Small Biz Survival

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Local stores worth 3 times more than chains

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Need ammo for your shop local campaign? Use this fact: local merchants are worth three times as much to your local economy as the chain stores.

Small town storefrontFrom Civic Economics:

The analysis demonstrated that locally owned merchants generate more than three times the local economic activity of their competitor chain stores on equal revenue.

Found in The Full Value of Main Street, at Preserving Small Towns. Pointed out by Small Towns.

We know why. The local merchants spend much more of their money locally. The chains ship profits out of town. The local merchants are more involved in the community. The chains feel no ownership in your town, and their local managers are limited by corporate policies.

Thought you might be able to use that in your local Chamber of Commerce shop local campaign.

UPDATE:

For a lot more ideas, stats, and how-tos, check out our Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns ebook.

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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

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Comments

  1. Great stat, Becky. As a former small town merchant myself, I try to practice now what I preached then – buy local. It’s an investment in the future of my community.

  2. Hey, George, thanks for taking time to comment! I didn’t know you were a small town merchant. You’ll have to tell us that story sometime. It would make a great guest post!

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Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

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