Shifting just a few purchases to locally owned stores makes a difference as we fight the good fight against mass production and megacorporations.
In the last quarter of 2025, in a turn of events that stunned no one, OpenAI announced its move towards agentic commerce, allowing U.S. ChatGPT users to buy items directly in the chatbox.
As an aside, let’s not forget that ChatGPT’s self-proclaimed mission is “to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.” How encouraging people to buy more things they likely don’t need benefits humanity is beyond me. But what do I know?
Embarrassingly for Mr. Altman, ChatGPT apparently isn’t even useful for shilling products. Per researchers at the University of Hamburg and the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, organic Large Language Model traffic (oLLM) traffic performs “below all other traditional channels,” save paid social.
But I digress.
While I love to roast Big Tech and drone on about the environmental and humanitarian implications of shopping via Amazon Prime, today, as for all days, the focus is on what small steps we can take to make life more enjoyable.
One easy but impactful way to support your community and your own wellbeing is to shop local—and you don’t have to break the bank or otherwise inconvenience yourself to do it.
Read on to learn 8 easy, affordable ways to support local businesses and why this matters.
The shortlist: 8 ways to support local businesses (without spending a lot of money)
Buy coffee beans or grounds from a local shop instead of a grocery store
Get groceries at your local farmer’s market
Buy books from a local, in-person bookstore (not Amazon)
Shop clothes from local boutiques instead of name-brand stores or online
Eat at local restaurants instead of chains
For gifts, check out local shops instead of ordering online
Follow local businesses on social media—and tell friends
When in doubt, ask yourself this question
The shortlist: 5 reasons why you should support local businesses
You keep money in your local community
You build your community’s cultural identity
You (usually) get better customer service
You support skilled artisans instead of mass production
You give money to working people instead of celebrities and billionaires
Plus:
5 ways to discover local businesses near you to break free from algorithm-led recommendations
6 quotes to remind you to support local businesses
2 quotes to inspire you to keep going with your own project (even if it feels like you’re not getting anywhere right now)
More popular articles on mindful consumption:
5 Alternatives to Amazon for Books (and why I no longer buy books from Amazon)
6 Ethical Tea Companies for Fair Trade Tea Bags & Organic Tea
How to support local businesses
Shopping local seems pretty easy. Buy from shops near your home, right? Not really.
Most of the brands we touch on a regular basis can all be traced back to a few megacorporations:
“A handful of corporations control the majority market share of almost 80% of dozens of grocery items bought regularly by ordinary Americans,” reveals a joint investigation by the Guardian and Food and Water Watch.
More of a visual learner? Good created a fantastic infographic that shows how just ten companies own pretty much all the food and beverage brands we know and buy.
If you’re into videos, check out political economist Jennifer Clapp’s presentation at Duke’s World Food Policy Center on concentrated corporate power in food systems and why it matters.
I’m not saying we should all become homesteaders and start making our own toothpaste and milk. But shopping local when and where you can is a low-lift way to support your local community and put money in the pockets of families trying to make a living—not in the clutches of megacorporations and their shareholders.
And it doesn’t have to inconvenience you or cost you more money.
Try these 8 simple swaps to support local businesses in your community:
1. Buy coffee beans or grounds from a local shop instead of a grocery store
Instead of giving your money to Stop & Shop (AKA Ahold Delhaize, a Dutch-Belgian multinational retail and wholesale holding company), why not give it to the small business owner running the local coffee shop down your street?
It’s an easy swap in your weekly routine. Beyond supporting your local community, you get something out of it too: social connection.
Rather than mindlessly adding beans to your virtual cart or scanning your way zombie-like through self-checkout, you can meet your local barista.
And because coffee is a consumable, you’ll soon become a regular at your local coffee shop, filling up on freshly ground beans and low-effort, but comfortably familiar conversation with your local baristas.
Key takeaway: By buying beans from a local coffee shop instead of a corporate grocery store, you support a small business and build ties with your community.
There’s big power in small talk.
During the pandemic, I quit my desk job and worked as a barista for a year in my neighborhood coffee shop. Within a few weeks, I knew almost every regular (and their drink order) by name—and I became friends with many of them.
We went to dinner together, hosted parties, and exchanged masked-up, over-the-counter hugs when one of us was having a bad day. (In 2020—2021, it was often that one of us was having a bad day.)
The interactions were small and surface level at first, but all those tiny, consistent conversations built up over time. After that, Main Street wasn’t just somewhere I ran errands; it was a lively community full of familiar faces.
