Old Concept, New idea

[Octavian]

I know this isn't exactly a completely new idea but here goes.
After hearing from family members about cell phone companies being jackasses to them and doing things like raising prices despite going against a signed contract I came up with an idea. Essentially it involves people forming a "consumer union". This would require people organizing with in some kind of community like a city, province, or state etc and all going with the same companies or buying products from the same companies. The idea is that if you are in a recognized group companies will bend to your needs because of the amount of people that would ether terminate service with a company or sign with a company.

Good idea? Bad idea? If so, why?
Note: This doesn't only apply to cellphone service, it could be anything.

[Sensible Socialist]

I know this isn't exactly a completely new idea but here goes.
After hearing from family members about cell phone companies being jackasses to them and doing things like raising prices despite going against a signed contract I came up with an idea. Essentially it involves people forming a "consumer union". This would require people organizing with in some kind of community like a city, province, or state etc and all going with the same companies or buying products from the same companies. The idea is that if you are in a recognized group companies will bend to your needs because of the amount of people that would ether terminate service with a company or sign with a company.

Good idea? Bad idea? If so, why?
Note: This doesn't only apply to cellphone service, it could be anything.
If you managed to get enough people on board to have an effect with your combined buying power, there are much better ways to use that power. And lets be realistic, you would need thousands and thousands of people acting in a coordinated manner to specific actions by companies, and you would need to have your group's actions publicized to make sure the company is aware of that fact.

There have been boycotts of companies throughout the past decades, and while some have produced change, these consumer actions will not help take down the system of capitalism. The goal is to dismantle capitalism, not make nice reforms that ease pressure on a few people. If there is a point where people join together in such mass numbers, there are much more powerful and meaningful options that demanding large corporations make lives a bit easier for consumers.

[Octavian]

The intent was more to entice people into the concept of it and "get the ball" rolling per say to further socialist the cause.

[Sensible Socialist]

And that is a great intent. I'm all for that. Not to mention it would be amazing if a large number of people became organized to cause change. But with that much power, looking to influence the actions of the entities we seek to take for ourselves seems like petty change.

[PhoenixAsh]

we have something like that in Holland.

link in Dutch... (http://www.consumentenbond.nl/)