Are you shopping in your community?

There is always so much hype during this time of year as people prepare for Christmas Day. I do not get into the big commercialization of Christmas Day celebration. Christmas Day is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so we should be giving him gifts…But that’s another column.

I believe Black Friday (shopping and spending lots of money) should be every day, but it should start in our own communities. There are businesses within all of our communities that are just waiting for your business. They pay taxes to the cities in which we live, they employ people from the community and they donate to programs within the community. Why do you drive pass the businesses in the city to go spend your money elsewhere? I want to encourage you to shop at the businesses in the community, first. If they don’t have what you need, then go somewhere else.

I know some people say that they don’t shop with the local businesses because either 1) their prices are higher than the bigger stores and 2) their service is not good. Well those are not valid reasons because those issues can be addressed easily. First, their prices are higher because they can’t purchase the volume of items that would allow them to price their item lower because they would be stuck on the shelves because you are not shopping with them. This forces them to buy a smaller quantity at a higher price and they have to roll that over to the customers. So if you and your family shop there they can purchase more items at a lower rate and pass those savings on to you. (That’s not rocket science)

Second, their service is not good. Well tell them about it. That is an easy problem to solve. People from the community are the hardest people to please. But it is possible. In most cases, you know the owner, so just pull the owner aside and share your concerns with them. I’m sure they will make the adjustment. Before you make the decision to not support your local business, think about the service you received at businesses outside of the community. Be honest with yourself. Did you stop shopping with them, when the service wasn’t good? I bet you didn’t.

So, think about it and plan to Shop Locally Now and in the future.