Buy a Gift that keeps on Giving

How to buy a Gift that Keeps On Giving this Christmas

It is that time of year when many people are well underway with their gift lists. Before you turn to the online giants to make your purchases this festive season, consider how much of a difference you could make by buying a gift locally from a small independent business instead.  When you buy a gift from a local business, it can really be a gift that just keeps on giving!  Here’s why.

Buying that one gift from a local high street retailer has a positive impact. Shopping locally supports not only a small business, but their suppliers, staff, the local delivery company, charities, grass root clubs and families. It has such an enormous impact on so many people, your community, friends, family and neighbours.

Many local businesses source their supplies locally, from farms, crafters and makers. Every purchase creates a chain reaction, benefitting more than just the shop.  Buying a gift enables a shopkeeper to pay staff wages, a staff member to put food on the table for their families and buy Christmas gifts for someone else.  Every sale from an independent retailer is guaranteed to put a smile on their face – we have heard that some businesses even do a happy dance and have some recorded evidence of that occurrence here (INSERT LINK) Rachel daughter and woman in York.

*Independent retailer month.com tells us for every £1 spent in a local high street store, 50-70p of that circulates back into the local economy just like this.

Many local businesses are managed by one person. Sole traders have been found to be more generous when donating into community projects and assisting with fundraising. Many local charities and initiatives often find it easier to get support from local businesses who are more willing to assist quickly with fundraising and donations.  

To compare - *spending £1 with a local business means over half of it stays circulating in your local economy - £1 spent with an online giant or out of town means only 5p finds its way back to the community!  So next time you go to click on that big online retailer, just think local first -  what you are looking for might be available locally, head over to ShopAppy.com and have a browse or have a stroll down your local high street. If you make a choice to buy gifts locally instead, you can be sure that the gift you buy will keep on giving. And alongside all that additional spend you are helping to create in your community, it makes you feel good too.

*Ref- http://www.independentretailermonth.co.uk/about