The Decision To Buy Local
When I watch TV or listen to the radio, typically the best creative comes from non-locally owned companies. I mean seriously, how awesome is this spot. When I say locally owned I am talking about smaller business that may have 1 or more stores and serving a rather smaller geographic area. I am NOT talking about WalMart or BestBuy.
Now granted, big companies are going to have BIG budgets and can hire better talent, creative directors, and big time ad agencies. However, this doesn't mean that just because you are a local business, your advertising has to suffer. There are all kinds of ways for a smaller business to deliver good creative.
Whatever you do, DO NOT let the local TV or radio station assembly line your spot. Hire someone that has a proven track record and can demonstrate proficiency in creative, production and design. Same thing goes with your printed material. Don't sacrifice on your graphic design. Hire a professional designer or marketing company that knows design. Don't rely on someone that says, "Hey Jim Bob, I know how to use Publisher and Word. I can make you a real purdy brochure." AND, don't take your final design to a color copy shop. Have it printed by a professional, commercial printing company. Now there is an exception that I am willing to accept. If you only need 50 of the finished product, then that is an obvious exception.
Now that I went off on that tangent, here is the real question that I am wondering about and would like some answers from you guys. Marketing and advertising aside, when it comes time to make a purchase for a washer, dryer, TV, Vacuum, or whatever. Do you turn to a locally owned business or will you shop at a big box store? Let me know why you make your buying choice.
For me, I will support a local business if I can. I have even been known to pay more at a locally owned company. Now don't get me wrong, I still get toilet paper and other miscellaneous things at WalMart, Sams or Target, but when it comes to major purchases like appliances, and things of that nature, I am going to go to a local business. I have had some of my worst customer service experiences from companies like Sears, Mediacom and WellsFargo. Now bear with me as I have a tourettes episode. SEARS WILL NEVER GET A DIME OF MY MONEY AGAIN!!! Sorry about that, I am a little scarred.
Digression aside, when I make local purchases, not only is the service better in most cases, I feel I am helping a neighbor.
Your thoughts?
Labels: advertising, marketing
posted by Big Pappa @ 11:15 AM
15 Comments
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15 Comments:
I bought a dishwasher three years ago from a little mom & pop appliance dealer. I assumed that they would recommend a reliable unit (anyone remember the lonely Maytag repairman?). I've had the unit service three times in three years, all at my expense. It's the biggest piece of junk I've every owned. So, in this instance, I did not benefit from the local dealer's expertise, he sold me a piece of junk. I could have gotten that at Sam's Club. Small local dealers have to provide a value add if they are going to compete with the big boys. I don't expect the Sam's Club clerk to know anything about a particular brand or model, but I do expect the local dealer to know what works and what to stear away from.
That's a more complex question than I can really answer here, but in brief, it's mostly my pocket that dictates where and from whom I make a purchase.
Tho for day-to-day groceries, I'm happy to pay a little over the odds for the convenience of a neighbourhood store, plus the warm glow from knowing that my money remains in the local economy. But I admit I do my BIG shop of the week at a supermarket, fiscal economics win out over personal ethics;-(
Purchases with a higher price tag are usually sourced via the internet for 'cheapest' -- so again my ethics don't really get an airing...
But when I've made my million$, I'll always be able to call the shots about where I spend 'em! And my desire is to support the wealth of the local community, cos then the entire planet can benefit from the ripples;-D
As a small business owner, I do try to support other local businesses when I can - I find it benefits me in many ways.
It isn't always possible, and it isn't a rule I live by all the time, but I generally do try to keep things in the neighborhood.
Good Post
SB
@anonymous - Good points. What if the small dealer only has one line and that line happens to be a junk line. He is forced to sell the only thing he has. I guess that is why some small dealers diversify their product line.
@reward - I think that most people are governed by their pocket. It's also the current business model for most as well. "Rock Bottom Prices" and "we won't be undersold" permeate our society through advertising.
Thanks for the comments guys!
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I try to shop through local businesses not really for the reason that I like to support them (which I do), but more for the reason that I can usually get the same price, yet better service than the big box stores.
To get the same prices, I just go to the Internet and get on the big box stores to find the best deal on the product I want then print out the listing. I then take that listing into the local business and ask if they can beat the price. They will often do so by up to 10% if they can afford to do so.
I recently did this with an entire kitchen that I remodeled. Then I had something go wrong and the local business corrected their wrong within minutes of me walking in to let them know about the issue. I can bet this wouldn't have happened at a big box store like Sears.
