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Politics-Based Shopping

Shopping Portal based on Political Views
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Users of the site start by filling out a profile indicating their political views and the importance of each view. User can then shop for stores and deals, with results organized based on alignment with political view. Company listings show known political views of company, with listings relevant to user shown first.

There are plenty of sites that attempt to examine the politics of specific people/companies. It is not a great leap to attach a shopping portal on top of this to allow people to support companies who share their own beliefs.

aguydude, Jan 20 2012

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       Why do I want to know the politics of my tailor?
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 20 2012
  

       We already have a fairly accurate idea of the politics of our gunsmith.   

       Nevertheless, [+]
8th of 7, Jan 20 2012
  

       You see, [8th], that's the difference. I have a tailor, you have a gunsmith. (As it happens, my tailor has a gunsmith.)
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 21 2012
  

       Ergo, [8th_of_7] is [MaxwellBuchanan]'s tailor. QED.   

       [MB] if your tailor's politics are sufficiently radical, then you want to know. As in the case of a gunsmith, he has it in his power to harm you.   

       Sorry about that, [aguydude]. As to the idea, merchants want to expand their customer base, not narrow it. So, suggested modification: one company could have two shopping portals pitched to opposing political viewpoints. Sort of like Macmall/PCmall.
mouseposture, Jan 21 2012
  

       It's not inconceivable that merchants might be willing to forgo mass appeal for politically charged brand loyalty. This is a good idea, so long as the merchants are honest about their worldviews.
calum, Jan 21 2012
  

       Very likely -- the "Fair Trade" brand probably appeals more to the politically leftish, and the businesses in the "Christian business directory" may skew the other way. I was suggesting that the merchants can have their brand loyalty cake while eating their broad customer base too. (But, as you point out, they would have to forgo the "honest" part.)
mouseposture, Jan 21 2012
  

       //It's not inconceivable that merchants might be willing to forgo mass appeal for politically charged brand loyalty//

If only politicians would do the same!
DrBob, Jan 23 2012
  

       What if someone {like me} had no interest in politics? Would my webpage direct me to The Emporer's New Clothes?
xandram, Jan 23 2012
  

       Encouraging politically-based brand loyalty might discourage product quality. For instance, I was recently 'down the store', as we say here, and overheard someone expressing their pride in owning a Ford truck for the reason that "Ford didn't take no damn bailout." That's all well and good, but Ford made shitty trucks _before_ the market crash forced them to cut all kinds of corners in order to lower manufacturing costs. I'm glad my fellow townie is proud of his politics, but his new F-150 has a Japanese engine (assembled in the US from parts made in India, Taiwan, Japan, and Canada) with worrisomely thin cylinder walls and a weak front axle that won't stand up to the rigors of 4wd with those new Super Swampers he just put on it. GMC and Dodge, meanwhile, did take the damn guv'ment bailout, and continue to manufacture quality products.   

       I'm not saying this is univerally the case; I'm just pointing out a possible flaw.
Alterother, Jan 23 2012
  

       All manufacturers are global and source global parts for their engines and vehicles. Full disclosure, I've worked at all the domestic 3. Here's a typical day at any OEM:   

       Vehicle powertrain or platform derivative needed to fulfill x in x country. OEM may develop engine internally, outsource development to one of several engine development houses, may partner with OEM y to do so, etc. Development of engine takes place simultaneously amongst engineering / business / test sites all over the globe. Engineers in the US, Germany, Korea, and Japan work with designers in India, South Africa, Brazil, the Czech Republic, thermodynamicists in Turkey, and FEA modelers in Australia to develop an engine which will be co-built in Cleveland, Argentina, and Seoul. Parts for it will be sourced from China, Spain, Poland, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. Please pray tell me what this engine's country-of-origin is.   

       Also, try putting the Super Swampers on a GMC with its short-long arm suspension geometry and see what happens. That's why they sell the F250.
RayfordSteele, Jan 23 2012
  


 

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