(03-27-2020 07:56 PM)2Buck Wrote:  

(03-27-2020 04:18 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  

(03-27-2020 12:26 PM)RamDawg Wrote:  

(03-27-2020 10:42 AM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  

(03-27-2020 08:12 AM)JMU85 Wrote:  +1

What is the rationale behind "buying local", specifically in non agriculture/food situations?

The bigger corporates also employ local people, are probably in a better position to keep the local employees onboard longer in future downturns, and I'm going to assume offer higher pay and better benefits.

I can understand the point that the local hardware store owner spends more of their profits in my local area whereas the Home Depot CEO is spending their money in some other state. However, that seems to imply you should care more about your city than your state or country. I can also understand that point, but ultimately I'm more pro-USA than pro-Arlington.

The other point I have seen is that local business support local charities/sport leagues/schools/etc. However, this seems like an incomplete picture in that if the local hardware store donates 5% of their profits to local charities, but Home Depot donates 10% of their profits to national/local charities, you are actually diminishing the greater good. We could only speculate on those percentages as a whole but I think most would agree that local businesses generally have thinner margins which impact the ability to give.

This is 100% an inquisitive post, and off topic, but my quick google search is only turning up information on buying local food, which I think is different than other industries.

These local business owners are my neighbors. The people that work for them are my neighbors. WAWA will be selling gas forever Home Depot isn't going anywhere, these bigger businesses have capital to pay their people. They aren't laying off workers. Bob's service station can survive a few months at best, after that the owner closes the doors an takes a job at Amazon moving boxes. Or maybe he will get a second mortgage on his house to pay the shop's electric, insurance and keep people employed. Even before this virus thing, take a walk down Main Street of almost any small town, especially those that don't have a lot of public sector workers and you will get a good idea of small business vs. big business. Imagine Harrisonburg without JMU. The population of Harrisonburg shrunk by maybe 30% about 3 months sooner than anyone expected, therefore local business revenue is down. How many mom and pop places can't afford to stay open until next semester?

I guess some people have no clue the tight rope small business are walking.

The people that work at Home Depot and Wawas are also your neighbors so why aren't you supporting them too? Those people that left 3 months sooner are now supporting another local economy so why aren't you supporting other small town USAs?

I completely get helping local business over a hump but a wholesale initiative to "buy local" makes little economic sense.

I guess it's a preference thing. Do you only want a huge hardware store with lots of lower cost selection and (in my experience) a different less-knowledgeable person helping you every time you visit? Or a pet store with a thousand types of dog food but usually getting a new-hire who knows less than you? Sure, if you know exactly what you want who cares how helpful or invested the staff is? But if there are times you are willing to pay a little more for insight, service, and advice you value, it's nice to have another option.

I once had a tricky fix for our $500 vacuum cleaner. Yes, I could have bought some replacement parts at Walmart or Amazon and end up spending hundreds of dollars, but I decided to go into a local vacuum shop owned by an elderly gent and his wife. The 30 minutes the guy took to explain and demonstrate to me how the issue was caused by a bent bracket that he sold to me for $5 was something lost in the big box stores.

The "shop local" efforts are an attempt by small business owners to pool their resources instead of trying to go head to head against corporate giants they have no chance against exposure-wise individually.

I'd argue the small shop actually contributes more to the local community not only because the ownership is there, but also because I think they employ more people per transaction dollar. Walmart might do a hundred times the business but there's no way the employ hundred times the people.

If folks can't see the importance of that, then these small businesses really don't have a prayer.

There is certainly merit to that argument. However, in America, price is king, and no matter how much you appreciate the elderly couple with the vacuum shop (and I appreciate those businesses too), the fact is we are in a minority, so much a minority that most small businesses can't survive because they can't buy in the bulk that a Costco or Walmart can.

I see more franchises evolving with chains franchising to local business owners, giving the consumer the advantage of price and buying local. Ace Hardware is an example. They can compete with Lowe's and Home Depot price-wise, but are owned locally. Win-win.