Boycotts

Whenever I get screwed by a business, I boycott them indefinitely until I hear that they fix the issue. Businesses need to be held accountable for their actions. A business probably won’t feel much impact from one person’s boycott alone, but I still think that every little bit matters.

My levels of boycott:

• Level 0: No Boycott
  • I’m not boycotting from them, but I have had a negative experience with them and I want to share it.
  • In most cases, the business technically didn’t do anything wrong, but it would’ve been nice if they helped me out.
  • In some cases, the business made a very rare/unusual mistake and gave a reasonable attempt at solving it. I will make sure to express my frustration and leave a complaint, but they can be given a second chance.
• Level 1: Sour Taste
  • I will still buy from them if they’re the cheapest option, but if another business offers the same thing for the same price, I will prefer the other business.
• Level 2: Soft Boycott
  • I will pay up to 5% more just to purchase from a different business, or I’ll ask a different business to price-match.
• Level 3: DO NOT BUY
  • I will never give money to this business.

Remember: Businesses are NOT your friend. They will do everything they can to screw you over.

Boycotted Stores and Online Businesses

• AliExpress - Sour Taste
  • They sometimes show different prices when I view the same item listing when logged in, when not logged in, and when I ask a friend to try viewing the item while logged in. It’s so sleazy.
  • I will always check prices in an incognito and from at least one friend, and I will NEVER purchase any item for a marked-up price.
• Amazon - Soft Boycott
  • Amazon technically didn’t screw me over, but I hear that Amazon is monopolistic and screws other businesses. I think it’s worth soft-avoiding them, preferring instead to support smaller businesses (ideally local).
  • I do hear that some people have gotten screwed by receiving an item that was fraudulently returned by a different customer. Luckily, I haven’t been screwed in this way yet, but I hope that they can at least provide me good service if it happens. I’ve historically received excellent service for dead-on-arrival items.
• Centre Com - DO NOT BUY
  • On 2025-06-30, I purchased items for the End Of Financial Year sale. Just seven days later, the item dropped in price $50 lower than I bought it. I rung up to ask for the difference to be refunded, but my request was rejected.
  • Despite Centre Com officially no longer accepting change of mind returns, I rung up and managed to get the item returned after the package arrived at my house. I made the long trek to return the item in-person. But by the time I got home, the item price went back up.
  • For anyone who isn’t familiar with the Australian consumer experience, we have a major sale event every year around the end of June, commonly known as EOFY sales.
  • Although the staff themselves are nice, the store’s policies are nightmare as a consumer. I will never purchase from this store ever again. I don’t have any confidence that they can help me for any situation aside from dead-on-arrival or missing goods.
• digiDirect - Sour Taste
  • On 2025-12-26, I purchased items for the Boxing Day sale. digiDirect then started a 5%-off promo on 2025-12-30, which stacks with the ongoing Boxing Day sale. I rung up customer service, but they could only give me store credit. Fair enough, I purchase from digiDirect regularly enough to accept it, but they need to provide a proper partial refund for this situation.
  • I’m convinced that upper management did this on purpose. Many people won’t bother doing anything about this once they’ve made their order, and giving store credit to customers who do ring up guarantees future sales. It’s so sleazy.
• George’s Cameras - No Boycott
  • On 2024-12-02, I purchased an item that never arrived in the package I received. I contacted George’s and they quickly acknowledged that something has gone wrong somewhere so they confirmed that I didn’t receive the item. After numerous followups and them responding that they’re working on resolving the problem, after numerous claims that the item is still awaiting stock, I literally walked into the brick-and-mortar store, saw the exact item I was still waiting on, I took a photo of it, and sent it to customer service (the staff at the store couldn’t help me with this issue). Only then was I sent them item, and I received it months later on 2025-09-19.
  • Luckily, I wasn’t in much of a rush to receive the item.
  • This incident seems like one of those really weird “shit happens” situations. I’ve purchased countless items from them and they’ve always been great except for this one time.
• Hostelworld - DO NOT BUY
  • In 2020, I visited another city interstate (yes, I know, it’s an interesting time to decide to travel). I went for an individual room at at hostel because of the low cost. Literally the night I arrive, I was given my access card, I go to the room, and I’m greeted to a big room full of people sleeping and snoring. I immediately left the room, I asked about the situation, and only then was I told that I had to be moved to a communal/shared room because they ran out of individual rooms. I asked for a refund, and they said they can’t do anything about it and asked me to contact Hostelworld directly. I had no alternative accomodation planned, it was very late in the evening, and I was exhausted. That was a nightmare to try to arrange alternative accomodation close to midnight, and having to navigate through an unfamiliar city to get to the new place, all while I was totally exhausted.
  • After my trip, I contacted customer service. They said they could only refund me in store credit. After an angry and unnecessarily long back-and-forth, it took threatening legal action for them to refund me in cash.
  • This whole situation is entirely unacceptable. Hostelworld cannot be trusted.
• Ted’s Cameras - Soft Boycott
  • On 2024-04-24, I ordered a brand new Sony A7CII camera body. When it arrived, I noticed a lot of wear and tear all over the camera. I rung up Ted’s and they confirmed that I was given a display unit used at one of their brick and mortar stores because brand new units are out of stock. I returned and got a full refund immediately.
  • This situation should never have happened. Used items are perfectly fine, and it’s common to buy second-hand photography equipment, but I paid for a full-price item and I was never told about the condition of what I received until I asked. I no longer trust Ted’s Cameras. It is possible that they intentionally send out display units “as new” with the hopes that the customer won’t notice.
  • However, I do commend them for at least having the records, admitting to their mistake, and rectifying it relatively smoothly.

Boycotted Places in Sydney, Australia

• Milk Flower (milk tea chain) - DO NOT BUY
  • They don’t accept cash, but they add a card surcharge, making pricing deceptive.
• Ragu Pasta & Wine Bar (restaurant) - DO NOT BUY
  • On the internet, people complain about their OPT-OUT tipping and poor customer service experience when they ask to remove the tip.
  • Opt-out tipping is enough of a reason to boycott until it is removed.

Boycotted Places Elsewhere

• The Village Melbourne (a hostel in Melbourne, Australia) - DO NOT BUY
  • See my story on Hostelworld above.