simply in the wrong business.

Hey Target...next time you get the bright idea to become a spokesman for a cause check with you stockholders first.....cuz if you don't ......you're going to have to check with them later.

JO

You're missing something JO, the stockholders would have moved their money proactively. Did you think they were having a nap when the decision was made?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Gay is not Trans. My understanding of "tuck friendly" is that it's clothing designed for trans men and they specifically had a children's section which is what sparked the backlash.

Actually, they did not have a kids section, that was fake news. Not that it matters, it was just an excuse

NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

Social media users shared a range of false claims this week. Here are the facts: Target isn't selling “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for children, contrary to widespread claims. A popular video at a Florida middle school shows books being removed as part of a routine process amid a library renovation...

apnews.com

 

[BlueGin]

If you do not want your kid to have a rainbow shirt, do not buy them one. Kids cannot by anything without their parents.

Why do you care if someone else wants a rainbow shirt for their kids?

People can buy what they want. Target decided to be obxoxious and place huge pride banners and displays front and center in the children’s department so that people couldn’t avoid it. They knew they were going to get backlash and did it anyway. Now they can Foff.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

People can buy what they want. Target decided to be obxoxious and place huge pride banners and displays front and center in the children’s department so that people couldn’t avoid it. They knew they were going to get backlash and did it anyway. Now they can Foff.

Did you take pics of it when you were there?

 

[AZrailwhale]

The for sure underestimated the amount of hate in this country for gay people.

I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by it as well.

There is no hate for gay people. It's simple backlash against having things rammed down customer's throats.

 

[BlueGin]

I don't think anyone does care......what they care about is having their routine shopping rhythms intruded upon.....I'm telling you it's really that simple. It's like having your favorite pic-nic spot invaded by a group of thugs playing 1000 watt car stereo speakers with Metallica all day long. You go find another spot....

Exactly. The in your face pride promotion tranny activism gets old. Just like the gender ideology/equity crap in commercials and entertainment.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

There is no hate for gay people. It's simple backlash against having things rammed down customer's throats.

So in a few weeks when they a go all red, white and blue for the 4th, you will be whining about that being rammed down customers throats?

 

[BlueGin]

Did you take pics of it when you were there?

Plenty of video footage online.

 

[MisterBeale]

So in a few weeks when they a go all red, white and blue for the 4th, you will be whining about that being rammed down customers throats?

False equivalence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[AZrailwhale]

You're missing something JO, the stockholders would have moved their money proactively. Did you think they were having a nap when the decision was made?

I don't know how corporations operate in Canada, but in the USA, stockholders don't have input in the operation of the corporation. The closest they come is in the once-a-year elections of corporate officers.

 

[martybegan]

So in a few weeks when they a go all red, white and blue for the 4th, you will be whining about that being rammed down customers throats?

Actually it would be more like making everyone go to a specific church, mosque, or synagogue and worship as directed.

 

[AZrailwhale]

So in a few weeks when they a go all red, white and blue for the 4th, you will be whining about that being rammed down customers throats?

I wouldn't because I believe in the USA. If someone is offended, they are free to spend their money in a retailer who agrees with them. It's a very old tradition called "voting with your wallet".

 

[justoffal]

People can buy what they want. Target decided to be obxoxious and place huge pride banners and displays front and center in the children’s department so that people couldn’t avoid it. They knew they were going to get backlash and did it anyway. Now they can Foff.

I don't know about anyone else but I do know that I form an impression of a place especially a retail outlet within the first 10 steps of being inside the front door.

Store management has an absolute duty to the stockholders and the company to make sure the front of the store is as widely welcoming as possible and should never seek to paint it with a narrow theme. This has nothing to do with culture It's business 101.

Once again one of the things that people like when they're shopping for their needs is to be relaxed, unchallenged, independent and to shop in peace. If your initial entry into the retail outlet looks noisy, chaotic and intrusive well that's just pretty stupid.

Jo

 

[MisterBeale]

Actually it would be more like making everyone go to a specific church, mosque, or synagogue and worship as directed.

I honestly don't remember the last time, Walmart and Target put out Easter decorations, which were actually religious themed. . . .

 

[justoffal]

I honestly don't remember the last time, Walmart and Target put out Easter decorations, which were actually religious themed. . . .

Exxxxxxactly.... Why work against your own sales numbers? You set up a display according to demand.
One of the biggest customers of holiday decorations are Oriental people. They're not even Christian and yet they celebrate Christmas and by Easter baskets.... If you tag a strict identity onto those items you lose the sale.

I can't imagine why anyone would do it.

Jo

 

[Calypso Jones]

The for sure underestimated the amount of hate in this country for gay people.

I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by it as well.

There is no hate for the LGBTETC sub culture. They certainly aren't experiencing any hate...The stores are facing backlash by ignoring their majority customers and supporting antichild thinking.

 

[Calypso Jones]

Did you take pics of it when you were there?

Why don't you look online...there is plenty of evidence there.

 

[Dekster]

Target likes to put a bunch of rotating cheap crap in the front to get people looking for it that seems to change every month. Pride so far as I can tell was just another reason to put low cast/high return junk there for June. Target has other problems as a retailer than this. It wasn't like they were rolling in high cotton and suddenly lost billions in value because of right-wing cancel culture. Their stock has been trending down since February and had already taken a big hit last year. They are back down to about where they were at the start of COVID.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Plenty of video footage online.

Some scary stuff, I can see why you all were so triggered...