Prime Day is coming up, and with it comes insane deals that we just can't miss! But when scrolling through your app, try to consider choosing small businesses to purchase from rather than large corporate national chains. Here's how to support local vendors for 2022 Prime Day sales.
When we shop from local small businesses, it helps our community way more than if we bought the item somewhere else. Civic Economics conducted numerous business impact studies that showed 3 times more money returned to the local economy when shopping locally and 2 times more when eating from a restaurant that started in the community. So how can we be a part of this positive impact? “You’re not going to be able to buy a hundred percent local every time,” explained Bill Brunelle, co-founder of Independent We Stand, an organization that gives free marketing support to small businesses all over the nation. “But if you shift 20 or even 10% of your shopping to local, you’re going to make a significant impact on that business.”
Before hitting "check out", think about looking at other shops. "See if the item you want is available at a local shop before purchasing at a big-box store," said small-business owner Sarah Artz. And when you do find a great place, share it with friends and family! "You can easily support other small, local businesses by spreading the word about them to your friends and family," revealed Mollie Cook, director of marketing for Molly's Spirits, an independently owned liquor store in Denver. "Word-of-mouth is still the best form of marketing!"
These days though, sometimes social media can be an incredible place to find local businesses. "There's very little organic growth on Facebook," Brunelle explained. "You often have to buy your engagement, and money's been really tight [for most small businesses] during the pandemic." That's why sharing a product or a brand can be very helpful for small business owners. "Reviews are extremely important," Brunelle said. "Give them a shout-out. Now's the time that they really need it— there's still a lot of businesses hurting out there." Especially when these growing companies are shamed for something known as "the Amazon effect." Since shoppers are used to quick and convenient purchases, they can forget that not all small brands can keep up. Artz confessed they "simply can't do the same things that big chain stores do, like offer free shipping or returns." Brunelle added, "Show a little patience. Don't write a nasty review because you waited a while at a restaurant."Check out some of our favorite small businesses on Amazon - and don't forget to shop on Prime Day July 12-13. Happy shopping!
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