Producer vs. Product

My wife is just super. We're going to be getting a sizable chunk of money, and while I was planning what bills to pay, she flat out told me that I have to buy a colossal and a good foam bag. Sweet, right? I worked my way through which colossal I'll be getting (I shall call him Big Red), but now I'm left trying to figure out which bag to get.

I've always wanted to get KR Multicase foam simply for the price. I recently got a basic set of foam, and while I wasn't thrilled with the look of the foam (rough cuts, bottoms glued unevenly), the functionality was exactly what I expected. I'm tempted to get a big metal case of theirs and never again worry about army storage, but I've always wanted to try Battlefoam. I always used the excuse that it is overcosted (which I think it is), but now that I can actually buy one without hesitation, I'm still not sure.

Here's my problem with Battlefoam - they're a bit of a bully. From a business standpoint they don't do anything that hasn't been done by big companies already. The problem is that they're a big business in a small market. Foam trays and carrying bags is very niche, and anything done by a company will be magnified simply because we're a much more interconnected customer base.

Case and point, Battlefoam is very fond of lawsuits. For a writeup on their past dealings, see a slanted article written by Blood of Kittens. It basically boils down to Romeo, the owner of Battlefoam, trying to muscle out his competition. There's nothing wrong with that - any major brand on our store shelves likely has at least one such lawsuit in their history. But as I said, they aren't Nike or General Mills. They sell a non-mandatory product to a small group of people. The existing options are limited as it is, and them trying to squash their competition is a bit... well, douchey.

However, I'm willing to shrug that off because if I were to refuse business to any company that operated with a bit of moral ambiguity, I'd die. But right now they're tangled up in an incredibly frivolous lawsuit with the owner of Blood of Kittens, a blog that has been very vocal about his displeasure with Battlefoam and its owner. And that's what sets me off.

The difference between this lawsuits and previous ones is based entirely on what's being done. When suing another foam company you're trying to protect your intellectual property or (and I don't approve of this) bending the law to muscle out your competition. It's often not a popular decision, and I'd never defend a baseless lawsuit, but that's the up and down of free enterprise. But BoK isn't a competing company - it's one guy with an opinion that Romeo doesn't like. Is it hurting business? Probably, but that's also the up and down of free speech.

I can't fathom why Romeo thinks this is a good idea. In our world of wargaming, this is very much a big business attacking the "little guy." It's not just bully tactics, it's downright idiotic. While BoK will obviously win this case, the fact that the owner of Battlefoam got his feelings hurt and cried "I'm telling Mom!" is utterly baffling.

But that's my emotional reaction. The more pragmatic side of me realizes that Romeo isn't Battlefoam. The bags and trays aren't somehow immoral because of the company owner's own underdeveloped level of maturity.The product is good; expensive, but unquestionably top-of-the-line. I would buy the bag if I'd heard nothing of Romeo's ruthless business tactics. Does a silly lawsuit make someone more unethical than a company who uses child labor?

What do you guys think? Is a business's practices a deciding factor in whether you buy from them? Is it fair to refuse business just because their negatives are more public than another company? How far does a company have to go before you'll say "I'll never give them my business!" and mean it?

I thought I could easily answer this, but between my examinations of GW and Battlefoam, I have to concede that crappy, ethical business decisions may not be cause enough to swear off a product.

See you tomorrow!