I never understood why it’s looked down upon to purchase goods from online retailers and big department stores, especially if it’s significantly cheaper. Local businesses up charge their goods like crazy to stay afloat, but I’m not a rich man. Why in the world should I pay more from my own pocket to help support your local business?
If you own a bookstore, coffee shop (and sell an $8 cold brew because it’s “organic and home made”), record store, clothing store (selling name brands) and you decide to up charge because you need to stay afloat, I am 100% without shame going to find the best price, and if it’s Amazon, then praise Amazon. Your business can go out of business for all I care. Owning a local business for the sake of having a local business when there are department stores and online retailers selling for nearly half of the price you’re selling, that is an incredibly stupid investment.
Bookstores especially are the absolute worst. I’m not paying 39.99 full cover price of the latest Stephen King book at your local business when Amazon is selling it for 18.99.
Y u no use library? It’s free. Sure, you might have to wait a while. But again, free. Plus other free stuff. Movies, games, everything.
But, who paid for the library? I guarantee you it’s local residents and local businesses. The Amazons and the Targets and the Walmarts of the world are very, very much involved in avoiding taxes as much as possible, be it the overturned dark store loophole or asking for tax incremental financing districts to force communities to sacrifice their property taxes for the convenience of the Big Box Store, Inc.
Isn’t it funny how the newest local big-box store always causes property taxes to RISE instead of fall? Huh. Weird.
Your local business on Main St. is there for a reason. Let’s take your bookstore. That owner has faced Amazon, the pandemmer, rising utility costs, worker shortages, road construction, tax hikes, and several other things I’m not thinking of. But when the local soccer club needs a $25 gift card donated for a raffle and Amazon tells them to get bent (if they even reply at all) you know that local bookstore owner will still do it.
Why?
It’s pride in the local community. It’s a sense of belonging. It’s knowing that the dollars you just spent in that bookstore are going right back into your community one way or another. Amazon ain’t gonna build you a new playground if the old one is destroyed in a tornado (hell, they don’t even protect their own employees during a tornado!). Amazon ain’t gonna close shop for a week or weekend and pitch in on the build. Amazon isn’t going to build a customer relationship with you. Hell, even Amazon’s customer service agents are OOPS…ALL BOTS these days.
So yeah, the book you want costs extra, and you’re broke. In that case, get what you can for cheaper where you can get it. There is nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Hell, go one step further and look for used. Why buy new at all?
But I know if I go to Pete at the local bookstore, he’ll be putting that money right back into the local economy.