Make the 10% shift

Here's the biggest obstacle for many to shopping locally: Why should I pay $1.09 for a widget at a locally owned and operated business when I can get the same or equal widget for $0.99 at a Big Box Store or off the Internet?

The shop local message is directed at two audiences: one with disposable income and one who budgets from paycheck to paycheck.

For those who have disposable income, the message of why one should shop local rings loud and clear and are, most likely, shopping local as much as they can.

For the majority of people who are living from paycheck to paycheck, budget is important and no matter how many stats one posts about the benefits of shopping local, the shoppers' bank account determines where they'll shop. Invariably, these consumers will opt for the widget that is ten cents cheaper.

Getting people to shop local or at least thinking about breaking their routine and visiting some locally owned and operated shops is a three-pronged effort being undertaken by The Original Shop Local Delmarva.

First, educate the average shopper on the benefits of shopping local. The benefits one would see in their community if everyone shopped local is a bit intangible to some yet immediately conceptualized by most, regardless of their budget.

Second, show the average consumer that not everything is "overpriced". Sure, one could save by buying some "necessities" at a big chain store, but there are plenty of locally owned and operated businesses that offer competitive pricing, and, yes, even cheaper pricing. Not only do they offer competitive pricing, but they also offer a variety of products, often locally produced or in a "niche market" that one would never find in a big box store.

Third, offer an opportunity to encourage the average shopper to shop local and discover what the big box stores don't offer. Big box stores want you, your family, your neighbors, and friends to have everything the same because mass-produced items can be sold cheaply. Your locally owned and operated businesses offer a variety the big box stores can't. 

Some studies suggest that a 10% shift in spending habits aimed towards our locally owned and operated businesses would result in $140 million in new local economic activity, create over 1,600 new jobs, and provide $50 million in new wages. No matter how tight one's budget is, making a 10% shift in spending habits is a doable goal for most people.

The Original Shop Local Delmarva plans to create a Shop Local Delmarva Day to help the average consumer learn more about why it is important to shop locally and to help achieve the 10% (or more) shift in spending habits. By designating one day a month as Shop Local Delmarva Day, the average consumer can decide the best way to support their local community by supporting their favorite locally owned and operated businesses.

Let's say a couple spends $1,500 per month in all the major areas of expenses such as food, clothing, household, home improvement (including yard and gardens), and entertainment. To meet the 10% goal, the couple could choose to spend $150 all on Shop Local Delmarva Day in several different locally owned stores or spread the spending out over the entire month (about $34 per week), depending on the couple's budget.

With the numbers broken down, the couple can easily make conscious 
buying decisions. Thirty-four dollars per week isn't a whole lot of money. They can decide to stop at a produce stand on their way home from work to buy fresh, local produce (food); buy a new pair of shoes and a new shirt or blouse at a local boutique during their lunch hour (clothing); stop at the local hardware store on their way home from work for odds and ends hardware (nails, hinges to fix a cabinet, or some paint or wood finish to bring new life to a piece of furniture or room) or stop at a local garden center for a bag of mulch, pest control products, or new fencing (home improvement); and stop at a locally owned restaurant, deli, or grocery market to pick up something to eat and drink instead of going through a  national chain's drive thru (entertainment).

With little changes like these, the couple would easily make the 10% shift in spending habits towards our locally owned and operated businesses. It may not sound like much, but if everyone made the tiny shift, the effort could be the difference between a community surviving and a community thriving.