John’s Crazy Socks, the social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness, is asking:
- Are you Team John or Team Jeff Bezos?
- Are you with John’s Crazy Socks or Amazon?
In the midst of yet another Amazon Prime Day, we are inundated by ads from the ecommerce behemoth. They have the size and money to crowd out other businesses. But John’s Crazy Socks stands tall against the giant company that is often a predator. Our mission to spread happiness burns bright.
A Small Business Challenges Amazon
Mark X. Cronin, who co-founded John’s Crazy Socks with his son John, says, “We think where we spend our money matters. Compare what value Amazon provides and what we do for you”:
- John is spreading happiness, what are Jeff Bezos and Amazon spreading?
- John sends you a thank-you note and candy in every package. What has Jeff Bezos ever given you?
- More than half our colleagues have a differing ability. Does Amazon?
- Our Giving Back program starts with a pledge of 5% of our earnings to the Special Olympics. What giving back does Amazon pledge?
- We support charity partners like the National Down Syndrome Society, the Autism Society of America, and North Shore Animal League America. Which charities does Amazon support?
- John’s Crazy Socks publishes a monthly Giving Back report telling customers what they have done with the customer’s money. Has Amazon ever told you what they do with your money?
John Cronin says, “Our socks make you feel happy. And people love our socks: we have over 33,000 five-star reviews.”
His father and partner, Mark, adds, “We can go toe-to-toe with Amazon. We have more choices than any other sock store. Socks are not another commodity to John like they are to Amazon. John started this business because he loves colorful, fun socks. John knows socks, does Jeff Bezos?”
Our customers rave about our socks. And we do same-day shipping. Plus, John puts a thank-you note and candy in every package. And on every packing slip, you see the name and picture of the person who packed your order. You don’t get an impersonal brown box with lots of waste, you get a dose of happiness.”
“And when you buy from us, your purchase makes a difference,” Mark continued. “John is not only an entrepreneur, but he also happens to have Down syndrome. More than half our colleagues have a differing ability. When you buy from us, you help us create jobs for people with a differing ability.”
Giving Back: John's Crazy Socks vs. Amazon
Giving Back is baked into everything John’s Crazy Socks does. We started by pledging five percent of our earnings to the Special Olympics because John and many of our colleagues are Special Olympic athletes. We have gone on to create products that promote awareness, celebrate causes and raise money for those causes like Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. Jeff Bezos may have his billions and his yachts, but John, a small business leader, has donated over $750,000 to his charity partners. Our customers share in that experience; our customers become philanthropists. And every month, John’s Crazy Socks reports back to its customers by publishing a Giving Back Report.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $800,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, we are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account, TikTok or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