Not a coffee drinker? What about fresh tea leaves instead?
If your local coffee shop doesn’t sell tea, you have other options.
They may not be local to you, but these ethical tea companies prioritize workers’ rights and environmental protection (which can’t be said for just any tea brand you see on the grocery store shelf).
2. Get groceries at your local farmer’s market
If you’re already buying coffee from a local shop, take things up a notch by doing some of your weekly grocery shopping at the local farmer’s market.
Obviously, you’re still going to need to head to a big-box store for staples like toilet paper and sponges. But when it comes to actual food (e.g., milk, fruits, vegetables, bread, etc.) you can get most of it from a local seller.
And once you go farmer’s market, you won’t want to go back to grocery store tomatoes:
“Produce from local farmers has spent more time on the vine, on the tree or in the ground, so you get better taste and more nutrients,” Melinda Cater, MS, RD, CSG, LDN and Clinical Dietician II at Sibley Memorial Hospital told John Hopkins Medicine.
Browsing the stalls at your farmer’s market also gives you a chance to meet and mingle with your community, something we all need more of nowadays.
Key takeaway: When you shop at your local farmer’s market instead of your big-box store, you not only support and participate in your local community, you get to eat tastier, healthier food, too.
Getting involved in your local community makes life more enjoyable.
But it can be nerve-wracking to introduce yourself to strangers and initiate conversations.
Don’t have the courage to try new things by yourself? You can build it. Sign up for A Merry Loner’s 7-Day Do Things Alone Challenge to build your self-confidence and reduce social anxiety.
3. Buy books from a local, in-person bookstore
This is one of my favorite ways to support local businesses, and IMHO, it’s the easiest way for beginners to get started shopping local.
Why? Because whether you order a book from Amazon or pick it up from your local bookstore, the end product is exactly the same.
But instead of giving the gazillion-dollar company even more money—and funding a business that puts workers’ health at risk, barely pays them a living wage, and lets them get injured on the job—you’re supporting a person making a living in your local community.
Plus, isn’t it just delicious to spend some time wandering the shelves of a bookstore?
I’d say it’s much more pleasant than clicking ADD TO CART and getting bombarded by notifications, ads, and emails pressuring you to buy more things you don’t need.
Key takeaway: Shopping at your local bookstore keeps money in your community instead of sending it to Jeff Bezos. And you still get exactly the same product.
Can’t find the book you want in your local bookstore?
Your local bookstore owner is usually more than happy to order it for you.
If you really can’t find what you need and want to order it online but stay away from the big, bad Amazon, try these affordable alternatives to Amazon.
4. Shop clothes from local boutiques instead of name-brand stores or online
I don’t think I need to tell you that fast fashion is one of the worst things to come out of the 21st century.
But let me jog your memory anyway:
60% of textiles contain microplastic, which can accumulate in soil and groundwater when textiles decompose in landfills. In fact, 11% of all plastic waste comes from clothing and textile, making it the third biggest contributor. SOURCES: U.S. Government Accountability Office and United Nations News
The U.S. wasted 17 million tonnes of textiles (10 times more than in 1960) in 2018. But it’s not just a U.S. problem. Global textile waste exceeded 92 million tonnes in 2018. SOURCES: United States Environmental Protection Agency and Global Fashion Agenda
The fashion industry consumes 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of water per year. SOURCE: United Nations News
Of course, the best way to fight fast fashion is to simply buy less.
The next best thing we can do is buy better by shopping second-hand and/or local.
Shop from second-hand stores. It’s a win-win. You help eliminate fashion waste instead of contributing to it, and you’re supporting a small business at the same time.
Visit a local tailor. Ask them to transform an article of clothing you own or thrifted into something new. Or buy fabric and commission something from scratch. Instead of funding Zara, you’re supporting local artisan with an amazing skill.
Go to a local boutique. The clothes may be new, but you’re putting money in the hands of a local shop owner in your community instead of H&M, and that’s what matters most.
Key takeaway: Buy your clothes from small businesses by shopping at thrift stores and locally-owned boutiques. You can even bring fabric to your local tailor and ask them to create a bespoke piece for you.
Fashion is fun. It’s not your fault we got to this point.
Everywhere we look, we’re being pressured to buy more. It can be hard to fight it.
That’s why I wrote this post on How to Stop Wanting Things to help you kill the desire to consume, once and for all.
5. Eat at local restaurants instead of chains
Locally owned restaurants bring so much to their communities.
