Rethink the Click: Support Small During Small Business Season

Online shopping is so convenient. Just open a browser and click a couple of times and your holiday gifts could be on their way. But this holiday season we’re asking you to rethink the click and support local small business. It’s good for you and good for them. Here’s why:

Rethink the Click: Shop Small this Holiday

While you can still shop online from local businesses, there are a lot of benefits to rethinking the click and making holiday shopping personal again. When you shop in-person you get the following benefits:

·       Seeing happy faces. For some areas it’s been a while. It’s therapeutic to see smiles again or just mouths in general. When you shop in person you can interact with people. Social interaction is good for brain health and promotes a sense of safety and belonging.

·       Getting your steps in. While it’s no marathon, getting out there and visiting local businesses is more active than sitting on the couch clicking.

·       Spending less. Have you ever ordered so many things online that when you get a notification that a package is coming, you’re unsure of which one that could be? While people generally spend less in single shopping sessions online than they do in person (the cart total helps with that), collectively over the season, you could spend more because items will arrive at different times. Out of site truly can be out of mind when ordering if you’re not careful.

·       Feeling serendipitous. When you shop in person, there’s always a chance of those unexpected finds that you stumble over. Online you’re at the mercy of the search engine.

·       Making memories. In-person shopping can be an event. It’s social. People gather to shop and explore the sights and sounds of the season. Playing Christmas music while shopping on your phone isn’t nearly as fun as enjoying a hot chocolaty beverage near the town ice rink.

·       Experiencing bonus. Many small businesses are offering more than just products and services this season. Some have DIY classes, makers groups, tastings, and holiday instruction parties. Shopping in person is an experience.

·       Avoiding eye strain, neck pain, and shoulder stiffness. Spending too much time online can lead to eye strain, neck pain, shoulder stiffness and other aches. Instead, put your phone down and get out there.

·       Teaching the next generation that there’s life outside of the internet. If you are the type of parent who believes in limiting screen time, then in-person holiday shopping is a terrific lesson to pass on. According to a 2022 Junior Achievement Survey, 60% of teens want to start their own business. Shopping in person for the holidays will help them have a greater appreciation for being a small business owner.

This holiday season, shop small and rediscover the joy of in-person shopping. Sure, there are some inconveniences but there are also a lot of rewards. Enjoy them all.

 Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story.