Buying local and buying small (business) is one of those concepts that everyone can agree to as being good in theory, like the pursuit of happiness, for instance. But “in theory” doesn’t apply to people’s pocketbooks. We are emotional purchasers largely driven by wants.
Motivating people to buy local requires a little finesse and finagling to overcome popular misconceptions such as these:
Popular Misconceptions with Shopping Local
It’s Expensive
When most people think cheap, they think box stores. Those stores are able to offer loss leaders (products marked down below cost to attract shoppers) to get people in the door in the hopes they’ll buy other products as well. But when you factor in the cost of buying things outside of the loss leaders, the gas it takes to travel there, and the time it takes you to find the item you need, you’re not saving a lot, if anything. Read more about that here.
They Don’t Have the Variety
Variety only matters when you can’t find what you want. It doesn’t matter if a shop carries only one thing, if that’s the thing you need. Local shops offer a surprising variety of unique things.
Also, most people don’t know but local shop owners have a wealth of information about products you’re looking for. They may be able to order what you need, refer you elsewhere, or explain that you would be better served to use another item they do have in stock. Local shop owners are experts in what they carry and because they rely so heavily on repeat business, they will give you the information you need even if it means you end up going elsewhere. Someone at a box store that was just told to go report to that department today, can’t do that.
They Don’t Have the Quantity
Many shoppers believe small businesses don’t have the quantity of items that big stores do. Small business is any business that employs under 200 people. That’s hardly small, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Inventory is based on volume and they order just like other stores to keep up with demand. However, since fewer people think to go to small businesses for their needs, that hot ticket item might be in stock there when you can’t find it at a box store.
What’s keeping you from buying from a small business?