I’m sure we’ve all driven by a once-favorite local restaurant that went belly up when their lease expired or they just couldn’t fight the corporate competition anymore. Only when we see the gray husks of their storefronts do we realize how beloved a presence they were in the local lore.
Don’t let these folks go out of business.
Instead of getting your daily coffee fix from Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, visit your local café.
Instead of ordering Uber Eats from Domino’s Pizza, go to your local pizza guy down the block for a box.
Key takeaway: Locally owned restaurants add energy and spirit to your community. Skip corporate chains that make you order on a screen and settle into a mom-and-pop booth instead.
Why not take yourself on a date to your local pub this week?
Back when I lived in Providence, Rhode Island, I was a regular at Harry’s Burger Bar (one of the many delightful bars in Providence). Every Tuesday night, I’d settle in with a book, a burger, and a beer for some quality time with myself.
It was a date I never skipped—but I know eating alone can feel weird for a lot of people.
Sign up for A Merry Loner’s 7-Day Do Things Alone Challenge to learn how to own the power of being alone so you can stop waiting on others to enjoy your life.
6. For gifts, check out local shops instead of ordering online
Another easy way to support local businesses instead of buying more useless plastic trinkets made by unfortunate, overworked souls in an overseas factory: go to local shops and boutiques for gift-giving.
There are so many great, handmade wares to buy to support a local artisan and business instead of a factory and a robber baron, like:
Handmade pottery from a local studio
Flowers from a local florist
Sweaters from a local knitting shop
Paintings from a local artist
Beer from a local brewery
Honey from a local farmer
Pretty soap and bath things from a local craftsman
Key takeaway: Don’t default to Amazon when it’s time to buy gifts for loved ones. Instead, head to local shops for handmade goods made from local artists and tradespeople.
Know a fellow self-care fiend?
Create a locally sourced self-care gift basket with local honey, flowers, soap, and the like.
Then slip in my Ultimate Guide to Self-Care with 100+ ideas to take care of yourself.
7. Follow local businesses on social media—and tell friends
If you’re not ready to spend any money, don’t. (Although I know this is often a lot easier said than done.)
You can still support local businesses without whipping out your wallet. Often, the best way you can help a small business is by simply spreading the word.
Did your local barista make your latte just the way you like it? Leave the coffee shop a review on Google so more people can find them.
Did you buy delicious fresh vegetables or flowers at your local farmer’s market? Tell a friend about it. Better yet, invite them to join you next week.
Did you discover the perfect burrito at a joint around the corner? Follow them on social media and tell your coworkers about it.
Key takeaway: Support doesn’t always have to mean money. Help your local business owners keep their shops going by spreading the word at work, with your friends, and online.
Did something in this post spark a new idea? Give you a different perspective? Make your day a little brighter?
Tell a friend. You can simply share this article with them.
Better yet, send them to A Merry Loner’s newsletter so they can also get ideas to enjoy their own company (and their life) more.
8. When in doubt, ask yourself: “Is there a local business I can buy this from instead?”
Buying beans from a local coffee shop. Shopping from local bookstores instead of Amazon. Eating at mom-and-pop restaurants instead of chains.
These are just some ways you can shop local. Once you get in the habit of it, it becomes a lot easier and more obvious to find other ways to support local businesses in your community.
Key takeaway: The next time you go to buy something online, stop and see if there’s a local business you can buy it from instead. Every purchase counts.
Why support local businesses
The jaws of Big Business are clamping down on us.
Doesn’t it feel like you need to create an account (and, in doing so, hand over your personal data) to buy pretty much anything online now? Corporations are squeezing us for fees wherever and whenever they can. All the while, quality seems to be tumbling fast.
When you support local businesses, you not only enrich your community and keep money in the hands of working people, but you fight the good fight against the megacorporations intent on owning it all.
More reasons to support local businesses in your town:
1. You keep money in your local community
When you buy from a local shop, you keep your money in your community instead of sending it to distant shareholders.
This does two good things for your community.
First, it keeps your town thriving, economically. I don’t think we need to get in the weeds about this. You know that when you shop from local businesses, you help keep them in business. That keeps families in your neighborhood making it money; it keeps tax dollars going back to your town and state; and it keeps money flowing to your local schools, libraries, and other public services.
Actually, even without getting taxes involved, most small business owners are committing to giving back to their communities, all on their own.
According to the Small Business Index from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, nine in 10 small business owners “believe that businesses should give back to their local communities.” Eight in 10 believe that giving back to their local community is part of their business’s mission.
Keep an eye out for that philanthropy. It’s in more places than you think.
