Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas! Last year I had so much fun coming up with all of the fun
local items for Shop Small this Holiday that I decided to make it a series this year! Instead of partridges in pear trees and drummers drumming though, I will highlight awesome local products and businesses that make great Holiday gifts!
As with my last post, be assured that none of these products are sponsored. Most of these are businesses/products that I have either personally used or encountered at markets, local stores etc.
Why is buying local so important? Because when you buy locally made products, you are directly supporting a family's income within your community. Buying directly from a small business means that there is no middle man for them to give a majority of their earnings to either. Large corporations often reduce the prices of goods significantly even when buying wholesale! Just some things to think about before buying "local" from some of the large online shopping platforms. Whether its choosing to buy locally grown produce and meat or locally crafted beauty products, every swap that you make can make a huge impact!
Small businesses are also one of the first ones to really feel the squeeze of inflation and one of the last ones to raise their prices. Supply chain issues, shortages and the rising costs of goods all present challenges for small businesses, yet according to a recent survey only 48% of small businesses are charging more and of those 26% are only charging 1-10% more. That just goes to show that large corporations are going to continue to thrive through this pandemic while small businesses that are the backbone of America struggle and shut down.
I have unfortunately seen so many local businesses decide to shut down over the past 2 years because of all of the hurdles they are having to face. I will always advocate for small local businesses and hope that you will too! And please don't think that I am shaming anyone for using big corporations! That is certainly never my goal, just to help you should you decide to buy more local!
Have you purchased your gifts from local businesses? What are some of your favorite South Carolina products to gift? Let me know in the comments or on social media!
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