The "We'll donate to charity if you buy our stuff" schtick

[Aroura]

I am getting so tired of companies using this "If you buy our item, we will donate money, or an item to charity" routine.  The company makes themselves look generous, but they aren't actually donating much (if any) money, YOU are.  But they are taking half the credit!

I saw this commercial today for American Girl Dolls, which cost about $115 each (without any accessories), say that for every doll I purchase, they will donate a doll to a child in need.  Why don't they just donate dolls to kids in need, instead of guilty me into doing it?

I know these dolls are made in China.  I cannot find the manufacturing cost of the doll through Google, but I can assume it is not much.  So...who is really donating a doll if I buy one, me (paying $115) or the company?  Well, it's me.  It's the consumer.  But the company is getting all this great press and philanthropic image by donating a doll when a consumer buys one.

Following that commercial was a car company telling me they would donate $350 to "children's charities" if I bought a new car!  WTF?  I'm pretty sure they can just jack up the price by $350, and guess who is actually doing the donation again??

Same with Tom's shoes, and so many other places doing this.  Even my grocery store is asking ME to donate $10 to our local food bank.  When I told them no earlier this week, that we donate cash directly to FISH, the cashier asked me "What is FISH?".  I was like "Um...that's the name of the local food bank you are asking me to donate to.....". 

I am so tired of this corporate pretend charity routine.  If the people who own American Girl Doll actually want to help kids in need, why don't they just donate directly to those kids? Why make me do it?  It's a bunch of BS, and I'm tired of every corporation picking up this terrible, false image of being philanthropists when they aren't!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX0g66MWbrk

[ApeNotKillApe]

You've spent money on yourself with the added incentive that a small portion of the money you could have given to charity if you hadn't spent it on yourself will go to the charity you could have donated all of the money to if you hadn't spent the money on yourself. You've essentially embezzled from a charity.

[Jackalope]

You know the best part about it? You're essentially doing the donating, but they get the tax write-off. You can bet that they aren't losing money on the deal, or they wouldn't be doing it of course.

Personally, I prefer to give directly.

[Aroura]

You know the best part about it?  You're essentially doing the donating, but they get the tax write-off.   You can bet that they aren't losing money on the deal, or they wouldn't be doing it of course.

Personally, I prefer to give directly.

Totally!  I refuse to fall for this BS.  I donate directly, too.  Or volunteer, when I can.

[brewer]

I never donate through any third entity, always directly to the cause/charity. To often there are undisclosed "expenses" that you are never informed of.

Also, look at the charity itself. If their admin percentage looks out of line you might do more good by donating to a similar charity/cause with a lower percentage.

[Minimalist]

Churches are famous for getting their asshole members to donate and then taking credit for all their "charity."

[The Valkyrie]

Agree.

I donate directly to the various charities I support.

Cut out the middlemen and guarantee that no one benefits but those you're donating too.

Alternatively, volunteer occasionally for charity groups.