We all love a good deal. When we think we’re getting the biggest bang for our buck, we pat ourselves on the back and feel proud of our thrifty spending habits.
In our effort to save money, we decide that ordering online and shopping in bulk from giant corporations is the best (and most convenient) way to go. In doing this we lose sight of the fact that in spending our money on Amazon, we’re shortchanging our locally owned stores and in effect are helping to run them out of business.
Is a Super Store all that ‘Super’?
Forgive me if I sound preachy, but this is something that’s been on my mind. Any time I run out of thread or cardstock or some other crafting supply, my immediate thought is to order it online, and for just an extra $____ have it delivered to my home the same day. It isn’t really saving me any money though if I order online and pay an extra fee for expedited shipping; in many instances I’m actually paying more just for convenience’s sake.
My local arts and crafts store isn’t all that long a drive away either. Unless there’s a lot of traffic, I am walking through their doors 15 minutes from when I left the house. Basically, I’m ordering online because I have an excessive amount of laziness; this is not one of my more attractive features, suffice it say.
I’m someone who has complained about our local stores closing, and in the same breath exclaiming with excitement that our Target is getting a Starbucks. What’s the deal with that? To be a better person, I had to take a hard look at my spending habits and look at the places I was heading to after pay day. I didn’t like what I saw: I was part of the problem. Mom and pop shops were closing because I, and many people like me, chose convenience over service. If reading this your still thinking that your happy to order online and find all you need in one general electronic location, here are some other reasons to shop at your local stores.
Better Deals
When you have been a loyal patron to a local establishment, the owners will recognize this and offer you loyalty discounts and other services. Sure, this does sound like you’re still trying to nab that sale, but the difference is you’re spending your money at a local store and helping to keep it in business.
Character Building
A town loses a lot of its charm when the tried and true establishments are torn down and a giant rectangular box is erected in their stead. Wal-Mart superstores do not add culture and beauty to the community, they simply make it look like tired and average. Locally owned businesses add character to our towns, superstores melt that away and turn them into a dark and bleak landscape.
Drives the Local Economy
Corporations often make promises that they’ll bring in hundreds of jobs to the local community. It might seem that they hold to their promise in the beginning, but it’s quickly learned that they offer poor work hours, low hourly wages and outsource their services as soon as it seems safe to do so. Corporations aren’t out there to serve the community, they’re out there to make a buck.
Locally owned stores hire employees living in the community and often serve as sponsors for local boys and girls clubs and athletic teams. Many will even donate their services or supplies free of charge for a worthy cause. Does a superstore do that?
Buying locally serves the community and gets you out there and involved. Is there anything better than that?
