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While the shop local movement has picked up steam in the past couple of years, one local business expert doesn’t believe it’s enough. He is urging consumers to avoid the big box stores and instead support local business owners in their area in order to help revitalize local economies.
“What many people don’t understand is that when they shop at a national chain, they’re taking money out of the local community that they’re a part of,” says a spokesman from FindUsLocal, an online local business directory that uses GEO technology to match visitor’s locations and search results. “And that’s because local business owners use their profits to reinvest in their community by hiring local employees, shopping at local stores, and contracting with local professionals. But the big box stores don’t do that.”
He’s right. Recent studies show that for every $100 earned by local businesses, $68 is put back into the local community. On the other hand, for every $100 earned by big box stores, only $43 is put back into that community. That’s because the big chains have no need to spend money on local services, so the money isn’t reinvested in the community.
Another study done in Kent County, Michigan showed that if locals would only shift 10 percent of their business to local businesses instead of big box stores, it would result in $140 million of new economic activity, 1,600 additional jobs, and a $53 million increase in payroll benefits.
“What these studies show is that one person can make a huge difference,” says the spokesman. “For instance, if everyone in a family began shopping at local businesses an extra 10 percent of the time, and then asked their friends to do the same, they could start a movement that would financially benefit their city or town.”
As communities begin to understand the significance of shopping local, many have begun to reject the building of new big box stores. “In the end,” says the spokesman, “shopping locally not only helps support the community, but it increases the choices and diversity shoppers have because they’re not limited to same products that are offered at every big box store across the nation.
Shoppers can find the best local shops in their area by searching in a local business directory.
About FindUsLocal: FindUsLocal uses geolocation technology in visitor’s browsers to construct a home page focused on their city, town or community. Right there on the front page, they’ll find local weather, sports results for their favorite teams, and announcements of the top musical acts and events coming to their city. Smart business owners list their businesses on the site to be seen by those who are specifically looking for businesses in their local area.
Release ID: 134717