Contact: Mark Darien FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (23 Nov 11)
general@shoplocaldelmarva.com
SHOP LOCAL MOVEMENT A GROWING TREND
Studies indicate huge benefits to communities promoting "shop local" campaigns
Communities across the nation are increasingly encouraging their citizens to shop local. The belief driving the shop local phenomena is that more money spent with locally owned and operated businesses translates to more money remaining in the community.
A few economic impact studies support this belief. One study out of Austin, TX estimated that for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $45 remained in the community compared to $13 out of the same $100 spent at a nationally owned chain. A couple of other studies in other communities found similar results.
Small communities aren't alone in the push to encourage local shopping. Phoenix, AZ launched a "Shift Arizona" campaign as reported in The Arizona Republic last year. The non-profit organization, Local First Arizona, based the campaign off a study out of Lansing Michigan that found if 600,000 residents shifted 10% of their spending from nationally owned chains to locally owned businesses, the shift in spending would create 1,600 new jobs and pump an additional $130 million into the local economy. The campaign was so successful that Walmart recognized the trend to shop local and began searching for locally grown sources for the fresh food it sells.
"The numbers support our intuitive guess," said Mark Darien, owner and founder of the Shop Local Delmarva website, www.shoplocaldelmarva.com. "The business owners of our locally owned businesses live, work, shop, and play in our communities. They send their children to the same schools we do. They drive the same roads we do. They worship in the same Churches we do. Their profits are returned back to the community. By contrast, the profits of a nationally owned chain are promptly exported to the state where the corporate headquarters are located to be spent there."
After talking to several local business owners and community leaders, Mr. Darien recognized two major obstacles our locally owned and operated businesses face.
The first, and biggest, obstacle is a limited and, in many cases, near non-existent advertising budget that would allow the locally owned and operated business to effectively compete with the nationally owned chains.
The second, and almost as big of an obstacle, is the lack of a resource dedicated exclusively to locally owned and operated businesses that would make it easy for the average consumer to identify and find them.
"Whether you're talking the Yellow Pages or an Internet directory, the business paying the most money gets the spotlight and the little guy gets lost in the shadows," explained Mr. Darien. "And it's no secret that the nationally owned chains have the most money to steal almost all of the spotlight."
With those obstacles in mind, Mr. Darien set out to level the playing field. Following a strict definition of "locally owned and operated", he created shoplocaldelmarva.com exclusively for them. All locally owned and operated businesses receive a basic listing free and the basic listing will always be free. The directory is also tied into the social networking sites to further promote our locally owned and operated businesses and to encourage consumers to think local, first. Affordable subscription services are available allowing businesses to offer coupons or post classified ads. Additional features are planned for release in the coming year.
"I'm in the first year of development," said Mr. Darien, "but the directory is already a useful tool. The website stats show people on Delmarva are looking for our locally owned and operated businesses. Right now, consumers appear interested in our local wines and shoes. Don't ask me to explain it. All I know is the most popular keywords used by people who have visited shoplocaldelmarva.com are 'local wines' and 'shoes'."
shoplocaldelmarva.com was founded in 2010 to help level the advertising playing field for our locally owned and operated businesses and provide consumers with a "one stop" directory of Delmarva's local businesses. The site offers consumers educational articles on the benefits of shopping locally as well as an easy-to-use directory to find and rate their favorite businesses. It offers the business owner an increased Internet presence, limited free advertising, and affordable promotion of their business.
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If you would like additional information or would like to schedule an interview with Mark Darien, please call him directly at [omitted] or email him at general@shoplocaldelmarva.com.
