Shop local (and save the world)

We Aussies are known around the world for our fair-go attitudes, our relaxed way of life, and for the unwavering support we give to our local communities. We are all about quality over quantity, and commercial authenticity hugely impacts our shopping habits. There’s a pretty good reason why you don’t see many Starbucks surviving on the Aussie High Street. But this doesn’t all happen by accident. Here’s why it’s so important to think globally, but act locally to keep that Aussie individuality alive and kicking.

Money makes money

Simply ‘buying local’ has more knock-on effects than you might first think. The money we spend locally generally goes back into other small businesses creating a circular effect which fuels the local economy. This allows the immediate community to thrive and benefit – as well as generating more neighbourhood jobs. The competition and diversity injected from lots of small businesses stimulates innovation and helps keeps prices down.

Go green

Who doesn’t want to help save the world? It’s a no-brainer that if we buy products more locally it helps to reduce our carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels. Being able to walk to local stores without getting in the car positively impacts the local air quality as well as traffic volumes, and by buying food locally we also help reduce the food miles involved transporting goods long distance.

Keeping it real

Big companies are all too often just faceless brands with big marketing budgets, answerable only to shareholders and board members. Local businesses are run by very real people with real families and real needs. These are the neighbours that you might meet on the street, these are the people who have actual visibility on your local area and the daily challenges you face as a community – and these are the people who are invested in your local area and community welfare.

Personal touch

The huge advantage of shopping locally is actually that personalised customer service we experience, something that only comes as a direct result of local market knowledge and understanding. Rather than stocking an inventory based simply on wider trends, locally you will find product that is geared to real community needs rather than off the shelf quick fixes. Local business owners have the knowhow and experience to deliver us bespoke solutions, as well as the personality and character to make our shopping experience one to remember and recommend.

Shaping the community

Rather than every High Street looking exactly the same, a sprinkling of local businesses helps to define and differentiate an area – which in turn helps shape the surrounding community. These individual businesses can contribute to improved tourism and financial wellbeing, as well as popularity and growth.

Solutions based

When it all goes a bit wrong, which sometimes it does, it makes so much more of a difference to have a friendly face to talk to rather than tackle an automated phone service – probably nowhere near where you actually purchased your product. This is how the true calibre of an organisation can be measured. It’s about prioritising real people over purse-strings, not just the end of year sales results.

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by Fox Wardrobes