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Editorial: Make the holiday season brighter by shopping locally

Pros can outweigh the cons when shopping close to home, even if something costs a bit more here
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For most people who celebrate Christmas, December is a time of buying and consuming.

Whether by impulse or design, the purchasing part of the equation has a dramatic effect on local businesses. Which businesses and where they are has an equally dramatic effect on the community the spent dollars flow through, with the funds trickling from one business to another as owners do their own shopping.

Temptations exist for shopping online, for the ease, of course, but also due to price points in some instances. Ease may be a factor in larger communities, but it doesn’t fly in the qathet region, where even on the busiest of days ample parking is available, and it’s free, too. When it only takes a few minutes to get anywhere, saving time should not be a factor when it comes to a buying decision.

Pros can outweigh the cons when shopping close to home, even if something costs a bit more here. How easy is it to have an item that was purchased online or out of town repaired, or swap sizes? That requires shipping, or another visit to the point of purchase, both of which add cost and defeat the purpose of saving a buck or two. Even if there is no cost for shipping, time is required to repackage, send back and wait for a replacement.

Before looking outside of the community to make purchases for family or friends, consider the unique items available at shops and stores within the local area. There are gems here that cannot be found elsewhere, and might mean more to the recipient than a token, mass-produced product found on a website or in a big box store out of town.

If you’re making a list and checking it twice, think about what is available here. Is there an event you wish to attend, or an enticing product or service at a local store, studio or community facility? Ask for something you will consume, use often or recycle when done with rather than a gift that may collect dust on a shelf or eventually do nothing other than take up space.

The best gifts are often everyday items that will be used many times before being discarded, forgotten or thrown away.

Local traffic is important year-round, but many businesses enjoy their strongest sales month during December as shoppers seek ways to spoil friends and loved ones.

When consumers buy at local businesses, it allows proprietors to pay it forward when making their own purchases at other establishments, as well as paying employees who do the same, whether it involves gifts or everyday household purchases. 

Make the holiday season brighter for everyone by shopping locally.