What are the chances of a boycott putting Hobby Lobby out of business?

[warrior1]

Do we have the numbers on our side?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. If folks can get as organized as the 'FlushRush' people, maybe.

But you'd probably need a lot of boots on the ground protests outside Hobby Lobby stores. I'm guessing women are the primary customers of Hobby Lobby, so that's a plus at least.

[RKP5637]

2. One would need a cross-sectional analysis of who goes there. If it's predominately the

faithful, it might well make no difference, a boycott would be ineffective. The ones I've been in always seemed rather empty and I was amazed at the junk they sell.

[winter is coming]

25. I used to shop there, as it's much closer than anyplace else.

I'd be amazed if it's predominantly the faithful. If you've been there, you know that there's some religious crafty stuff there (i.e., the foamies include crosses), but it's not like stepping in to a Christian book store. They may be closed on Sundays (I don't remember), but other than that, the only hint that it's a "religious" business would be if you recognized some of the mangled hymns on the Muzak.

As for who I've seen there... women. Lots of women. All ages, from moms with babies and toddlers to grandmas. I'd guess the median age of their clientele is probably between 35 and 40. A lot of the women seemed to be buying stuff for parties (plates, cups, etc.) or really godawful "home decor".

I don't know if a boycott could put them out of business but yes, it could hurt.

[QED]

34. There was a story a while back about someone trying to find Hanukkah merchandise at HL

"The Hobby Lobby Hanukkah controversy began when Berwitz learned that on a recent shopping trip his wife’s friends could not find anything related to Hanukkah at their local Hobby Lobby store in Marlboro, N.J., though it was stocked with Christmas items.

According to Berwitz, one of the women asked about bar mitzvah cards, and a Hobby Lobby salesperson replied: “We don’t cater to you people.” "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/02/hobby-lobby-jewish-boycott-steve-green_n_4032295.html

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. i would say pretty close to zero

i am reminded of the boycott and protests of chick-fil-a...

sP

[Not Me]

8. The Chik-Fil-A impact (I believe) was worse than they would like you to believe

And it has branded them, in a movement that has been progressing by leaps and bounds.
There are a LOT of people who they will never get back, even as they try to soften their approach.
The same may happen with Hobby Lobby.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

16. they were already branded as a company run by a religious lot

and many people were already NOT eating there because of it. every chick-fil-a i go past during meal times is always packed so i would say there was little to no effect on them (though we would have to see sales numbers to really know).

i don't know if hobby lobby was known to be run by the religious sorts... only time will tell.

sP

[GoCubsGo]

41. It's fairly obvious that they're run by religious sorts.

The sign below is at the entrance to every store. They also pipe religious music through the sound system, and have huge sections of decorative Christian torture devices (crosses.) They don't really try to hide it.

[onenote]

50. The fact is that Chick-Fil-A has continued to grow at a record pace

In 2011, its revenues were $4.0 billion, up from $3.5 billion the year before, despite the publication of reports about the company's anti-gay stance in January 2011.
A year later, despite the controversy over anti-gay statements by the company's president in June, the company set a new record, with sales of $4.6 billion.
And in 2013, Chick-Fil-A topped $5 billion in sales.

[Puzzledtraveller]

56. My big brother is gay and said he liked their chicken too much to boycott them

I know my brother very well and I believe he was being sincere.

[Notafraidtoo]

57. I will never understand people like this.

Giving money to a company that in turn uses that money to keep me from having the same rights as everyone else. I think this is one of the reasons we can't have nice things. It's like saying the taste of a fried chicken sandwich is more important than freedom.

I asked a young woman one time if she would eat at a restaurant if that restaurant lobbied and spent money to keep her from voting, she told me if the food was good. Humans.

[backscatter712]

24. Chick-Fil-A did do some half-hearted public repentance.

After the teabaggers finished their howl at the moon and the long lines at Chick-Fil-A dwindled, they found that us liberals were going to hold our grudge against them for a very long time.

The teabagger counter-response was a sugar rush for their revenue that didn't last.

The hurt to Chick-Fil-A's revenue from us continuing to boycott the bastards is still being felt.

Won't put 'em out of business, but it delivers a sting. Enough that the owners are going to be far more quiet about their bigotry in the future.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

35. how do you know it's hurting them?

in 2012 they had over $4.6 billion in sales and in 2013 over $5 billion... that's about 12% growth for 2012 over 2011 (the year of the boycott) and over 8% for 2013 over 2012. given those numbers i would say they didn't even feel the boycott and may have even made more money in the backlash.

sP

[Kilgore]

39. Chick-Fil-A did not seem to feel anything from the protest.

I don't think you are correct, they were just named best chain in america, topping Chipotle, and in the midst of a massive expansion. Here is the link,

http://www.businessinsider.com/best-restaurant-chains-in-america-2014-4

Not trying to pick a fight, but with few exceptions, I have never seen boycotts achieve much.

