Do You Know Why Currency and Current come from the same Root?
Don't get caught by tricky-price advertising. You'll spend more and get less. See the the story at the end of this article.
How would you like a quick deomonstration of how your money gets siphoned out of the valley through the internet. You see, money and water both flow. Water flows down by gravitation and flows through the point of least resistence.
Ask yourself if your gravitational pull is for "out there" or "right here," and if you are allowing your "least resistence" to be what's easiest versus what's best for our communities. The "where" you spend your money is the flow that you give currency.
With a Big Box, the owners are shareholders in a large corporation somewhere demanding higher returns on their stock, but the employed are usually from the area, so some of the money stays here.
If you use the internet, every dollar goes somewhere else, unless the company is based here.
Do the little exercise to the left.
But before you do, a quick lesson on search engines and the results that they deliver.
Advertisers BUY the opportunity to arrive at the show first (it's called an INorganic search). Any company website on the search that is justified to the far left has paid to be there. You need to be aware of this because the company may be in China, the Middle East, Asia or Peoria, IL; they make it look like they are the best result for that search, and they take a big chunk out of the local economy. When you want a company here in our valley you have to watch and read the results carefully. Use Tidbits® for a quick reference for locally-owned businesses.
So, search for Basalt or Glenwood Florist, you will not find our advertisers very quickly. The Flower Mart or Susan's Flowers and Gifts, who have both been here for over 30 years (1966 and 19XX, respectively) can end up down the list from strangers. You will find companies that are mediators between you and the retailer, so a local small business owner may have to give 25% to that company for a product that they already deliver. OR the company you choose may not have any connection with the area, will ship it to you and no money stays in the valley. (I received flowers this way once. They were very poor quality.)
When you use the internet, or shop at Big Box stores first, your money is taken out of our local economy in bucketfuls. Multiply your bucket by thousands of transactions and you get the picture.
Don't get stung by deceptive pricing.
So Here's the Story!
Remember advertising on the radio and in print that said you could have your carpet installed for $99? You have to realize, when someone really lowballs a price, they still have to make enough to cover their expenses (pay the installers, pad, etc.) and have to make a profit. THEY CAN NOT GIVE IT AWAY.
A supplier for a local company did an investigation. They hired the big box to do the installation for $99. But what they got was:
1. Poorly installed carpet
2. The contract had lots of add-ons that they had to pay. IMAGINE - the carpet tack strips that hold the carpet down were not included.
3. They paid about the same as a local installer who cares about reputation and takes great care for high quality and fair pricing.
Talk to Jill Westerlind at Jill's Carpets. She's been here for a long time - and for a good reason.
We're big on Locals! That's because they are our friends and neighbors who work hard for you; , and employees are local people. Their spending stays right here in the valley, too!
Now Imagine - Those bucketfuls of money flowing into our economy. Your bucket may not seem like much, but it will be multiplied by hundreds of thousands of transactions per month throughout our valley.
What a great tool the internet is, AND it's great to be able to go to the Big Box stores, too.
So What's the Trick to Balancing This?
1. Start shopping here first. Literally. Go to Tidbits® local store directory (Coming Soon). Stores are rated by how deep their roots are here and how much remains in the community.
2. Stop and Think. Before you jump in your car and drive off, get out the yellow pages, call the local companies you need to visit, and see if they have what you need, maybe they'll even gather it for you before you arrive. (Franchises are locally-owned businesses that have national brand and buying pool.) Reduce your carbon footprint by driving less.
3. Learn to be satisfied with what is available. I call the big box stores the "$100 store, All the Stuff I Didn't Know I Needed Until I Got Here, and NOW I Think I Need it." (By the way, I do shop Big Box and internet, too. Just not first. Let's face it, in our area you can shop for some items at very high pricing or go out of the valley. See, I get it.)