Using Your Wallet for Change: The Power of "Buycotts"

Every day, our spending choices offer powerful tools for social change. While boycotts can be important for protesting practices seen as unethical, focusing on supporting businesses that align with your values—using buycotts—can be a more powerful and sustainable approach.

A boycott is an organized refusal to buy from a company to protest objectionable practices. It's a negative pressure tactic designed to punish businesses by hurting their sales or reputation, forcing them to change. Successful boycotts, like the Stop Hate for Profit campaign against Facebook ads or the Bud Light boycott, can draw attention and significantly impact sales or policies, at least temporarily. However, boycotts can face challenges: they might fizzle out, and in today's polarized environment, a boycott can even trigger a counter-“buycott” by opponents of the boycott, neutralizing the economic impact. The Goya Foods boycott in 2020 saw sales surge briefly due to a counter-movement of supporters deliberately buying products.

In contrast, a buycott is the opposite: intentionally purchasing from companies that align with your values. It’s a form of positive reinforcement, designed to reward good practices and uplift businesses. While boycotts send a message of disapproval, buycotts send a message of approval and solidarity. Buycotts are about actively building the kind of world people want to see.

Focusing on buycotts can be particularly powerful because they provide a boon to businesses that might otherwise struggle, increasing their sales and visibility. This infusion of support helps businesses grow and encourages new startups, especially for diverse entrepreneurs.

To shop in alignment with your values, the sources suggest a conscious approach:

1. Identify what values you DO want to invest in with your spending.
2. Decide WHERE you want to invest, specifically seeking out businesses that reflect those values. The sources highlight supporting:
   • Local & Independent Businesses
   • Sustainable & Ethical Brands
   • Businesses owned by underrepresented groups, including Women-Owned, BIPOC-Owned, LGBTQ+-Owned, and Veteran-Owned Businesses. Buycotts in support of Black-owned businesses after 2020, LGBTQ+ friendly brands, and eco-conscious companies are recent examples.
   • Employee-Owned Companies that share ownership with workers.

Numerous resources exist to help you find these businesses, such as:

• Certified B Corp Directory - To Support Certified B Corporations
• Certified Employee-Owned Directory - To Support Employee-Owned Businesses
• Buy Black - To Support Black-Owned Businesses
• Karmalize - To Support Diverse Local Businesses
• Intentionalist - To Support Diverse Local Businesses

In conclusion, both boycotts and buycotts empower consumers to use their spending intentionally. However, by focusing your energy on buycotting—deliberately choosing to support companies doing good—you actively participate in building the world you want to see, funneling resources to align with your morals and driving positive change in the market. Remember: Every purchase is a vote.