Posted on 12/19/2004 7:06:27 AM PST by madprof98
The parking lots in front of Target stores are quieter this Christmas season.
Absent is the pealing of Salvation Army bells and the pitter-patter of some former customers who may have crossed the retailer off their shopping lists for banning the bell-ringers.
Target announced in January that it would extend a long-standing policy prohibiting solicitors from standing outside its stores to the Salvation Army's volunteers and their signature red kettles. But the decision got widespread attention only recently, as the Christian charity publicized the ban and criticism against the retailer mounted.
On Thursday, Target rival Wal-Mart added a jab. The world's No. 1 retailer touted its willingness to welcome the kettles by agreeing to match all customer contributions to the Salvation Army through Christmas Eve, up to $1 million.
A fine kettle of fish Target now finds itself in. The company name has been turned against it as mostly Christian-rooted groups such as the American Family Association have targeted the chain for criticism and encouraged followers to buy their gifts elsewhere.
Target, which wouldn't comment for this story, has said it opted for blanket enforcement of its non-solicitation policy at its 1,300 stores when other organizations sought the same privileges as the Salvation Army. The retailer emphasizes its charitable record. Target donates about 5 percent of its pretax profits --- more than $100 million a year --- to charities, including the Salvation Army.
There are signs that Target is feeling repercussions for banning the kettles.
America's Research Group, a shopping-behavior tracker and marketing firm in Charleston, S.C., phoned 800 households nationwide and determined that Target was the only major retailer with fewer customers last weekend compared with the same holiday-shopping weekend in 2003.
The survey indicated 55 percent of U.S. consumers visited stores over the weekend, with 12 percent patronizing Target. A year ago, 43 percent went shopping, and 30 percent of those shoppers included Target in their rounds.
"That's a significant decline," said ARG Chairman Britt Beemer, who noted 16 interviewees offered without prompting that they avoided Target. "There is getting to be a significant amount of backlash."
'I wouldn't picket'
Some local shoppers said they disagree with the ban, but it didn't keep them out of Target stores.
"It's pretty crappy of [Target]," said Mindy Thompson of Snellville, who was shopping at the retailer's store on North Druid Hills Road, "but I wouldn't picket over it."
Chris Davidson of Chamblee accepts the chain's explanation for shooing off the kettles. "If it's their policy, and they are going to enforce it for everybody else, it should be enforced [for Salvation Army]," she said. "There's plenty of other places for them to go."
The Salvation Army says poor children and their families, for whom the bells toll, are being hurt by Target's decision.
The charity won't match the $93 million it took in last year, said Maj. George Hood, a national spokesman for Salvation Army. He attributes most of the decline to Target, where the Salvation Army collected about $9 million last holiday season.
In metro Atlanta, coins, bills and checks dropped into crimson containers at Target entrances last year made up 28 percent of the $860,000 the Salvation Army amassed at 25 locations.
Through Thursday, metro area volunteers had hauled in $596,000 toward the Salvation Army's $1 million goal. That is similar to the amount that had been collected at this time last year, but the organization's metro area goal was lower --- $900,000.
Still, Maj. George Hoosier, general secretary for the Salvation Army's Georgia chapter, said Target's silencing of the bells "has put us in a bind."
Meanwhile, other seasonal charities are thriving. Toys For Tots, for example, is reporting record highs for corporate donations.
The Salvation Army's Cobb County wing got some relief Tuesday when guests at U.S. Sen.-elect Johnny Isakson's Christmas gala kicked in $9,601.
"I just can't understand how people standing out front [of the stores] to raise money for those in need --- why they would not allow that," Isakson said during an interview at the event in the Cobb Galleria.
Criticism harsh
Target has risen to lightning-rod status for some Americans angry at the state of year-end commercialism, said Atlanta marketing strategist Jim Neal.
"This has been unfair," said Neal, of Kurt Salmon Associates. "[Target is] taking the hit from the Christmas crabbies."
Target is not the only high-profile chain that forbids sidewalk solicitations. The Salvation Army is verboten at Home Depot, Toys "R" Us and Kroger, though Hoosier said some of those retailers provide aid or assistance directly.
Even Wal-Mart limits the organization's bell-ringing to 14 days.
Target did not anticipate such harsh reaction, said Laura Rowley, author of the book "On Target: How the World's Hottest Retailer Hit a Bull's-Eye."
"I think they made a big mistake," said Rowley, who teaches a course on contemporary moral values at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. "I understand where they are coming from, but they completely underestimated the significance of the Salvation Army. It's not just another charity. It reminds people of Christmas. To them, this takes away the spirit of Christmas."
Target has not said whether it would amend the prohibition next year.
"I would if I were them," said Beemer, the researcher. "What Target is doing may satisfy a very small group that might complain, but there is a much larger group that is mad about it."
Neal would urge Target to weather the barrage. "Their reasons are valid," said the consultant, who maintains Target's tepid holiday revenue is a reflection of a widespread shopping malaise. "They should stay the course."
--- Staff writer Craig Schneider contributed to this article.
maybe, just maybe target thinks there is enough gays and libs to support their sales. Earth to Mars, Hello!???
And often the Red Cross help is really a 'loan'.
The Salvation Army gives with no strings.
One of the very few true charities.
I've finished my Christmas shopping, and I don't particularly like Wally World, but I' going to make a trip to WalMart in a few minutes just to drop some money in the kettle.
During the election season and leading up to Christmas, I must have received 200 plus requests for money. When I go to the movies or out to eat, even some fast food places, there are people outside who make begging their life's work. Some of them have been well documented to have decent homes. This is just what they have chosen to do for a living, and it's tax free.