When I went to see a production of The Nutcracker at the Providence Performance Arts Center, I remember flipping through the program to the sponsors page. It was full of small businesses I recognized: a local pizza shop, my favorite local brewery, a crowd-pleasing Italian restaurant. All supporting art in the community.
Does Amazon support art in your community?
2. You build your community’s cultural identity
What’s the second good thing about keeping money in your local community?
It keeps it thriving, culturally.
I grew up in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, which has a lively Main Street full of restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, and boutiques. But during tough times, some of those shopfronts become barren.
It’s always a sad sight to see. Less friendly chatter on the sidewalks. Fewer smiling faces walking down the street with takeout coffee in one hand a dog leash in the other.
That’s what happens when people order their books from Amazon instead of buying from local bookstores or when they auto-subscribe to coffee beans from Amazon instead of meeting their local barista once a week for a freshly ground bag.
And no surprise, a culturally vibrant place—not one dominated by big business—is where most people want to live.
Americans are willing to spend an extra $150 per month (and travel up to 30 minutes) to keep their local shops in business.
Nearly 75% say they appreciate their local shops more since the pandemic. SOURCE: Faire
Eight in 10 (82%) say small businesses positively impact peoples’ lives—only four in 10 people say the same about large businesses. SOURCE: Bentley University
3. You (usually) get better customer service
When you interact with a megacorporation, you are but one among thousands if not tens of thousands or even millions of customers. You are not special to them.
After all, just think back to the last interaction you had with customer service for a big-name store.
Were you even talking to a human? Or did they siphon off your concerns to an (unhelpful) AI chatbot? These days, it seems big business don’t even deign to speak to us.
When they do, they don’t make it easy. How many times have you wasted hours of your day waiting on hold, exchanging useless emails, and all but begging to get help from a compassionless corporate portal?
Compare that to communicating face to face with an actual person in a real-life shop.
I’ve been the customer of many small businesses where the owner or employee clearly went out of their way to help me. Not because they had a middle manager breathing down their neck or tracking software watching their every move.
But because they were one person talking to another. And once you strip away the chatbots and automated workflows and the never-ending customer service queues, we can remember that other people are generally nice.
That time the local barista did me a solid.
When I was a teenager, I always used to study in the local coffee shop.
One day, after settling in with my books and laptop, I approached the counter to order a coffee.
My peppermint mocha or whatever the hell teenage, pre-coffee-drinking Merry was into was already in my hand when it was time to ring up.
But my debit card didn’t work, and I didn’t have any cash.
I handed the cup back and awkwardly said, “Sorry, I can’t pay for this.”
But the barista just waved his hand and told me don’t worry about it, to keep the drink anway—and let me sit there for hours on the couch and study.*
Think that would happen in a chain store?
*When my mom arrived a few hours later to pick me up (this was pre-driving days), she handed me a $20 to put in the tip jar, along with my profuse gratitude.
Don’t forget to pay the good deeds forward.
4. You support skilled artisans instead of mass production
When you shop locally, you can more directly give your money to talented artisans—instead of trusting corporate structures to let it “trickle down” to the people doing the actual crafting.
That’s why I chose to commission a handmade trench coat from a local seamstress instead of buying one from a luxury brand:
Last year, I wanted to buy a trench coat. I was prepared to invest because I saw this as a forever item.
So intent was I on buying classic and quality, I even briefly considered splashing out on a Burberry trench coat that costs somewhere in the insane realm of $1,000.
But when I went to the store to try it on, I was underwhelmed with the fit and the fabric.
“I’m willing to spend on an investment, but only if it’s perfect and I love it,” I told a friend.
The Burberry trench coat, a major (and majorly expensive) name brand wasn’t cutting it.
“I know what I’ll do. I’ll ask the seamstress who made my wedding dress.”
The woman who made my wedding dress has a God-given talent. Not only did she make an absolutely divine dress off little more than a grainy picture I gave her, she didn’t even charge me for the fabric.
I had wanted an all-lace dress, which would normally double the price of the garment. But she had leftovers from a fancy gown she’d made for someone else, so she gave it to me for free.
Remember what I said about small businesses providing better customer service?
What she did with the trench coat was even more impressive.
All I did was show her a picture of a style I liked. Within a week, I had the coat in my hands.
It fit my body like a glove. It had the printed silk lining I chose. And it even included an inside breast pocket that I requested (because why don’t women’s clothes ever have this?).
Yes, it was expensive. (I paid her 600€, and I believe I spent about 150€ on fabric and notions.) But with her incredible talent, artistry, and craftsmanship, she deserved every penny.
