LET THE (SHOPPING) SEASON BEGIN

Holidays are upon us.  Thanksgiving, then the holidays of December to the first day of the New Year.

Who could blame you.

So, the best those of us in local business can ask is, whenever possible, please shop locally.

Over the past 10 years, retailing in Bainbridge has drastically transformed.  Locally owned businesses have seen their share of available local spending spread thin among big box chains and smaller chain retailers.  Used to be that weekend shopping trips to Tallahassee were common, heading for the malls with big name retailers.  Now, with increased retail in Bainbridge, and high cost of driving to Tallahassee and back, it makes more sense to check out local retailers first.

Those of us operating what is commonly referred to as “mom and pop” retail stores are feeling the pinch now of another competitor – the internet.

Internet sales are now in the billions, with holiday spending projections this season to top $44 billion, up 12% over last year, and climbing. According to a Forrester Research Inc. study taken in September, and reported in The Wall Street Journal this week, most people believe they can get most anything cheaper by shopping the internet.

There’s nothing wrong with shopping around.  It’s the American way.  All that those of us in local business ask is “give us your consideration,” and if we cannot fulfill your needs, then do what you must do.

Let’s take one “onliner” as an example of bigtime purchases.  Amazon.com., which sells everything from books to zippers, expects sales this year to be somewhere between $18 and $19 billion.  That’s billion not million, folks. What’s tragic about Amazon.com, is that prior to the economic downtown the company had predicted annual sales this year between $19 and $20 billion.  What will they do now since they are going to be possibly down $1 billion in sales. Woe, woe, woe.

Now, don’t feel sorry for Jeff Bezos, founder and Chief Executive Officer for Amazon.com. Because of the economic downturn, Bezos reportedly lost $4.8 billion from investments, mostly in his own company stock. Please. It isn’t necessary to order a bunch of stuff from Amazon.com that you don’t need only to help the poor guy recover his losses.

Just remember this.

• A customer is short of cash while picking up an ordered item, but the retailer says "It's not a problem. Take the merchandise and pay the rest next time you come in."
  You can’t get that kind of service from the internet or from the big boxers.
• A customer is homebound, cannot get to your store, so sometime that day, a special order is home-delivered with a smile and personal chat. 
  You can’t get that kind of service from the internet.
• A local charity needs a door prize, or a sponsor for their event, and the local merchants respond in kind.
  You can’t squeeze those donations from the internet.
• A customer needs a gift with special personalized wrapping.
  You can’t get that on the internet.
• A customer needs a special item, and can’t find it anywhere, but you know through your business suppliers exactly where to find it at a reasonable price.
  You can’t get that service on the internet.
• A customer calls your store, and a live person, usually the owner, answers the phone.
  You never get that on the internet.
• A local merchant has suppliers he deals with who can get merchandise just as quick and - many times quicker - than you can get it delivered through the internet.
• Customers walk into a store and they are greeted by name.
  They can’t see you from the internet.

Consider this. Money that is spent in Bainbridge stays in Bainbridge and circulates through the community at all levels. Communities and local businesses, to be vibrant, need a steady cash flow.

Want to help?  Shop locally.