Bud Lighted and Targeted

Even though the Bud Light – Dylan Mulvaney controversy came first, let’s look at the Target and pride merchandise disaster before delving into Bud Light.

The Target buying office operates just like any major retailer. Orders for this year’s pride merchandise were placed at least a year ago. Those orders were based on previous sales/profitability figures for pride merchandise going back several years. Had the merchandise not been profitable, Target may have continued to carry some, but not much. Nor would the merchandise been featured in the most prime sales floor location: at the door entrance.

The retail industry in the United States is a dynamic and ever-evolving sector that relies heavily on efficient planning and foresight. A crucial aspect of this process is the ordering system, where buyers meticulously analyze current sales, profitability, and sales per square foot to make informed decisions. Let’s look at the intricacies of the retail ordering process, particularly focusing on how orders are placed at least a year in advance based on profitability rather than personal interests.

Analyzing Current Sales and Profitability

Buyers play a crucial role in the retail ordering process, acting as intermediaries between the retailers and suppliers. They employ various strategies and utilize comprehensive data analysis to make informed purchasing decisions. One of the primary factors considered is current sales data, which provides valuable insights into consumer preferences and buying patterns. By closely examining sales figures, buyers can identify successful merchandise and gauge its potential for continued profitability.

Sales per square foot is another key metric used to evaluate the effectiveness of different products within a retail space. This metric measures the revenue generated by each square foot of retail space and is indicative of the overall efficiency and profitability of the store layout. By assessing sales per square foot, buyers can identify the most profitable product categories and make informed decisions on future orders, maximizing the return on investment.

Planning for the Future: A Year-Long Process

The retail ordering process extends far beyond simply identifying successful merchandise. It involves a comprehensive timeline that takes into account manufacturing and shipping lead times. Retailers understand that it can take at least a year to manufacture and ship the merchandise from the suppliers to the stores. Therefore, buying decisions must be made well in advance to allow ample time for production, transportation, and distribution.

Based on the data collected from current sales and profitability analysis, retailers can anticipate consumer demand for the upcoming year. For example, if Christmas merchandise experiences significant success during a given year, buyers will use those figures as a basis for future orders, ensuring they have an adequate supply to meet customer demand the following year. This strategic approach allows retailers to capitalize on successful trends while mitigating the risk of being caught unprepared.

By focusing on profitability, retailers can align their assortments with market trends, customer preferences, and sales data. This analytical approach ensures that resources are invested strategically and that customers are provided with the products they desire, enhancing overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Target Pride Merchandise Flop

So why did the pride merchandise flop? I believe Target failed to accurately gauge the changing sentiment of parents, both moms and dads.

I’ve been in my local Target over the last year and saw the change including the changes in how Target was merchandising children’s clothing.

I’ve seen visual displays of men – grown men with beards and mustaches – wearing makeup and girl’s clothing. These visual displays were in front of the girls department by the registers. And I have personally seen the visceral and vocal reactions of parents. Many left their carts and walked out. I’ve seen store management stand by silently when these incidents happened.

If store management failed to convey these visceral responses to the buyers, they failed the corporation. But, who would dare to speak out in the current environment?

Most likely, Target buyers saw incremental increases in sales over the years and kept buying into the trend. They failed to realize the trend had topped out. They failed to realize the increasing disgust at pride merchandise marketed to kids, toddlers, and infants. They failed to accurately gauge the concern of most parents who are upset at transgenderism being taught in public schools.

With Bud Light, something else happened. By tying the brand to Dylan Mulvaney, they weren’t buying into an annual trend. However, the marketing department failed to understand how many men would refuse to identify with a brand that embraced a (dare I use the old word?) transvestite.

Mulvaney may get a large following on social media, but I know how easy it is to buy fake followers. And, it’s possible that many people look at Mulvaney’s posts out of curiosity rather than admiration. It’s like an old fashioned circus with the bearded lady.

I’m personally tired of the pride movement shoving its agenda down my throat. There, I said it. I’m sick of it.

We need a “Discretion Month” not a pride month. We need to go back to a society that considers talk about sex of any sort to be a private matter. It should not be discussed in public, in schools, or in the work place.

As usual, the liberal media and politicians are screaming about gun control and gun confiscation. Rather than get into a 2nd amendment debate, I want to propose looking at this problem from a different angle.

Here is a list of questions that I believe we must ask about every mass shooter in America. I will use the pronoun “he/him/his.” Too bad if you don’t like that.