And I would gladly give my money to a hardworking, skilled artisan over a global corporation any day.
5. You give money to working people instead of celebrities and billionaires
Jeff Bezos doesn’t need your help.
Nor do the Waltons (of Walmart). Nor does the Bettencourt Meyers family of (L’Oréal). Nor does Hailey Bieber or George Clooney or any of the Kardashians.
Perhaps the most important reason to support local businesses are the people at the receiving end of those purchases: the people in your community.
The artist mustering the courage to publicly display their work.
The restaurateur putting all their savings into their dream venture.
The coffee shop owner who commits to waking up at 5AM every day because they’re still a one-person show.
Wouldn’t you prefer to give them some of your hard-earned money? Instead of adding to the accounts of celebrities, millionaires, and billionaires?
How to discover local businesses near you
It might seem obvious, but since we’ve become so used to tuning into the algorithms and distant influencers for recommendations, it can actually be hard to find local shops near us, especially if they don’t have a huge online presence.
Here are a few fast ways to discover local businesses in your community:
1. Google Maps
Easy enough, right? Open your phone app and search for what you need: coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, boutiques.
Of course, you can just do a basic Google search, but that’s usually going to pull in a lot of online stores with big Internet presences optimized for SEO—not what we’re going for here.
To discover local mom-and-pop restaurants and small-town boutiques without fancy websites, Google Maps can help you tune out the SEO noise and see what’s really going on close to home.
2. Instagram
This one’s a little bit tricky, a little bit more cluttered, and honestly, not my favorite. But if visuals are what stimulate and entice you, then head here to discover local businesses near you.
Simply open up search and type in the name of your town.
You’ll likely find some mildly entertaining but largely unhelpful Reels. But through that chaos you can sometimes find small town guides created by locals or travelers, highlighting the local businesses that don’t optimize for Google Search.
3. Local business directories
I like this because it’s less flashy and more to the point.
Most towns and cities maintain a public list of registered businesses—which you can use as your very own local shopping guide.
Just go to Google and type: “[insert town name here] business directory.”
Because my home state, Rhode Island, is so small, I made the search a little broader. Here’s some of what I found:
- business listings page from North Providence
- business directory from the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce
- business directory from Providence Local
Voilà, easy-to-read, well-organized, no-fuss lists of the local businesses in your community.
4. Bulletin boards in local spaces
Trying to live a more analog life? One where you don’t turn to the Instagram and Google overlords for every decision you make in life?
Me too. I tire of the scrolling and algorithm gatekeeping, which is why I’m making a pointed effort lately to live life in the real world. And that includes shopping.
If you want to find local businesses in your community, then start by getting out in your community.
Head to a local coffee shop, town hall, library, or another public meeting place. More often than not these spaces have bulletin boards overflowing with business cards, flyers, and pamphlets for local events, classes, and businesses in your community.
While you’re in the building, don’t forget to smile at people, hold the door for strangers, and practice a few other basic pleasantries that make life nicer for all of us.
Looking for more ways to go analog?
With so much pressure to digitize and automate, it’s no longer always intuitive to live an analog life.
Try these five simple swaps to bring analog living into your daily routine, without spending a lot of money or otherwise inconveniencing yourself.
5. Asking people
Of course, the best way to get in the know about your local community is to ask your local community.
The next time you head out for a coffee, you get your oil changed, or you mail something at the post office, ask the person behind the counter:
“I’m looking for a new restaurant to try this weekend? Anything good near here you can recommend?”
“I’m trying to wean off of Amazon Prime. Do you know any local bookstores in the area?”
“I want to pick up some flowers on the way home, but I don’t want to go to Stop & Shop. Is there a local florist near here?”
Unsurprisingly, people who live in your community will know more about it than Google does, which gets easily duped by strategically optimized websites and sponsored placements.
Plus, you’re actually interacting with a person, not an algorithm. And isn’t that the whole point?
Does it feel weird asking a perfect stranger such a question?
For some people, it really does. But it doesn’t have to be that way forever.
If you want to build your self-confidence, reduce social anxiety, and get more comfortable speaking up alone in public, we can work on it together.
Sign up for A Merry Loner’s 7-Day Do Things Alone Challenge, a comfortable, nonjudgmental email challenge that helps you own the power of being alone.
Support local business quotes
When it feels easier to default to Amazon Prime or order online from Starbucks, remind yourself why it’s worth walking that extra block to the local bookstore or coffee shop.
