Shopping Locally

When you shop locally you develop a knowledge of what's available, who has the best service, where the prices are most reasonable or competitive, and usually you can go home with your purchase in your hands. That can be a big plus when your in a hurry.

Although some of those same things can be said of net shopping too - when you find good online shops you know where to go the next time, but finding that shop can take a lot of searching. As well, you have to wait for delivery, and often incur shipping charges and even duty fees if your order comes from outside your country of residence. The plus side is that you can order anytime of day or night, and if you aren't able to leave the house you can still get the things you need, because your order comes right to the door. The downside is that you often don't know what sites are trustworthy, or what sellers are honest.

Most of the time I opt to shop locally when I can, for a number of reasons. Shopping locally keeps your your local economy moving. I'd rather spend my dollars in a shop that pays taxes to help keep our roads repaired or our street lights lit. Shopkeepers earn their income where I live; they also shop in other local stores, keeping the circle moving. There is a reciprocal relationship in local shopping - I buy in their shop, they may use my services, or send their friends or family to me.

The other thing I have found in shopping locally is that you can build good working relationships with the business community; you get better customer service in local shops too, particularly when you use the same shops on a regular basis. When you can't find something locally, many times the shop owner will go out of their way to find what you need and order it in.

Depending on where you live, shopping local can cost a little more, but I'd rather spend a few extra dollars in my home town and contribute towards making the place where I live a vibrant business community.