[dropcap type =”circle”]A[/dropcap]lthough the Christmas shopping frenzy is over, our shops are already well into the swing of sale season.
Whether you are planning to buy a new TV, update your wardrobe or find some new accessories for your home and early Christmas gifts for 2017, January is traditionally the month to snap up bargains. For many people this means a trip to a crowded shopping centre or out of town retail park.
However, this year if you are bargain hunting then why not shop local and support traders and shops in the Bicester area instead?
There are some really good reasons why we should shop local-here are just a few of them.
Buy Local – Support yourself
Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally-owned business, rather than a nationally-owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers, and farms, continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community
Support community groups
Non-profit organisations receive on average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.
Keep our community unique
Where we shop, where we eat and have fun, all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of our town and villages. Our tourism businesses also benefit.
Reduce environmental impact
Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation, and generally set up shop in towns as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.
Create more good jobs
Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally, and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Get better service
Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
Invest in community
Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy
A marketplace of lots of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation. A community of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers guarantees a much broader range of product choices.
Encourage local prosperity
A growing body of economic research shows that entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.