Buy local or buy online.....

I am a small business owner, and I create all of my products. I do not buy wholesale, and then sell retail. I do however purchase a few wholesale items online, which I use to create my own product line.

Today I was having a discussion with another business owner. She brought up the fact that so many people are buying online, which is making it hard for small local businesses to stay in business.

She didn't like my response. I explained to her that all businesses in this day and age, need to sell their products online, in order to stay afloat. Most small business owners cannot stay in business without the help of the internet. 

The fact is that the internet, electronics and computers, are not a fad as some people thought in the first years that they were created. Technology continues to grow, improve, and modernize the world. So to run a business in this Modern Age, one must move forward in progression along with our ever changing world.

So many small businesses are constantly screaming "Buy Local, Buy Local." I understand this! After all, as a small business owner I rely on local retail. But my point is this... retailers have to get their products from somewhere! Usually this means they have to order it outside of the area they live in as well. Whether they are sending an order form in the mail, or they are ordering it online, most likely the distributor that they are getting their Trade Goods from, is not local. So in my mind having a retailer, constantly telling you to buy local, when they do not buy local, is a double standard!

She also complained to me about how local businesses can go out of business, when online businesses take over. But what she doesn't understand is that there has always been some kind of distribution even before the internet.

When America began, ships we're bringing Trade Goods to the United States. Trade routes were established between foreign countries and the United States. Later on it was modernized with Mule Wagons which hauled Trade Goods from locations back East to the West. Over time,  Trade Goods was shipped by train, and then  cargo trucks. Today we have been modernized even more, by buying from the internet and having items shipped to us although still with the freight of Ship, Train or Truck.

All I can say is that if you don't want to be beaten, than you had better join them. It takes as much energy to sell to online customers as it does local ones. I for one, am happy that I can market on the internet. There are more free sites I can advertise to, rather then spending money on local newspaper ads that aren't always seen.

If you have what people want, they will always find you. If your customers get a better results and friendlier service from you happy customer, they will remain loyal. If you treat your customers like you want to be treated, they will do your marketing for you. Remember the old adage. A happy customer will tell one person how happy they are with their service. An unhappy customer will tell ten people how unhappy they are with their service. It is better to have the one, then a bad reputation.