I always buy local when possible for the big stuff. But I did recently purchase appliances from SEARS, but only because a guy from my church works there and he got the commission, so in that case, I was supporting a local guy, if not a local business.
so let's hear your story about SEARS..I just love rants and raves! LOL
AL
If you pay bottom dollar when you purchase an item you should expect bottom dollar service after the sale.
I have my own ax to grind (not Sears but you will never see me buying anything that says SAMSUNG on it). They expect you to read the warranty while you are in the store (prior to purchase).
Regarding buying locally. I just had a lady in my store to pick up a whole $1.98 worth of stuff because she had forgotten to buy this when she placed a larger order with an out-of-state big box supplier. I asked her where she was purchasing her brewing supplies (we own a wine and beer making supply house) and she told me. I asked why. It was because they were cheaper than us (she said by $10) but then she has to pay $8 to ship it. I checked the website of her seller. In actuality their price was $3 less than ours. By the time you sort out the shipping and the fact that we have to charge her Iowa sales tax, we were about $2.50 cheaper.
So. Her perceived value of saving money was really not a savings at all. She does nothing for the local economy, helps a big out-of-state retailer, and gives her money to the shipper rather than to the state (the sales tax).
Regarding anonymous and his dishwasher: He has the retailer confused with the manufacturer. My Samsung (a microwave) purchase was sold to me by Lowe's which is a big box store--and they did a superb job of working with me after a very poor experience with Samsung customer service. The retailer is not responsible for testing appliances prior to a sale.
Ohhh the Sears story. Here's the short of it. I buy a vacuum, we will call it vacuum #1. It lasts about 2 years. Please understand that I am not using it as a shop vac or processing gravel with it. Normal household vacuuming is all it is used for. I liked the vacuum and so we decided to get another one just like it. I thought a vacuum should last for more that 2 years but hey, what do I know.
So we get the same thing. 6 months into vacuum #2 it starts shutting down after about 10 min. of vacuuming. I waited another 6 months to take it in. By the time the repair center, somewhere in BFE gets the unit, it is 2 days out of warranty. (They stopped doing local repairs a while ago.) They said that they can't fix it under warranty and it will cost $100.00. They had already put a new motor in it and were trying to sell it to me. After talking to the service center's manager's manager it became apparent that they weren't going to work with me. I told them to put the old motor back in and ship it back to me and that they would never get another dime of my money again. The vacuum comes back and it has another motor in it that is broke. So I can't even use it now at all.
I was going to go back around with them simply on a matter of principle but my time is worth more than the entire Sears service department. LOL. Pick your battles, I guess.
I just decided to take them BOTH the the Sears vacuum department and drop them off. The manager came out and asked what the problem was and I replied, "No problem, here are the 2 junk vacuums (obviously in like new condition)that I bought from you and you can have them back. This has been a valuable learning experience for me. I will never buy anything from this store or your company again." Then I walked out with them all staring at me in silence. Not the justice that I was looking for but it made me feel good I guess. Word of warning. DO NOT buy ANYTHING from SEARS. They SUCK. Thats right, SEARS SUCKS. (linkbait)
Good God, that was a long comment. I should have made a post about that. OH well. Thanks for the comments everyone.
you are nuts Big Pap!
I would have kept bothering them and gotten me some free stuff. I have a story about Ashley Furniture that I could write ... I came out $450 ahead on the deal so it was well worth the hassles.
(BTW--I don't buy Ashley's junk as a rule, but my wife found a bench there she liked, and that started the saga)
Vac story was good, nonetheless! AL
I like to support local businesses as often as I can, but there are times where I must shop at the larger stores. I do find that I get better service with the local people. No complaints...
You did hit a nerve mentioning Wells Fargo! I won't go into my ranting here, but I cringe just hearing that name!
@AC - Yeah I know. I don't know how anyone can do business with Wells Fargo. I have not heard one person and I really mean, NOT ONE say that they love Wells Fargo. My experience with them was terrible.
Bluestem - I don't know why someone should expect bad service if they buy something at the lowest price. Business owners as yourself should realize that it's not the one time purchase that makes you successful, it's the repeat business.
Big Pappa - As a former teller of Wells Fargo, I won't even bank with them and I know how to work the system better than most.
Buying local is also a way to help the environment... especially when it comes to the grocery.
If you can buy locally-grown produce at whatever store you shop at you're cutting down on transportation to get that product to the store significantly.
This cuts pollution and greenhouse emissions. Plus you're supporting local farmers! Can't beat that.
Namaste,
A. Caleb
Green products and ideas for a green future!
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