by
Elle D.
Last week, I shared a meme from The Black Upstart regarding how people often treat black owned businesses:
I couldn’t agree more with that statement. A couple of days later, a viral video (that honestly, I’m not even going to link to because it was toxic) began circulating again where a comedian describes a negative experience with a black-owned business and goes on to discuss why you can’t support black-owned businesses and brands, citing poor customer service and products with subpar quality. Unfortunately, several people agreed with her. I’ll be clear – this mentality is damaging and wrong, point black period.
While I do not believe in patronizing businesses that don’t seem to care about their own product or customers simply because they are black, the narrative that this applies to ALL black-owned businesses is anti-black. When you have a negative experience with a white-owned brand, no one ever mentions the owner’s race in their complaint. In fact, one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever had was with Sweet Curls Elixirs on Etsy, which is owned by a white woman. I’ve even been called a bitch by a white brand owner on Twitter. I most definitely posted about my experiences, but race was never a factor.
But it seems that when the owner is black and there is a poor experience, people often say things like, “This is why I don’t support black businesses,” or “I try to support my people but I just can’t because they can’t run businesses.” No, that *specific* business is the issue, not black-owned businesses and owners as a whole. We aren’t all the same and shouldn’t be treated as such.
I buy from black-owned brands at least once a week, and rarely have an issue. Several of my favorite natural hair and makeup brands are black-owned and they have amazing products and customer service. So why the constant bashing? Unfortunately, in society black people often don’t have the privilege of being seen as individuals, and historically we’ve been told that we aren’t good enough. Those damaging ideas trickle down and perpetuate the notion that black-owned businesses aren’t good enough to begin with, and each time we have a bad experience, that concept is reaffirmed.
My ask is that you make a point to laud black-owned businesses when you have a good experience, and if you have a bad one, relay your experience about that business ONLY. Otherwise, you’re just not helping.
Do you make a point to support black-owned businesses?
19 Responses
Well I would like to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the shea butter products that I’ve purchased from BLGH and will continue to be a repeat customer! 🙂
Yaaay!!! <3 <3 <3
I grab whatever but I need to support black business more. If we DON’T, who will?
Thank you for this!! I got into a heated debate with some of my older aunties because they are quick to bash black owned businesses. I have to remind them that you can get poor customer service from ALL races. There’s no need to call-out the black ones specifically. Also if we really want to raise the standard of ALL business owners it’s our duty to give constructive feedback to that owner or management staff so that they can learn from it and try to do better.
I agree with the article, I support my brothers & sisters as much as possible. I am a black business owner, I know the struggle.
Love the article. As I’ve gotten older I’ve made a conscious decision to support and advertise for Black-owned businesses I use. Unfortunately we still have some of our own that are stuck in the matrix.
Generalizing is rarely a good idea, so obviously, it is a TERRIBLE idea in that case! It perpetuates a bad image of black people in business and destroy the labor of black people who are actually good at entrepreneurship. Just for those out there who are truly amazing black business owners, we have to stop spreading bad stereotypes.
This is the realest thing I have ever read! Why don’t we bash and view white businesses and other non black businesses for the poor customer service etc. Most of the businesses we shop at are non black and don’t say you’ve never experienced bad experiences. It’s normal and it’s nothing you associate race with and if you do then you’re a racist and anti – black point black.
Most celebrities are out of touch, especially the Black ones. We should overgeneralize them and stop supporting them.
Yes.. We could berate naysayers and go on campaigns to ask people to be nice and fair.. Or.. we could take a note from Asian cultures and eventually produce a consistent work ethic and superior product where that gains attention. This might be better than blanket market pleadings.
Um… Asian culture and superior product? Have you tried some of the Asian-made products marketed to black folk? Superior is… not the term I’d use to describe them.
Whether credence can be given to inferior made products . Overall Asian culture has developed a strong reputation of excellence in technology, the automobile industry and academics. Mass marketing trough admonishment of consumer experiences, gossips and naysayers seems to be a futile effort that has been an ongoing failed strategy that had one small window of success. The reason is because there is no leverage other than the pleading itself. We should try improving our reputation through excellence over time and placing energy into celebrating those successes. That is all. But perhaps this article is just a vent. If so, I get it. So, is my response.
No, this article isn’t a vent – it’s calling out anti-blackness and damaging stereotypes. I never said to not criticize black-owned businesses when they mess up, I think all businesses should be called out when necessary. But bringing up race when talking about them is hardly the answer and like I said, there are PLENTY of amazing black-owned businesses. You’re talking about improving our reputation through excellence and there are plenty of people doing that – I have a list with over 80 brands showing that. BGLH has several posts lauding BoBs. And yet, you still have the impression that BoBs aren’t good enough. That’s an issue.
