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Donate not destroy
The summer of my freshman year, I worked as a camp counsellor for a tricky group of 4-5 year olds. I lasted there two weeks. The Boston sun became to harsh and the kids, a wee bit annoying. (There’s a limit to how many WHY questions I could take in 8 hours)
So I found work at a lovely air-conditioned bookstore. My first foray into retail America. I figured since I loved reading, I would use the employee discount to its fullest and the bookstore I worked for had a great book-lending scheme that allowed its employees to borrow a book a week. Within a week though, I was disgusted. Selling books is noble, but what happens behind the doors is far from it.
Books and magazines that don’t make it past the cashier’s desk — are torn apart and trashed. YES. Not donated to orphanages, not given away to libraries, but torn apart and shredded in the back-rooms of these bookstores.
Even the employee’s aren’t allowed to take the books home. I wrote a letter to the headquarters suggesting instead of destroying these books, maybe they should be donated. I never got a reply. I continuted to work there throughout the summer and once school started, I forgot all about it.
Then last year, after graduating I took up a job at a national beauty chain and noticed the same procedure here as well. Stuff that was damaged, even slightly (torn label, mismatched covers) was discarded. Thrown away. Even the employees werent allowed to take the stuff home. I don’t know what they did with their unsold inventories– probably put it in sales, but I do know there are several retailer’s that destroy unsold goods. Some do it infront of their customers.
Like this particular retailer. You tell me - what is the point of this rarefied brand image when honestly, all it iinvokes is disgust. Frankly, I would have far more respect for a brand that donated its unsold merchandise instead of destroying it or thrashing it. There’s already too much clutter out there to add even more in the name of protecting the brand image.
Maybe I should embark on my old crusade again. Any supporters?
Discussion
8 comments for “Donate not destroy”
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Donate not destroy
Why would you destroy unsold goods, asks Jinal after she stumbled upon the horrible truth after working at two retailers. You could donate them instead; good will is that inexpensive.
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The books and magazines go back to the publishers to be recycled. While beauty products are often sold to discount stores in bulk and even exported to third world countries.
The same way America buries millions of tonnes of the corn it grows - nearly half, every year rather than donating it to starving countries. It upsets the delicate economic balance of the world if supply matches, or God forbid! exceeds demand. Ridiculous.
There are so many poor people in the world. It is really disgusting to see those high priced, even over priced items being thrown away.
And throwing books, well that is really a no no!!!
Someone not too long ago did that in Germany - burning books.
Who has the right to destroy someone’s writing.
Make up - well that is power and I am sure for a 1/5 of a pint we acutally pay 1000 times more so they are most likely not losing anymoney. Throwing away stuff is just the rich world thinking there is abundence for everything…
what will they throw away next??
OK , the post gets your outrage out of the syatem. Now put on your thinking cap. Why do you think all these different stores trash the lefover/damaged/unsalable goods instead of donating them. Maybe there is an economic , or dare i say , moral reason .
Sam- Is that a suggestion or a statement?
Aranyi - Oh well.
Michali - Yes. you are right. And its not really about destroying someone’s writing. Imagine this - if one bookstore destroys an average of 500 books a month, thats 50 stores destorying 25,000 books a month. Imagine that stat nationwide.
Sunil - You tell me. Do you see an economic or a moral reason behind this? They do this to protect the brand value. Did you go to the Fast Company link in this article? They destroy the items because otherwise, the brand will lose its potency if its customers see its good being distributed freely elsewhere.
About the damaged goods - I am willing to consider your argument. But the number of unsold goods far exceeds the number of damaged goods in retail america.
Then why did they create outlets?
If I recall correctly, the outlets used to have half price or lower prices for goods that did not meet up to the standard. You could by bra and pantyhose that did not come out the exact color as the manufacturer wanted.
I think destroying valuable goods is bad.
And destroying book is much much worse.
And donation is a good thing. When we don’t some old clothes, we donate them, to charity, to poor people , put them somewhere where people who want them can get them for free. Donation is good, it is moral, it is humane.
BTW,
I saw that you have an account in RawSugar.
THey have this new cool feature where you can sync your blog.
Just provide the rss feed and all your posts are going to be searchable in Rawsugar.
I did that with my blog it is really cool.