Wow, has the Internet ever taken charge and even simplified our lives. The “Icon of Convenience”, the Internet is moving so fast, pretty soon, everything we need, want or desire will be right at our fingertips. We’re almost there. “Shop till you drop”, once a cute little cliche’ used to express a day at the mall with friends or family is now better said, “How fast can you type?” And while we’re now provided with shopping ease, there’s another side of things that we may not think about.

Convenience Has It’s Price
When we stop shopping locally, we are not only sending money outside of our community but we are also hurting brick and mortar businesses who support our local economy by paying big tax bucks!

While some Internet marketers squeal with glee that online spending is still booming (booming is a little strong), this mis-information actually helps fuel the problem.

• It’s simple, if you want a book just go to Amazon.com
• You need more face cream? Easy, Nordstrom is online, order from them
• Gosh Christmas is right around the corner, shop at Target.com

The above was me three years ago. I was loving online shopping so much, I never thought for one second that this little adjustment in my buying habits could affect so many businesses, people, families, and the economy in my local area. After all, what is the damage of one person changing their buying habits? As much as I screamed about our taxes going up, I never, ever looked in the mirror.

In 2007 a friend of mine, who owned little music store with his father, told me he was liquidating his inventory. He invited me to come down and see if there was anything I wanted and that he was willing to sell it to me below his cost. I didn’t really “need” anything, but I went anyway. As I was looking through boxes of music books and CD’s I couldn’t help remember when his mom, who had since passed away, owned the shop. She taught me how to play the piano in the same area I was sitting in. That was 25 years ago. Then, in high school, this was THE place to get the most popular cassette tapes (yes, I said cassette tapes) and if they didn’t have something you wanted, they’d order it for you.

Though I couldn’t begin to feel the pain my friend and his father were feeling. I, myself felt sick thinking about this place closing down. It was that exact moment that time stood still for me, I was actually part of the problem. I wasn’t singly responsible for running my friend out of business because I’m only one. But I am one.

I became grotesquely more and more aware as I started to make mental notes on which small businesses were in my area 2-3 years ago that are not in business anymore. That small flower shop on the corner… dusted by proflowers.com or the like. The family owned book store that I loved visiting because they always served up great coffee and I could sit in there and read for hours. They’re gone. Amazon muscled them out of business. The computer store downtown? Well it was so much more convenient for me to just order a computer online than to get in the car and go buy one. They’re gone now too.

Some people would argue that they save money shopping online. Are you sure?

Let’s go back to the days where neighbors were neighbors and blood was thicker than water.

Do you want to be part of the solution? It doesn’t take much, really it doesn’t. How about this:
Next time (or every time) you need to purchase something and your fingers start itching for the keyboard, ask yourself… “Can I buy this locally?” And if you can, please consider it. Yes, it is more convenient to shop online than to get in the car. I know it is! But I promise you, Amazon wouldn’t even notice and it could make the difference in school supplies for a local shop owner’s child. Think about it.

You ARE only one person. But, you ARE one person. And that can make a mountain of difference.

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