Businesses... Stop pestering your customers for charity donations!

Call me evil, I've been called that a lot lately but I'm getting a bit fed up with being hassled for donations at every business I visit.  It's bad enough I have to deal with the panhandlers outside the store so it's even more annoying to deal with it inside the store.

Look, I have no problem with businesses partnering with charitable causes and even having a collection bin but to use your employee's time to bark for the charity is a bit much.

I was at a Walgreens the other day picking up some discounted post Easter candy when the cashier asked if I'd like to donate to the charity red nose whatever.  I said not today and handed her some cash.  What annoyed me greatly was when she started to hand me my change, she held it back and asked if I'd like to donate the change.  Not acceptable.  No means no.  She pretty much was trying to guilt trip me into donating which makes me even less likely to donate.

When I do donate, it's something I want to do.  Many places like grocery stores have donation tags by the register.  It's bsically like a coupon with a barcode and you choose $1, $3 or $5 and you hand it to the cashier.  I like this type of donating much better than the cashier taking time away from their job to plug the charity.

Many restaurants do annual charity giveaways like Ben & Jerry's recently did.  In celebration of National Ice Cream Day, they gave away free cones, well, technically small scoops in a cup and each location teamed up with a local charity.  While there were ambassadors pitching the cause and buckets inside for donations, they weren't overly pushy so I'm cool with that.  It's not like they shamed anyone for not donating.  I didn't feel like I HAD to and I honestly didnt have anything to spare at the moment.  I was more concerned with the coneless ice cream cone.

Ultimately, my feeling with businesses and charities is that it should be transparent.  I honestly don't think the customers need to be hassled when they're already patronizing the store and under the assumption that the business donates goods, services or money to charitable causes.  It seems like overkill to ask your customers for more.

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