I don't begrudge anyone who's down on their luck temporarily, or suffering from a long term disease or other bonified maledy, from asking for a hand up. It just bothers me that so many people these days abuse the generosity and humanity of others.
Like you, I salute the Salvation Army. I think they do a good job, and I am glad to hear they were there for you and others.
I hope things are going well for you now.
Over the last few years I have quit donating to the United Way because they too give way to much money to organizations I do not care for. For me the United Way has become the Politically Correct arm of the extremely liberal left.
"Until I read the above I was sympathetic to those who decided to stay away. Now, I think it is a witch-hunt, that Target is the victim of unfair PR, and that the Salvation Army itself is being very heavy-handed in laying the blame solely at the doorstep of Target."
I reacted the same way when I first read the story. Then I realized that, nevertheless, Target has folded to the demands of the politically correct and Christians should make a real statement in support of the Salvation Army. As Christians shrink to calls of "Happy Holidays," I applaud the Salvation for standing up and being heavy handed.
I agree. I think there's no doubt which community Target chose to support -- to their everlasting shame. For example:
ACTION ALERTS
1. www.turnyourbackonbush.org
2. Boycott Giant Food. (Updated: And Safeway too!) They are letting Salvation Army ring their bells and collect money in their red kettles and have yet to address the Salvation Army's discriminatory policies towards the GLBT Community. Doesn't Giant Food ~AND~ Safeway have a non-discriminatory workplace policies that this violates the rights of any of their GLBT employees? Hello...? All it takes is just one employee to sue!
Please shop at stores that do not support the Salvation Army and in turn, violates the rights of their employees.
Salvation Scrooge: Annual Salvation Army red kettle campaign protested by PFLAG, dumped by Target
(Southern Voice)
3. Shop at TARGET! KUDOS to Target for taking a stand against the Salvation Army by refusing them permission to ring their bells and take your money which advances the discrimination against GLBT people.
Please boycott:
Levi's Jeans & Dockers
Target
Best Buy
Home Depot
Give to Boy Scouts of America and Salvation Army
https://secure4.salvationarmy.org/donations.nsf/donate?openform&projectid=USN-USN_redshield
In trying to be politically correct and "fair" to everybody, all they did was create a public relations disaster.
I just told my wife the same thing. Doesn't seem too Christian like to me. Is there a site that shows what groups and how much of that $100,000,000.00 pie is distributed?
Before jumping ship do some investigation as to where there donations are going and what they call charity.
You might be surprised at who collects the majority of their donated money. Their donations are probably just as politically correct as their judgment about the Salvation Army Kettle ringers.
Thanks for the info. Actually, I quit buying Levi's about 15 years ago, when they canned the Scouts. I quit buying at Best Buy because of their shoddy business practices, I didn't like Target anyway, and Home Depot is on the list now. I prefer Lowe's, but have stopped by Home Depot before. Won't anymore.
The limited amount that I am able to give goes to only two place - my local parish church (because of my trust in the wise stewardship of my pastor) and the Salvation Army. In both cases, I know that they know what to do with the money in the furtherance of The Lord's work.
Wal-Mart vs. Target? First, I'm a divorced single guy who hates to shop ANYWHERE, but I especially hate 40 acre stores since, when I do go to a store, I go there to get things I need - not to get exercise. And, yes, that does also mean that Lowe's and Home Depot are not on my list of favorites either.
Wal-Mart, however, has made a brilliant tactical move in their promise of dollar-for-dollar matching of whatever funds the Salvation Army collects in front of their stores. They could further their PR advantage immeasurably if, at the close of the Christmas season, they ask the S.A. how far short they came of their goal because of Target and, very publicly, made up the difference. The value of that kind of move would far exceed all the ads in the Sunday newspaper supplements across the country for a month.
Merry Christmas to Our Troops
I would respectfully look at the whole picture before making a judgment on this, there was a representative from target on the radio here in central New Jersey, and the reason why they did this is because they were being sued for the possibility of thing sued by a "nonreligious" group that wanted equal access to soliciting donations, and I guess they just reach their point where they were just saying no to everybody, not saying it was the smartest way to handle the situation but it's what they did.
Because of Targets decision, I have enforced my non-shopping policy at all of its 1300 antichristian/anti-charity stores.
Looks like Target picked the wrong week to give up bell-ringers.
"The answer to those who object to the Salvation Army being permitted to ring their bells outside the door should have been 'the ban doesn't include the Salvation Army because they were Grandfathered, we can't exclude them.'"
exactly. I don't normally give charitable donations to anyone but my church, where I know exactly what they go for, but I've been making an exception for Salvation Army for many years, when I had change to spare. I'm making a special point of it this year, too.
It was years ago when I read an article about the big business of charities but i doubt much as changed. It talked about the tremendous salaries made by officials at the United Way, the Red Cross (remember Elizabeth Dole?) and other big charities, and this was even before the Aramony scandal hit. The only exception was the director of the Salvation Army, who received a small salary, paid housing and a company car. I've directed my gifts to the SA ever since
The salvation army is not the one running a boycott, the people are. Salvation army is hurt more by target than the other stores mentioned in the article and Target has publicly announced their ban whereas the other stores haven't. Target is not some poor store being victimized here, also if you don't want to boycott, don't, no one is forcing you to join in and if you feel really sorry for Target, then please go spend all your money there and help them out. As for me I won't be shopping there or at any other store that bans Salvation Army. I am grateful for this article naming these other stores so I now know who to include in my boycott. Salvation army is the best charity in the US as far as distributing the money to the people who need it.
You want a web site? Do a google for yourself and find all you need, don't expect someone else to do your research for you.
There should be a govt site that tells us exactly what they have donated.
Anyone know?
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