Plus, two quotes to inspire you to keep working on your small business venture, even if it feels like an uphill battle against the big guys:
“Every purchase you make is a vote for the world you want to live in.”
Speaker: Anna Lappé, author and educator (1973—)
“A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.”
Speaker: Nicole Snow, contemporary romance author (unknown)
“Support your friend’s business and progression like you support the celebrities that you actually don’t know.”
Speaker: Anonymous
“Shopping locally is an act of love for your community and the people who make it special.”
Speaker: Dolly Parton, singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, businesswoman (1946—)
“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.”
Speaker: Seth Godin, author and marketer (1960—)
“Giving a gift from a small business is giving a gift twice.”
Speaker: Anonymous
“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”
Speaker: Sara Blakely, businesswoman and philanthropist (1971—)
“Dream big, start small, but most of all, start.”
Speaker: Simon Sinek, author and inspirational speaker (1973—)
Conclusion: Supporting local businesses is an act of love, to yourself and your community.
Overconsumption is tiresome. Everywhere we look, we are being encouraged to buy, subscribe, upgrade.
In the fight against materialism, it often feels like we just can’t win.
Foregoing buying new goods altogether is too difficult if not impossible—and also, a little pointless. (Who says we can’t treat ourselves to something new once in a while?) But ordering everything from Amazon feels soul-sucking and sad.
Buying from local businesses, instead, feels nourishing.
We nourish working families in our town, instead of celebrity brands or billionaires. We nourish our communities, keeping the streets full with locally owned restaurants, flower shops, and bookstores. And we nourish ourselves, filling our homes with wares dreamed up and crafted by artisans.
We don’t have to buy everything from local businesses; that’s often not realistic. But shifting just a few purchases to locally owned stores makes a difference as we fight the good fight against mass production and megacorporations.
It’s one small, artful battle after another.
Next Steps:
Start small. Pick one category (like coffee or books) and start buying from a local business instead of a Starbucks or Amazon.
Spread the word. Try a new local restaurant that you love? Tell a friend or invite them to join you next time. Then, send them this blog post so they can get more ideas to support local businesses.
Track your purchases. Whipping out the credit card is so easy, it’s hard to keep track of where our money goes. Sit down, go through your bank statements, and review the last month’s purchases. Then, make a list: What did you order from Amazon? And what can you purchase from a small business moving forward instead?
Use the image below to save this post to Pinterest so this list is there when you need it.
How to Support Local Businesses (and Why): Common FAQs
Why is supporting local businesses important?
Supporting local businesses is important for two main reasons: it keeps money in your local community and it builds your community’s cultural identity. Shopping at local businesses also helps support local artisans and craftspeople, honoring people doing the real work instead of corporations churning out mass production.
Does Amazon support local businesses?
Not really. Some people argue that small business owners can expand their reach beyond their local community by promoting their products on Amazon—but they pay a pretty penny for doing so. A study from Marketplace Pulse revealed that Amazon takes more than 50% of sellers’ revenue due to an intricate web of fees, e.g., transaction, fulfillment, and advertising.
So even if you’re buying a small business on Amazon, you mostly end up supporting Amazon and its shareholders—not the small business.
What happens when you support local businesses?
When you shop local, you help working families in your community make a living; add money to your local economy; and you invest in the character and cultural identity of your community—because every purchase that stays local is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in.
How does supporting local businesses help the community?
It keeps money in your local community instead of sending it to celebrities’ or billionaires’ global brands. This way, your money can stay local, keeping your neighbors employed, your public services funded, and your culture thriving.
Merry
Merry is the blogger behind A Merry Loner, a full-time freelance writer, and a lifelong bookworm. Since kindergarten, it was her dream to become a novelist. (She likes to think she’s headed in the right direction.) Born and raised in Rhode Island, where she earned a triple-major BA in writing, communication, and French from the University of Rhode Island, she moved to Toulouse, France after the pandemic to complete a master’s in creative writing at Univeristé Toulouse Jean — Jaurès. She now lives in Paris with husband.
Discover how the merry loner lifestyle makes life more enjoyable:
LONER MINDSET: fresh perspectives on learning to genuinely enjoy your own company
BOOKS: reading lists for people who love being alone with a good story
ANALOG LIVING: inspiration to step back from the screen and live a life offline
SOLO TRAVEL: guides on where to go and how to enjoy it alone
MINDFUL CONSUMPTION: vetted recommendations for a simpler, less wasteful life
LONER Q&As: interviews from global voices on how to live a meaningful, enjoyable life
