I'm reluctant to start another coronavirus thread, but my rant doesn't seem to fit in any of the others.

It really irks me when people use something like the coronavirus panic as a marketing opportunity.

First, I get this from some family member who sells Shaklee:


A couple of days later, I got an email from my doctor's office cheerfully offering some "Total Immune" supplement package for the "discounted" price of only $128.

Today, I happened to go on LinkedIn and saw that my former employer was helpfully offering 'opportunities for those wanting to help their communities during this crisis'. Gee, if I wasn't such a cynic, I'd say those "opportunities" are the same old jobs available at Walgreens every day of the year.


I know these people aren't the same as price gougers, but don't use a crisis to market your crap or try to recruit for your sweat shop and try to pass it off as some noble public service.

It's what some people do.

You gotta avoid stepping in dog shit, or gum on a hot day, it serves you no good.

I don't see a problem with Walgreens advertising job vacancies. While you may not need a job there's 1000's of people who do, many from the restaurant industry. They may not be new or career jobs but they can tide someone over with an income until things get back to normal.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
I don't see a problem with Walgreens advertising job vacancies. While you may not need a job there's 1000's of people who do, many from the restaurant industry. They may not be new or career jobs but they can tide someone over with an income until things get back to normal.

I agree. A lot of people may be damn glad they are running an ad like that.

Walmart is doing it.
https://www.ksnt.com/news/walm...-additional-workers/

And so is Domino’s Pizza.
https://www.ksnt.com/news/loca...ause-of-coronavirus/

? Offering jobs when lots of people are suddenly unemployed is Bad? Helping to alleviate long lines in the stores is bad? Giving a Bonus to workers during a crisis is bad?

Your family member hawking crap is taking advantage of the situation. Companies expanding to meet the immediate need and offering a bonus to those working isn't.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
I don't see a problem with Walgreens advertising job vacancies. While you may not need a job there's 1000's of people who do, many from the restaurant industry. They may not be new or career jobs but they can tide someone over with an income until things get back to normal.

What didn't get picked up when I saved the image was the introductory note that was posted: "Many job opportunities at Walgreens helping communities during this crisis. Please share with those who want to join our team to help support their neighbors."

Plus, having spent several years on their corporate staff and knowing what the working conditions are for the folks in their stores, it really pushed my button seeing them do this.

God bless the free market.
Why not try to make some lemonade outta these lemons?

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
God bless the free market.
Why not try to make some lemonade outta these lemons?

I certainly don't have anything against free markets or capitalism.

But, it pisses me off to see people exploiting fear to repackage cleaning products and vitamins and sell them as virus "immunity" protection, or to see a megacorporation try to spin their slave labor jobs as 'helping communities during this crisis'.

I get your point about Walgreens. The bottom line is it's good they have jobs to fill and are recruiting, and there are many people who could benefit. But they could spare the phony public service spin and just be straight: we're busy and we need more people.

People are stupid enough to fall for it. I worked in an office with upper management. Phil's wife came back from Africa with dysentary. Phil and Grant both ran to the store and bought all the Emergen-C supplement to "ward off" the illness. Even sadder, other office staff were angry there was none left to "protect"" them. This was the same office where I convinced the HR that a certain brand of bourbon was "lo-cal."

Many businesses were desperate to fill hiring vacancies before the current panic, and with many workers now laid off from businesses that are closed employers are simply trying to fill needed positions while meeting their customer's needs. I was in a Walgreens yesterday with a sign on the door asking for help, and I'll be going back today and I'll bet that sign will still be there.

Many employers have tuned in to the fact that many prospective employees, especially Millennials, are very socially conscious and community minded, and if you look at both open job posting descriptions and current job benefit listings, you will see that they are appealing to those who focus on such requirements from their employers, so as far as I'm concerned Walgreens is wisely marketing these open positions to those who want to work for community minded employers and want to make a difference in their communities (personally, this isn't high on my list when evaluating an employer)...and there are numerous other employers using similar hiring strategies.

It sounds to me like you have a grudge against Walgreens, perhaps rightfully so...but if working in one of their stores is truly that bad and they are having difficulty filling vacancies, then all the more reason to find creative ways to appeal to potential employees and what they demand from an employer.

As far as a family member sending you an ad to sell something, that wouldn't bother me at all, as long as I wasn't required or coerrced into buying. Take a look around, people are emptying store shelves daily in this stupid panic... reasonable or not, these items are in demand, so why not let others know that they have them available for sale... again, a truly free market customer gets to decide whether or not a product is worth buying and whether the price is worth it.

How is a family member sending you an ad letting you know that they have a product (that may be in demand) any different than, say a family member who asks you to buy cookies or popcorn from their little Girl Scout or Boy Scout?

You don't like an employer, don't work for them. You don't like a product, don't buy it.