Today in Hate: TOMS shoes
TOMS Shoes
First of all, let's get one thing straight: TOMS shoes are manufactured in China.
Now, let's review: TOMS thinks you should spend $44+ on a pair of shoes so that, along with your purchase, they can give a pair of shoes to a barefoot child in another country. They think you should spend $44+ on a pair of shoes that cost less than $1 to manufacture (in a police state by slave labor), so that they can give another pair of $1 shoes to a child. I'm no math whiz, but the way I see it they're making $42 in this deal. Or, you know, 42 pairs of shoes.
I have another idea: if you want a shoddy pair of cloth shoes that was made in China, why don't you buy a pair at your local dollar store? That leaves you $43 to invest at Kiva, where you might actually make a difference to a struggling family overseas.
You are awesome. That is all.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. I've never liked the 'buy this and we donate to a cause' gimmick.
ReplyDeleteLove love love you for this post.
ReplyDeletei almost bought a pair last week but they made my foot look impossibly chubbo. i should have known there were dastardly forces at work. my foot is not, i repeat not that chubbo.
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Anon, looks are reason enough not to buy them.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you for saying this... I also apply it to mass produced furniture and overly priced electronics... and so on.
ReplyDeleteHah! You had the balls to say what I was only thinking.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Also- how about helping the needy in our OWN country first? There are plenty of shoeless people living in the US.
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