A Message from Bird Mafia:

The week of family, friends, and shopping deals is upon us. Although 2020 may have changed how we spend the holidays this year, we hope that it can permanently change the thought-process on the Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday shopping trend.

 We understand big box retailers and Amazon come in handy at times (last minute items, shopping on a budget, etc.) but with a little planning we can all minimize how often we give our money to these companies and support smaller businesses instead.  There are a great many pros to shopping at local smaller businesses over big box retailers and large online marketplaces.

TOP 5 REASONS TO #ShopSmall

1. Small businesses add that extra something special to your city/town.

Think of what you love about where you live. The places you liked to go before the pandemic. Maybe you’re browsing through a little shop full of handmade and artist designed goods? Scanning shelves for that book you couldn’t wait to read in an independent bookstore? Grabbing a treat from a local bakery or coffee from your favorite local shop? Going to see a movie at a small theater that made popcorn perfectly every time? Small businesses bring originality, personality, and variety.

2. Your purchase supports real people.

By finding items you need, enjoy, or want to give as gifts at small and independent businesses you are directly supporting people over companies. The money spent at small businesses truly supports the people behind the business and their employees. And we appreciate the heck out of every single purchase.

3. Shopping locally means more of your money stays in your community.

Shopping locally benefits the direct local economy of your city/county/state. Most studies show that out of every $100 spent at a local business, $70 of it stays within the local economy - compared to only $40 for chain stores.

4. Gifts from small business are more unique and personal.

Small businesses are built on creativity, ambition, and passion. Who doesn’t want all that awesomeness behind the creation of the perfect gift?!?

 5. (It’s worth saying again) Small businesses appreciate the heck out of you!

It’s true that a real person does a little happy dance when you order something from a small business. You’ll get your purchase packaged with extra care and a big “thank you.” We, like many small businesses, want your purchase to be a great experience because we put so much heart into everything we do. Small businesses provide a higher degree of service and quality because the work is a reflection of the owners - individual people, not a board of directors, stockholders, or algorithms.

Keep your creative cities and somebody’s dreams alive, and shop small this season!

For more in-depth information on small business statistics visit: https://templatelab.com/small-business-profiles-us/

 For more reasons visit: https://ced.msu.edu/upload/reports/why%20buy%20local.pdf