When it comes to purchasing much of anything these days, there are multiple platforms a consumer can go to. Whether they choose to use online options like Amazon or go to large corporate run markets like Wal-Mart is up to them, but there will always be one option that overlooked. Shopping local is always a great option, and here are a few reasons why:
- Unique shops and personalized options!
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When you shop local, you’re shopping from a store that carries more personalized items. Maybe they sell jewelry with a local school’s logo, or maybe they make their own baked goods that are out of this world.
- A homey environment!
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Shopping local also means that the owners and employees of a store will be more likely to remember you and label you as someone of the community. This can create a more comfortable atmosphere, where you feel like the person helping you is actually helping you and not just working toward a sales goal.
- Create more traffic (in a good way, of course)!
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By buying from local shops, you’ll ultimately begin to start creating a buzz for that store and increasing foot traffic and sales for the store (given you like the product). This will draw more people to your town, and maybe even improve investment opportunities and the local economy.
- Overall environmental impact!
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One thing that a lot of people don’t think about when they buy from a large commercial store is the amount of work it took to actually get the product to the store they bought it from. Goods are transported by train, plane, truck, and sometimes boat. This creates a fairly large carbon footprint that local businesses just don’t create.
- Jobs!
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This one may seem obvious, but when a store opens up it needs workers. Whether these workers are family or local high school students is beside the point. The important part is that jobs are being generated.
Shopping local has many benefits, so next time you turn on your laptop to get online to buy something, or pull into a commercial store, remember that there might be a local shop just minutes away that offers the same goods at a better quality. These shops are supporting your community, and you should support them back. When you have some free time, take a drive and try to find some of these shops, you might be surprised just how many there are!