Kilgore

[valerief]

52. but why would ANY DUer patronize Chik or HL anyway? nt

[Kilgore]

60. Got Me

However I do think its a measurement of broad public opinion, or lack of information.

You pick.

Kilgore

[hlthe2b]

4. I fear the female demographic of HL may well be a rather politically apothetic bunch..

Including quite a few Faux news watchers. Even among older women who DO care about reproductive rights, that may not mean they will bypass.

Similarly, my sister has some very educated, yet very apolitical gay friends in Atlanta who never fail to surprise in their lack of awareness with respect to overtly anti-gay businesses (e.g., chick filet) and politicos.

Apathy is a problem for a lot of groups under RETHUG attack, unfortunately.


I live in a community where Michael's, Joanne's Fabrics and HL are all within a half mile of each other. One would hope HL might be impacted, but who knows? I surely haven't stepped foot in one for years, nor would I.

[RKP5637]

11. Definitely "Apathy is a problem for a lot of groups under RETHUG attack, unfortunately." These

are the ones they feed off of, and often the faithful fulfill that need, many are too trusting and/or naive as to the power plays going on around them ... that they are being used as wedges for other goals.

[el_bryanto]

5. Most Boycotts don't succeed

But at the same time, I can certainly understand the desire not to give any more money to that particular company; which in a way is it's own success.

Bryant

[MineralMan]

6. It's hard to say. I can't boycott it, because I've never been in one.

I don't know the demographics of the typical customer. Time will tell, though, whether their typical customers stop going there. I fervently hope so. I'll be watching for the "Out of Business" signs.

[FSogol]

18. I've never even seen one. Also, my scrap-booking expenditures are much less than my

alcohol expenditures making my boycott less harmful to HL.

[nykym]

7. Bad or negative reviews

for their product online and at Amazon or any other online retailer that sells their crap.
Or if you were in a store and treated rudely. Did not receive good service and so on.
You would be amazed at how many people actually read reviews to help decide whether to buy or not.

[RKP5637]

12. I always read reviews, etc. for products, stores and services. Amazon is one source, as is

resellerratings.com and I also use Angie's list.

[Thinkingabout]

9. Though my lack of purchasing from HL will not cause them to go out of business but a bunch

of us not going to the stores will punish anyway. Even if President Obama provides a way to supply HL employees with BC I will curtail going to the stores until they change their policy. Perhaps they can evolve and realize they will not be able to win people into their religion.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. I can't boycott there

I have a specialty needle point shop I go to and a local woman I've used for years for framing my projects. I've never been in one and I certainly won't go into one now. I was shocked to learn there was one in Plainfield NJ. When I lived close by there I always bypassed it and drove down to JoAnns for my sewing projects or went to a locally owned place on Rte 22.

[madokie]

13. I suspect that Hobby Lobby

will see a noticeable loss of income going away from this. I've never been in a HL store but I did have a friend pick up something for me one time. I'll not be making that mistake again I'll assure you of that.

[Lee-Lee]

14. If people didn't boycott when they first filed the lawsuit

Why would they now?

[vi5]

26. Bingo

If they haven't seen a noticeable dip in business since this whole thing was initially filed I can't imagine the few people who didn't know about it after that (presumably the same ones who feel strongly enough to have this be an issue for them) aren't going to do so now.

[Kilgore]

40. HL Expansion plans

They announced 70 new stores in February.

There are 40 showing on their website and I drive by 4 under construction in my service region.

Considering the Chick-Fil-A boycott accomplished nothing, I expect the results will be zippo with HL too.

Kilgore

[winter is coming]

45. The SC ruling has made a much larger dent in the news cycle than filing the lawsuit did. n/t

[Lee-Lee]

46. The people who care enough to really act cared enough to know

When he lawsuit was filed.

[winter is coming]

55. I admire your psychic powers. n/t

[warrior1]

15. Well then

I guess we can only hope that denying women this specific health care well have a chilling effect on it's business until it's not in one anymore.

I've never shopped there before and had never heard of one until this case. We had one store open up near the local mall. That area is like a dead zone even though a major freeway and of course the mall is right there. I lot of well known business have gone belly up.

I wish this to be the fate of this cursed business.

[JustAnotherGen]

17. There's another business this could have a chilling effect on

The Pharmaceutical industry. Pulling a list together this morning of those in my district and what they manufacture.

[HooptieWagon]

19. Probably not.

Just a guess, but their customers are probably mostly older women who vote republican. Some stores in blue areas might be forced to close, but overall a boycott won't have a big effect imo.

