Written by Elissa Collins - Tweedy Clothing Ambassador
I am really guilty of needing that item as soon as possible and using some of the larger companies to satisfy my instant need for unnecessary consumerism. This Christmas though I tried to shop local and it was a far more pleasant and interesting experience. Using local companies is a sure way to boost the local economy, especially in times as they are, we need to show support more than ever for our local traders.
I have put together some reasons as to why we should be supporting our local companies:
Character and charm
Local independent shops usually have far more individuality and originality about their products. They are much more likely to have ‘something different’ which offers much more variety and choice than some of the more generic stores. It's that question, ‘where did you get that from’, and then sharing your experience!
Opportunity
Supporting local helps those starting out in business to get their foot in the door, small traders all deserve a fair chance, right? The traders are also likely to be very careful about where they source their products from and this usually forms part of their USP.
High Street Personality
A high street which has more independent shops is far more likely to attract people to the area, it shows the creativity and diversity of products and services, making it a very attractive place to visit and spent the day meandering through.
Charity Donations
Many of the local shops support local charities. They usually have offers on certain products where a % of the sale will be donated to the charity. These shops also support each other, promoting each other’s goods and services. Quite often in the social media space they also run competitions bundling up offers across businesses to help promote them. This in turn raises awareness and exposure to give visibility of local brands. Shoppers will then likely be drawn to other local shops, and in turn spread the word.
Customer Services
Being local, you interact with people, real people! If you need advice or information there is a place to visit or call, and the owners will be happy to help you! People who have a happy, positive, personal interactive shopping experience are more likely to spread the word, and direct people to the shop or shops and their online space.
Local Economy
Shopping local means the money you spend stays local too. This is reinvested back into the local area and in turn preserving its future. Some of the high streets have suffered due to recent times so let’s keep our independents thriving and drawing people to our local areas!
In the last 12 months, a lot more emphasis has been put on shopping small and shopping local (rightly so), so we would love to know, do you opt to shop local where possible?
Written by Elissa Collins - Tweedy Clothing Ambassador