Three Reasons to Shop Locally for the Holidays

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, the annual tradition of waiting in line at Wal-Mart or Best Buy to get the best deal on whatever the "hot" item of the year is has officially begun. If you're as tired of the crowds and commercialism as I am, you'll be happy to know that it doesn't have to be like that. You can get awesome gifts while avoiding the mob scene at the store. And no, this isn't another post about doing your holiday shopping online. This is about keeping your money closer to home by shopping at local small businesses.

Shopping at locally owned businesses is good for the economy in your state and community. "According to Local First Arizona, an organization that fights to keep money circulating in the state, for every $100 spent at a national chain store, $13 remains in Arizona....But for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $45 remains in Arizona. " This doesn't just apply to Phoenix, it is the same for any area. Supporting these local businesses keeps money in your community, where it can be reinvested there (instead of overseas). When you consider that many states are running multi-billion dollar budget deficits, it only makes sense to try and support local businesses, and to keep more of your hard-earned money in the hands of people and businesses that have an investment in your community.

Small businesses are great places to find unique gifts. If you have people on your holiday list who are difficult to buy for, chances are there is a small business that caters to at least one of their interests. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of mom and pop businesses selling everything from used books to gourmet chocolate to art. If you have a friend who seems to have everything, a mom and pop store is a great place to find something original.

Last but possibly most importantly, when you shop at local small businesses you get personalized service. We are occasional customers at some of our favorite local stores, and frequent customers at others. For example, my husband and I make one or two trips per year to a local tea store to buy loose-leaf teas. As a tea drinker, I know how lucky I am to have such a store locally, and want to support them as much as possible. We were there on Black Friday, and there were a few people in the store, but no crowds, and no waiting in line to be helped. The owner was there, and she recognized many of the regular customers by name. Even though we only visit this store a few times each year, they have a computer system that logs what we buy so that they can make recommendations tailored to our tastes. Small businesses recognize the importance of making every customer happy. They know that one unhappy customer walking out of their door will cost them future profits, as well as future referrals and new customers. Honestly, Wal-Mart doesn't care if you're unhappy with a snippy cashier and never darken their doors again- they know that plenty of other people will.

Like any other change, it can feel overwhelming to think of suddenly giving up the big box stores and doing 100% of your shopping locally, even just for the holidays. The key is baby steps. The Shop Local website has a goal of persuading people to shift 10% of their shopping to local businesses. That's one transaction out of every ten, and the holiday season is a prime time to start. In addition to shopping local stores, this is a great time to support local crafters as well. Many communities have boutiques during this time of year. Vendors pay a fee to set up a table and sell their handcrafted items, and there is typically a great variety. These boutiques typically have many unique items in a small space, and are a great way to find unexpected treasures. So this holiday season, try shopping locally.

Quote from Shop Local in the Phoenix Magazine.