Was he diagnosed with learning disabilities? If yes, was it covered as “learning disorder not otherwise specified?”

Did his school pressure his parents into an IEP? What did that IEP cover?

Was he primarily pulled out for special ed services?

Did his parents hire a special education advocate?

How long was he on an IEP? Through high school?

Was he bullied in school?

Did he take drugs like Ritalin to address learning disabilities?

What disciplinary actions were taken against him in school and for what? If yes, was a manifestation hearing conducted?

If yes, what actual evidence exists of his bad behavior (no hearsay). Were there direct witnesses who would stand up under cross examination?

If he was on an IEP, were his parents proactively involved? Or did they simply accept the school’s recommendations?

Was he exposed to domestic violence – physical or verbal?

Tomorrow I will explain my questions. I pulled my own son out of public schools due to abuse in the special education system. It nearly destroyed his self esteem. So, now I home school him, and he is much happier. I will get much more specific about abuse that my son suffered at the hands of his Resource Specialist, a couple of gen ed teachers, and a principal who was being forced out.

But, the pundits have flooded the media headlines with the diagnosis for society’s ills that create these young men: no fathers in the homes. Too many children are “dad deprived.”

This is painful for me to hear because 1) I’m a single mom, and 2) that assertion is based on a very faulty presumption that the father is drug-free, sober, non-violent, not mentally ill, has integrity, and has a job.

In my situation, my husband (now ex) developed a very serious condition that doctors first diagnosed as schizophrenia: delusions, hallucinations, catatonia, paranoia, paranoid untrue beliefs, parasomnia, and severe aggressive behavior.

In retrospect, I had a first clue several days before the wedding, but it was fleeting. I just thought “what was that?” I became pregnant very early in the marriage (I was 46 at the time, so it was a huge, happy surprise). For the first two years, the episodes were infrequent. But as our son reached 3 years of age, my husband’s episodes became non-stop. It was 24/7, and it became dangerous to have him around our son.

The rages he flew into became unbearable. I couldn’t raise a child like that. Ultimately, I got a restraining order, and the sheriffs escorted him out of the home.

This led to even more distress because he had all of his parental rights. The family court insisted on 50/50 physical and legal custody. Although my son has always lived with me and had no overnights with his dad, his dad had visitation. It was a distinct possibility that dad would have a delusional episode and drive over the border into Mexico with our son because the birds told him to migrate south. No, I’m not exaggerating.

I discovered that family court judges frown on parents accusing each other of mental illness. It made me look bad. So, I kept my tongue and prayed every time dad had visits with our son. Eventually, he voluntarily gave his entire medical record to my attorney, so I can prove his illness. But our son is now 12, and dad disappeared almost 4 years ago. He no longer keeps his visitation.

Ultimately, his doctors changed their diagnosis from schizophrenia to psychosis due to either a medical condition and/or drug and alcohol abuse. He drank heavily, and I found out he was driving to Tijuana and buying drugs.

Would allowing his dad to come live with us help my son? Absolutely not. It would help if dad kept his visitations despite my fears of hallucinations and delusions.

The simple presence of a father is not the solution. We need to return to some form of moral absolutism. We must reject the notion of victimless crimes like drug use. The child is the victim if a parent is stoned. The child is the victim is the parent (mom or dad) is an alcoholic. We must reject moral relativism especially the kind that promotes teaching very young children about sexual matters in our schools. We must reject any notions like CRT that devalue our children based on race. We must reject notions that if it feels good to you, it’s ok. There are many things in life that are not ok.

We must embrace the sanctity of life and teach that to our kids.

Lastly, we need to overhaul our mental health system. I know this first hand. When my husband became ill, no one could or would help me. Doctors wouldn’t help me. They can’t violate HIPPA. The police wouldn’t help me. The threshold for a 5150 commitment is extremely high. It’s especially difficult when the ill person is unaware of the problems. It’s called anosognosia.

I faced a choice that no wife/mother should have to face: my husband or my son? I chose my son.

Simply putting a father into the home isn’t the answer. We must return to higher morals and help our young men and women who struggle with mental illness.

All genders. All orientations.

I’ve had enough. The gender dysphoria/trans movement has gone too far. More mothers and fathers are speaking out against allowing boys into the girls’ bathrooms. Good. More later.

I watched Evelyn Yang describe being sexually assaulted by her obstetrician. She was completely authentic and truthful.

So completely the opposite to the blathering Christine Blasey Ford. I would take on Stu any day on this issue.