future book business to use profits for a cause

i want to get opinions hear. would you support an online book store where the owner used his extra profits to save lots of land and to help the environment and people? the book store would sell all books and dvds and music. i would run an ad on the radio that talked about this and how the profits will be used and to shop hear. i would have links to my other websites where i show the progress like say i just bought a 16,000 acre forest and put a conservation easement on it or i donated a small plot of land to a food bank where volunteers grow food. these are just examples. so basically would you support a book store that supported causes? i have a great plan in mind and how to go about this and just needed opinions.

Keeping in mind that I am almost definitely an atypical poster here, I am far less likely to buy from someplace that advertised about how they donate profits to some charity, for multiple reasons:

1. I may not approve of the charity.
2. Obviously the price is higher.
3. So I am paying a premium in the hope that it will go to a charity. How would I know if even a fraction actually is donated? Why not just buy the regular priced item and donate my money directly if I truly want to make a donation?

I'm tending to agree with Jim. Though I might approve of the projects supported by the donations, I wouldn't be more likely to purchase from a company which claimed to make those donations, for the same reasons. I wouldn't pay a higher price for a book with the hope that maybe the extra $ (which I probably couldn't afford) might be donated. If the bookstore owner is making so much profit it could be "extra profits" and if it were so much more extra he could purchase "lots of land" (16000 acres?!?) I'd be more than a little worried someone was getting ripped off.

I think if you're going to run a charity, or beg for money, it should be more upfront than a business which might spend "extra profits" on a possibly worthy cause.

I merged your stuff with the following thread. I hope that is okay by you.

i want to get some opinions hear. i want to crowdfund a book selling business that uses extra profits to buy and preserve land. also i was thinking of starting this business with crowdfunding and was wandering what rewards i should offer like say a free book. anyone have any ideas on this? i can not go into details about this business at this time but have it all figured out. last would you buy books that where the profits save big timberlands and the products were competitively priced?

Wesley johnsen wrote:i want to get some opinions hear. i want to crowdfund a book selling business that uses extra profits to buy and preserve land. also i was thinking of starting this business with crowdfunding and was wandering what rewards i should offer like say a free book. anyone have any ideas on this? i can not go into details about this business at this time but have it all figured out. last would you buy books that where the profits save big timberlands and the products were competitively priced?

My opinion, for whatever it's worth, is a resounding "no".

Firstly, it's extremely difficult to crowdfund a business. A product? Sure. Businesses are a different kettle of fish. Partnerships and investors are where you'd have better success, if you have a solid enough platform.

The world also has a gut-full of "charity businesses" that contribute "extra profits" to a cause. The result is invariably that a few folk get rich, and their "altruism" has frustratingly little-to-no effect due to their focus (and funds) being in the wrong place. I strongly dislike them, and only support charities where I can have a direct and tangible impact.

Also, am I the only one who sees the irony in a book store being used as a front to save forests?