Buying Local

[Junket]

I'm not fanatical about it, but I'm trying to be a little more conscious about it. I purchase from a Louisiana grocery chain, and I'm going to put more effort into buying from smaller hardware stores (having them special order me tools they don't have, which is at no extra cost).

Any preferences?

[Gribble]

I don't buy from Wal-mart because I think they're the scum of the Earth. Best Buy and Radio Shack care only to separate a fool from his money. Not that I particularly blame them, but I don't like their dishonesty so I don't buy from either store. Other than that, I buy where it's cheapest. If the mom and pop place down the street goes out of business, well, too bad. I can use the cash I saved to buy myself a singing bass to hang on the wall or something.

[bluesummer]

I try to support local small business as much as I can. Feel obligated or something.

We only have one bridal store where I live. I could've driven into the city and paid less for my dress at a bigger store, but it felt nice to give the business to the local lady. I will buy my wedding flowers wholesale from a local grower. We buy a lot of local produce (we're surrounded by farms!). My fiance works with big commercial clients at the banks, mostly farms, so we get a lot of local produce....blueberries, corn, poultry for FREE!

[Junket]

Well a lot of what you'll hear is that keeping them in business (of course if they're reputable enough to keep in business) is highly beneficial to the local economy in many cases.

[url]http://www.newrules.org/retail/bigboxstudies.pdf[/url]

Here's some benefits:

Top Ten reasons to Think Local - Buy Local - Be Local

1. Buy Local -- Support yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms -- continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.(Click here to see summaries of a variety of economic impact studies; these include case studies showing that locally-owned businesses generate a premium in enhanced economic impact to the community and our tax base.)

2. Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.

3. Keep our community unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place. Our tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust

4. Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

5. Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.

6. Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.

7. Invest in community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

8. Put your taxes to good use: Local businesses in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.

9. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

10. Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

[url]http://www.sconnect.org/thinklocal/why/[/url]

[starbuck]

I prefer to buy local whenever I can, but sometimes it's hard to justify when products are cheaper at those other places.

The other day, I tried to buy razors at my local pharmacy and they wanted to charge me about eight dollars more than at the chain. When I balked at the price, their response was "Well, we're not the big guys." Needless to say, I went where the price was cheaper. The customer shouldn't have to pay extra for the big chain's monopoly, especially for freakin' razors.

If it's more of a luxury item or entertainment item, then it doesn't matter so much to me. I'll pay more for a book at the local bookshop 'cause I don't want to see the Barnes and Noble put it out of business. I guess it depends on how overpriced something is or what function it serves. I love buying local when I can, but it's not always financially an option. Just my two cents.

[Mish]

Sorry, this reminded me of an awesome TV show that covers the local shop theme

[vashti]

I'm willing to pay a little more for local products, but only within reason, and only if the quality is there.

[Junket]

Like I said, if they're reputable.

I buy a lot of things from the internet because places like home depot and lowes don't have the special items I want. Plus, places like that don't special order things like drills or a specific nail pouch because it's not worth the money to ship a single item when everybody else will buy what they have.

So I called up a local hardware store and asked for something specific, and they said if they don't have it they'd have it in next week, no charge, and the price was what I would find anywhere else. This was all arranged with the owner over the phone an hour after they closed.

[doppelgaenger]

this is a very funny subject if you switch the product to something silly, like dildos.

would you buy a walmart dildo or the homegrown dildo at the local market?

[Junket]

I don't get it.

[doppelgaenger]

Well, I just buy whoever offers the best deal. By best deal, I mean cost, quality, and all that. That's the only sensible thing to do, isn't it?

And if a store goes out of business, well so what? Survival of the fittest in the business world. Happens all the time. Anybody notice the slow death of Kmart? That store used to have it all.

If the only store of a certain product is taking advantage of its customers, another store will take advantage of this and start a business. It's just the nature of business.

[Lipp]

Until I've got enough money to toss around it'll be a matter of pricing and quality, regardless of its source.

[doppelgaenger]

By the way, when you live in the country you actually do care which store is closer, too. Back when I lived in bum **** nowhere, a 10 minute difference between 2 towns made a huge difference.

[Junket]

Well, I just buy whoever offers the best deal. By best deal, I mean cost, quality, and all that. That's the only sensible thing to do, isn't it?

And if a store goes out of business, well so what? Survival of the fittest in the business world. Happens all the time. Anybody notice the slow death of Kmart? That store used to have it all.

If the only store of a certain product is taking advantage of its customers, another store will take advantage of this and start a business. It's just the nature of business.

Part of it is that large chains have a tendency to put small businesses out of work which means there are 20 or so people now out of the job which increases the likelihood they're looking to the welfare system which in turn increases our taxes.

What Happened When Wal-Mart Came to Town? A Report on Three Iowa
Communities with a Statistical Analysis of Seven Iowa Counties
by Thomas Muller and Elizabeth Humstone, National Trust For Historic Preservation, 1996.
This study examined the impact of Wal-Mart on several Iowa communities. It found that 84
percent of all sales at the new Wal-Mart stores came at the expense of existing businesses
within the same county. Only 16 percent of sales came from outside the county---a finding
which refutes the notion that Wal-Mart can act as a magnet drawing customers from a wide
area and benefiting other businesses in town. "Although some suggest that the presence of
Wal-Mart outside of, but near to, the downtown area results in additional activity downtown,
both sales data and traffic data do not show this gain," the study concludes. "None of the
nine case studies was experiencing a high enough level of population and income growth to
absorb the Wal-Mart store without losses to other businesses." The study documents losses
in downtown stores after Wal-Mart opened. "General merchandise stores were most
affected," the study notes. "Other types of stores that closed include: automotive stores,
hardware stores, drug stores, apparel stores, and sporting goods stores." The supposed tax
benefits of Wal-Mart did not materialize either: "Although the local tax base added about $2
million with each Wal-Mart, the decline in retail stores following the opening had a
depressing effect on property values

I'm not sure if I made it clear enough, I'm not saying I support any and every small business here just because they're small. I'm also not going to drive across town just to shop at a local business (that's not local). But instead of driving to Home Depot, there's a perfectly good small hardware store down the street that is willing to accommodate me more than most chains and I think that is worth supporting.