Not really. You’re attacking a subjective matter and discounting people’s experiences as blanketly as you are criticizing them. People make comparisons based on fact as well as emotions. Some erroneous and some not. However, people’s experiences will leave them with conclusions nonetheless. Berating them because you’ve assessed them to not be “fair” is no more productive than your critique. Especially considering that many criticisms are fair because people have agency and a right to feel as they do lol. People also have the ability to compare and determine based on their own subjective tastes what types of businesses make them feel confident. Unless you can measure each and every criticizer of black businesses experiences and utilize an objective measuring device to determine the accuracy of their subjective notions then this is futile. Also, even if you were to make an accurate assessment.. SO? Businesses don’t survive based on ethical admonitions. Have you taken an economics class? Marketing? Or life observancy class? Attacking this is unfortunately straining at a gnat. I mentioned Asian culture not because they ARE superior because they went from a REPUTATION of inferiority to superiority based on a consistent PERCEIVED superior product and service BASED OFF PEOPLE’S NEEDS. This includes marketing .. service.. and simply letting time pass to allow the product to do its thing and outshine the competition. No mass blogs, marketing, hand waving, neck rolling, racial pride and berating people needed. There are ways to improve one’s reputation. And discounting people’s experiences as bogus doesn’t work. Because not everyone’s conclusion is bogus. Impoverished poorly marketed and poorly supported businesses no matter the race start off poor while they’re getting their legs. In addition, many of us went through whole decades of bullhorns trying to influence and control the “black” dollar through “shame” rather than focusing on what other communities did – marketed to our emotions EFFECTIVELY.. cornering the market in price on a perceived essential need.. and simply presenting a better experience. Black people stay reactive and in a childlike pout.
No one is discounting or berating people’s poor experiences. Yes, businesses, including those owned by black people, have the potential to be terrible. But reacting in a vacuum and stereotyping all business owners is wrong. Period. If you have a poor experience, don’t buy from that brand – simple. Feel free to call them out. It’s not that hard. And actually, it’s concerning to see you defend this type of behavior so vehemently. But if that’s how you roll, go on. And I’ll continue to say it’s wrong. Bless up.
This is about the most anti-Black response I’ve ever seen. Not because I disagree with you and your logic, but because in all of your years you can’t seem to find any wrong in an entire group of people who have done wrong and that wrong has been publicized; all while finding huge and overlapping flaws in people who I’m assuming look like you.
Superior? Have you researched the amount of physical assaults that Asian BOs have committed against Black customers? Are you aware of the level of copyright infringement that Asian entities participate in? Are you aware of the poor and illegal business practices that Asians have committed in the hair and beauty arena alone? I can say your logic about superiority is greatly flawed. Maybe you’re just focusing on the automotive or technical arenas. No, because you would have forgotten about Toyota’s most recent non-superior problem. Maybe you’re too young to remember when Hyundai first came out. Or maybe Yugo? Yeah, I can’t get with your broad, blanket cap for all Asian businesses being superior.
So if I can’t ride along with your universal praise of Asians, I can’t wrap my mind around you universal bashing of BOBs. Just like Asians aren’t the living image of Jesus Himself, BOBs aren’t the devil in full red costume and pointy tail. As the article and others have pointed out that there are numerous brands that are solid. Where you don’t seem to leave room for is that Black brand owners are human and humans make mistakes. You know those mistakes that Asians made when they created Yugo lol. However, what we aren’t is racist and criminal at large like your precious Asians. I know you may want to argue me on this. Let me remind you of LaTarsha Harlins. The list goes on, but you know so much you don’t need me to list them all.
I’m sorry Precious I can’t get with you on this. I do agree with you that you are entitled to your opinion. I want you to stand in your truth. As a Black woman who loves my community, I invite you to solely support the Asian and any other non-Black business community. Please take all of your dollars and spend them there. Superiority is what you want and it is what you will receive.
Asian culture and superior product. LMFAOOOO, have you seen most Asian products? They are dupes and have poor unsafe ingredients. Try again boo
I don’t know if you read the full article, but it says we should give credit where due and avoid painting BoBs with a negative brush because of 1 bad experience. I’ve had plenty of bad experience from business of other races besides back. So why is it that when one black person fails to have amazing customer service all black businesses get shamed whereas when a white-owned business or an asian-owned business fails to have amazing customer service, only that particular business gets shamed?The author is saying that the dialogue needs to change so that a bad experience with a BoB means that only that specific business gets called out and we should start applauding amazing experiences from BoBs. A lot of people don’t do that. For instance on most yelp, most negative reviews come about from one terrible experience: “I’ve been coming here for years and today’s the day they messed up so now I’m finally going to write a review.” To your point of producing a consistent work ethic and superior product, who says we haven’t? But how are people going to learn about them when the pervading ideology is that “ALL BOBS are ****.” Until there’s a change in the dialogue, your theory of consistency is a wish from someone who ignores how society actually operates and makes false assumptions that blame a group of people for factors outside their control.
Supporting BoB, is a must! I have had more good experiences than bad, and I always promote the ones I love, like, or want to try repeatedly. If you don’t like your experience, just don’t recommend them. Simple. No need to bash. If you personally have an issue, that’s your issue. Everyone else may not. And if it’s something unique to you(sizing, allergies, usefulness), you can still promote, make mention that you had personally, had an issue because you ___. And then explain that that particular issue may be unique to you. We gotta support ourselves and build up our own community and stop waiting for other people to do it!