Who doesn’t like shopping?
May it be a brand-new bag you’ve been saving up for months, or a simple trip to the grocery store to satisfy your everyday needs, buying something for yourself is as rewarding as getting away from reality once in a while.
But out of all the shops out there to choose from, why not shop local?
Getting used to buying at big retailer brands bears no offense as these companies have swept the consumers off their feet due to the amount of trust and support around the country.
The thing is, buying at big companies is often overrated as they are the ones who can afford large-scale advertisements, which can have a significant impact on sales and increase their chances of success. People often choose to shop at big stores, thinking about the wide variety of trusted products to choose from. As people decide to buy at big stores, they fail to see the bigger picture lying on local business stores located around their neighborhood.
On the other side of the picture, shopping local can also cater to your needs and sometimes perform better than big brands, which often are tagged at a very low price. Shopping local also has a wide variety of benefits not just intended for you but also to other factors outside your home, as to why shop local small business, there are several underlying reasons why.
If you want to know about the benefits of shopping local, here are a few reasons:
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- Stimulates economic growth
At first, you might think, if shopping were to stimulate economic growth, why shop local?
Besides spoiling yourself from the long list of items on your bucket list, shopping local is good for the economy. Since money is circulated within the local economy only, it can be re-spent by citizens resulting in a rise in economic activity.
Apart from the economic bustle, local workers also benefit from this juncture as decent wages would be offered. A local shop’s success would also likely hire more workers, which would result in job opportunities for those who are unemployed.
According to a study entitled “Why Buy Local? An Assessment of the Economic Advantages of Shopping at Locally Owned Businesses” conducted by the Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development, small businesses employ more than 52 percent of the nation’s employees. In other words, buying locally means that employment levels are more stable and even increase as opportunities for residents start to grow.
Aside from that, data shows that local shops return about 52 percent of their revenue to circulate into the local economy. As for national retailers, only 14 percent circulated back.
Other than that, the local tax base is even built to a favorable level beneficial for consumers and producers alike as this would help local government services. Public libraries, health centers, and other infrastructures open for the public are projects that utilize tax money.
Locally-owned businesses also get the gist of earning more profit when consumers buy their products—pushing for more sustainable, locally-sourced goods in the local market. Thus, all these fuels a stronger financial foundation within communities.
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- Eco-friendly alternative
One of the main reasons shopping local is eco-friendly and more efficient than buying at shopping malls is that it minimizes your carbon footprint. Food production is accountable for almost a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Local produce is often harvested and grown in the owner’s backyard. This lessens the amount of travel it would take if it were to be sourced outside the country—cutting down air pollution due to lesser fuel consumption.
Thus, when you shop local, you’re giving the environment a chance to heal from the adverse effects brought by day-to-day commodities. Aside from that, lesser produce is wasted as local business owners value every product set out in the market. They would usually compost goods or sometimes give them to neighbors for a very low price or free.
Shop local also introduces new ways to be an efficient, sustainable buyer as you opt to live buying only at local stores near you. This is also being campaigned by the United Nations to beat Climate Change through their movement with the hashtag #ClimateAction.
This movement was done due to the discovery that a total of eight million tons of plastic ended up in the ocean—equal to five grocery bags per foot of coastline around the globe. So when you choose to shop local, you lessen the use of plastic in your everyday lives.
Also, locally-grown food is most likely to be free from pesticides and preservatives, adding plus points to your health as well. Being conscious about your wellness is not the only catch because it cultivates land use in your area instead of converting it to commercial or industrial use—an action that can badly affect soil quality. Hence, opting to shop local does a significant step on your part to protect the environment.
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- Cost-efficient
Who knew that shopping local could save you parking fees? Yes, that’s right. Paying a visit to a local business store near you might save you a sum of money due to gas and parking fees when buying in a shopping mall. Aside from the cheap produce you can get at a local shop, everything is fresh and ready for consumption—and yes, for a lower price.
Also, opting to shop local gives you better and personalized customer service. You would likely get better service as they would have better knowledge and understanding about their products, which results in more patrons or loyal customers. With that, every single money spent on a local product is worth the many questions you have in mind before actually using or consuming it. Business owners would go the extra mile just to know if you are satisfied with their service and that you have the right product.
With having a close connection with your local supplier, you can know where your produce is sourced and even get some tips on making your own garden since owners are just behind counters and are transparent about where their products come from. Thus, the local shoppers network multiplies over time as people turn to shop local stores.
Aside from being cost-efficient, a study from the University of Vermont found out that local food tastes better because fruits and vegetables are allowed longer rather than picked early, which could result in their spoilage during packaging and transportation.
Not only that, you can even browse on the internet for local business stores selling produce, clothing, and many more as small local stores can keep up with the latest trends like ecommerce you thought only big brands could. With a swipe of a button or a simple text message or phone call, you can enjoy shopping even when it’s just locally.
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- Strengthening and building your community
Keeping in touch with your community by giving your support to people’s business ventures and ideas integrates a much more vibrant circle in your local community. Bear in mind that shopping local not only gives you a broader perspective of your community, but you also happen to support someone else’s dreams—turning them into reality.
Not only that, we put an effort to support local farmers as we opt to shop at small-scale businesses. Families often run farming from generation to generation, so our decision to shop local stores could also be converted to a possibility of someone’s chance to put food on the table.
Aside from that, the prospect to shop at local stores also encourages people to build their own local store and their own personal branding, which would benefit consumers within the city as they would have wider options for commodity goods. This also heightens the possibility of protecting businesses within your city, which is something to be proud of.
Besides, there’s nothing more gratifying than knowing you’ve been doing a massive service to the community, economy, and the environment. Again, letting your family know about the effects of shopping locally can be a great learning experience to promote businesses in the agriculture industry. And by having a glimpse of the local business industry in your community, every purchase you make, no matter how big or small, can make a difference when you shop local.
Why shop local small business?
A trip to the grocery store can be exciting or not just your type of fun, but a trip to a local store can give you a new involvement and knowledge in buying locally-produced goods you’ve never experienced before.
Given all the benefits of what shopping local can do to you, your neighborhood, the economy, and the environment, it is sure tempting to try even just for once.
Support small local businesses by dropping by at a local store near you. Your support could go a long way.
Wondering about starting your own local business? Start your business by making a blog about it, and Strikingly is here to help. Blogging has never been this easy because in Strikingly, you can add store pickup in the shipping option, send newsletters to your subscribers, and even let your customers go for offline payments. The possibilities are endless!
It also offers a wide variety of templates for you to choose from so you can visualize the best appearance for your blog, thus, having the choice to pick your own style and approach—like the boss you are.
Not only that, you can design your own blog today for free. So, go on and head to Strikingly to see it all for yourself.
