Its official—the 2012 holiday shopping season is here! It’s the period of time that begins with Black Friday, then continues with Small Business Saturday, and wraps ups with Cyber Monday.
The Thanksgiving holiday season marks the beginning of the biggest retail shopping season of the year.
Black Friday has grown to become a national shopping event, and it gets its name from a symbolic moment when retailers shift on the balance sheet to operating in the black. In reality, it’s the last three months of the year and not just the one day that merchants rely on for strong retail sales.
This year, as we celebrate the season and Thanksgiving with our families, you’re encouraged to give some thought to how and where you shop.
It really does matter—especially in today’s economy. We often hear “shop local,” and “shop small,” but what does that really mean, and how does it have a direct and positive impact on you? We’ll answer some of those questions, and give you some shopping food for thought:
First, it’s important to identify and understand exactly what “local” means. Today, as national media and big box retailers struggle to survive—“local” has become a fashionable marketing catchphrase. But local isn’t scaleable. Local isn’t any nationally-known brand, even if it has a locally convenient location. Local means your neighbors, who also own and operate a real business in your town. It’s the kind of local business that you’d first talk about when explaining our town to distant relatives; it’s the business you’d miss most if they were gone. Shopping local—authentically local—means you’re investing in your own quality of life.
When shopping “locally,” try to distinguish between large national brands that operate a locally convenient business, and those that are authentically local – meaning home-grown, home-spun, home-owned and all that.
Directing your shopping dollars to authentically local businesses benefits you and the town in a number of important ways. Consider this:
Shopping local creates jobs. Shops in our town create local employment and self-employment. These people in turn spend in the local economy, fueling the economic health of the community. More of every dollar spent at a local business stays in the town. It’s more than a cliché to say that shopping local creates jobs—and the job you save may be your own.
Local independent shops invest more in our communities. Local businesses are proportionally more generous in their support of local charities, schools, and community events. So supporting local shops means a financial contribution to your community.
Local shops sell great products at affordable prices. Some people get out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products available. A great example of this is Bay Hardware, on Main Street in Seal Beach. They routinely beat and match prices of other bigger stores—and they carry over 16,000 separate “SKUs” (units of merchandise, including varying sizes, colors, etc). And what they don’t carry—they’ll get it, and fast.
Shopping locally saves you time and money. You travel less, saving on time and fuel. With fuel prices over $3.90 per gallon, a five-mile round trip in the average car will likely cost you more than what you think you might be saving—not to mention lost time.
Shopping locally retains our communities. People don’t like losing shops and services in small towns but don’t equate this with how they spend their money. It’s a lot like imagining how you’d pay your mortgage if you lost your income. It’s that real, and that close to the success of every local business.
Shopping locally retains our distinctiveness. Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond more quickly to the needs of local customers, stocking products to meet changing population needs. In our community—we have a bigger diversity of local shops than most small towns our size.
Shopping locally saves the environment. Local shops often stock a high percentage of locally sourced goods that do not require long-distance transportation, helping to reduce our global footprint. Plus, you’ll travel less and use less fuel getting to large shopping centers. Look around our town—closely—and you’ll be surprised at the goods that are sources so close to home.
Local shops are for everyone. Most people can get to their local shops easily. This is especially important for the elderly, young people and others who rely on public transportation. A stroll down our Old Town and beach areas is full of shopping opportunities that many people travel from far away to get to—and wish they had—in their own town. Shopping here preserves that.
Local shops value you more. Evidence from numerous surveys show people get better customer care and service locally. These businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business, which means you get a higher standard of service. And, if you’re not satisfied, chances are the person across the counter is empowered to make things right.
Shopping local saves services. Private and public services cluster around shops. As shops disappear so do hairdressers, banks, restaurants and other businesses. This clustering that we enjoy in our town is so successful that it’s created in artificial environments called malls.
The unique flavor of local small businesses adds charm and character to the holidays—as no two stores are exactly alike. And you don’t have to look far—the Sun region is full of local shopping districts.
In Old Town Seal Beach there are many shops—and in some cases many in the same category. For example—coffee is a great shopping day pick-up, and in Old Town you can choose a smooth blend of on-site roasted coffee at Javatinis Espresso & Gelato, or sip your favorite coffee creation at Bogart’s Coffee House overlooking the beach and pier.
Closer to PCH is The Crema Café, which brews authentic Illy espresso and this year has added a bakery. Whichever you choose—you’ve chosen wisely, and authentically local.
Many local boutiques also carry a wide range of top name brands. Seal Beach Main Street is overflowing with incredible local clothing shops. Heavenly Couture is a great place to start, where every day their apparel items are all just $15.
A block away, Elison Rd is sandwiched between two idyllic antique shops, and near the pier, Endless Summer offers the top surfer brands like Billabong, Roxy, and Hurley. And surfer brands rule supreme at local shops—from Katin Surf Shop to Harbour Surfing, where you’ll find the iconic Harbour-logo tees. Off Main, a number of local merchants line PCH from Seal Beach to Huntington Harbor and each one is waiting to show you their best selection and values. The list goes on.
The backbone of all of this shopping variety and excitement is the genuine, authentic small business. “Small Business Saturday” celebrates small business and the contribution to the health of our local and national economy.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year. Over the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs. Their importance to local communities extends even further. For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures.
Small business is the engine of job creation in the US economy. By thinking first of local, small business, you are making a direct contribution to the health of the community. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the glue that holds communities together—so this year, as we all celebrate the season and think about where and why we’re going to shop—shop first locally – at a small business.