[bettyellen]

20. I haven't seen so many pissed off women outside of DU- all creative.

[6000eliot]

21. I would guess that the chances of doing serious harm to Eden Foods are much better.

[The Blue Flower]

22. New one soon to open in Seattle

It's on N. Aurora (hwy 99). It would be good to get folks in this liberal area to stay away.

[wandy]

23. Try not thinking of a boycott as putting them out of buisness..........

Try thinking of this as not doing business with someone you can not in good faith agree with.
Try thinking of this as not giving money to someone you find reprehensible.

When others ask why you avoid Hobby Lobby don't call it as boycott, explain why you no longer deal with them.
Remember that part of this is about you. If you disagree with a business you deserve the self respect to not give them money.

[winter is coming]

28. +1. I never say "boycott". I say, "I don't shop there anymore, because..." n/t

[Jimbo S]

53. "I don't support their business model"

When asked, tell them to follow the money trail.

[Warpy]

27. They will become more regionalized

I don't see the sweet flower of womanhood in the deep south going anywhere else for their scrapbooking supplies.

Yes, I'm sneering.

[GoCubsGo]

43. I see them making a point to shop there.

It'll be just like the Chik-Fil-A fiasco. The wingnuts here went out of there way to eat there, thinking that they were spiting liberals in doing so.

[Bandit]

29. It really doesn't matter if they go out of business, just that they don't have your business

There are many companies I refuse to do business with. Walmart being one of them. I know lacking my business will not putt a dent in their bottom line but it makes me feel better. At least I know my money will not be going to Republican causes if I can avoid it. I know there are companies that are owned or run by Republicans that I utilize, but I am unable to name them because they keep that information from the public. Any company that wants to advertise their political leanings will more than likely lose some business. I am one of those people that pay attention who I do business with.

[CK_John]

30. Zero. But...It will fail as a business because of its non use of barcodes and technology..

It's a dead business walking looking for a buyout by a rich buyer, maybe Mitt or Mel Gibson.

[NM_Birder]

31. do you know anybody who shops there, that will stop ?

[karynnj]

32. Depends on many things that are not easy to know

1) How many people angered by the decision currently buy their products?
2) Can most find a reasonably comparable alternative place to buy stuff without significant difficulty?
3) Of the people who buy there and are against the decision, is it a big enough deal for them to make the change?

I think the only way to know is for someone to start the effort on various liberal blogs. It will likely be harder than targeting Rush Limbaugh because he was targeted via his advertisers - all of whom did not want the negative publicity and the potential loss of business. (RL's "customers" are not just his listeners, but the advertisers who pay.) With HL, the only way they will be affected is if people, who have currently chosen to buy there, stop doing so - likely at some inconvenience to themselves.

I don't see any viable way to assess beforehand the success by asking DUers whether they buy there. I doubt anyone will post that they do buy things there and will still do so. Another question is where are the majority of their stores?

[old guy]

33. We will never know the real effect anyway.

How many Catholic church sermons are going to tell the congregation to support these people?

[LWolf]

36. Who shops there?

I'd never even heard of Hobby Lobby before this, let alone shopped at one. If they've got them in the west, I didn't know. I very rarely do that kind of shopping, anyway. So I can boycott with a fierce passion and have no impact what so ever.

Who shops there? That's the key.

[ALBliberal]

37. Big HL shoppers here in Albuquerque

Me my daughters my sister nieces. We shop there ALL the time for sports spirit raisers or scrapbooking material fabric ribbon Christmas decorating. NO MORE. A bunch of angry women here.

[KamaAina]

38. Slim to none

but we could dig pretty deeply into their bottom line. That's the only way to make them feel the pain.

[davidpdx]

49. +1

[cyberswede]

44. I'll go to Michael's for craft stuff for the kids...

but I'll miss HL's reasonably-priced dollhouse miniatures. My 11 y.o. has a huge dollhouse she needs to fill up. *grump*

[Brisk]

47. Statistically insignificant...

[bobGandolf]

48. I'm willing to try. N/T

[katmondoo]

51. I just ordered a Ruth Bader Ginsburg T-Shirt

Maybe I will parade it around Hobby Lobby

[Puzzledtraveller]

54. no

to having the numbers

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

58. I bet Hobby Lobby will leave RI and Mass soon.

They just started popping up here. But Michael's and AC Moore are the stores most artisans go to.

[dembotoz]

59. really does not matter--but i set an example for my family and friends

my kids know and understand that i stand for various things.

that various things are important to me.

sometimes they take a similar stand

makes me proud

at the very least it makes them think and that is a good thing

[badtoworse]

61. The short answer is no.

At least 40% of the population doesn't know what's going and 25% would shop at Hobby Lobby just to thwart the boycott.