Do you consider the marketing when you buy the product?

One of the fascinating guys I’ve been reading more of lately is Seth Godin. We have a certain past employer in common, and he made a cool blog post just the other day, about how when you buy something, you’re also buying the marketing behind the product.

For example, if you buy a product from spam (or email marketing) then you’re going to get more spam. Buy from direct mail, you’ll get more of it. Buy from a store and give them your email address for “promotional offers” and yep, you’ll get inundated with them (Borders does this constantly).

When I buy stuff, I try to consider the company I’m buying from. Do they treat their people well? Do their values line up with mine? Etc, etc. It isn’t every purchase that happens this way, as some things (Apple for example, is the only seller of an Iphone or a Macbook, and I love them) but for some stuff, like groceries, I can go to Safeway, Whole Foods, Lucky’s, or some corner store like 7-11. Depending on which store I chose, I’m basically voting for that companies method of doing business.

As a result, I tend to spend more of my grocery money at the store I believe in more. I’ve read their mission statement, I know about their executive compensation rules, and I agree with them. How about you, do you take into account the business when you buy, or only the product that business is selling?