Here’s a question for you: When is it a good time to shop local?
Consider these answers and choose your favorite:
- Every day.
- All the time.
- Right now.
- On days that end in Y.
- When the sky is blue.
In other words – it’s ALWAYS a great time to shop local. Of course, we all love and appreciate the convenience of at-home delivery, but if there’s one gift the pandemic gave us – it was outside-the-box solutions. And local retailers jumped at innovative new ways to engage their customers. It’s still entirely possible to click buttons to make a local purchase as well as make a local impact. So if holiday shopping convenience is a priority for you – you have local options. Check your favorite stores’ websites and social media accounts. They’ve gotten quite savvy at making shopping fun and convenient!
But don’t just stay online! Go! Visit the store! Shopping online is very different from the experience of shopping in person. Granted, you’ll need to put on pants. But the benefits outweigh that minor detail. Plus, local retailers are thankful when you come see them. After all – as great as Amazon is – they aren’t going to ask you about your day…. They aren’t going to help you choose the perfect gift for your mother-in-law…. Amazon isn’t going to ask how she liked it next time you see them…
Maybe you aren’t even gift-buying. Perhaps you need a new outfit for an interview or a first date! Amazon isn’t going to ask you how the interview went, nor will they make recommendations about how to accessorize. They definitely won’t direct you to the awesome new hairstylist who can help tame those locks!
Most of all, Amazon isn’t going to light up with a smile when they see you coming! And seriously – isn’t it nice to see someone who is excited to see you?
At the heart of shopping local – you’re investing in the community. YOUR community. You’re supporting your neighbors. And if you shop in our local establishments frequently enough – you’re supporting your friends.
If we’ve learned anything over the last two years – people need people. It’s not healthy for us to be so isolated. So doing a small thing like shopping local isn’t a hardship – it’s a blessing. It’s a gift to us that these local entrepreneurs have brought products and services to our community…. And it’s a gift to them when we buy those products and services. It’s a circle of giving that makes our community a stronger and better place.
So shop small. Shop local. Support your community.