A Michigan Businessman Informs Us Why You Should Buy Michigan And Local
Many Michigan businesses have shut down and many more Michigan businesses have and are suffering from the decisions made by Governor Whitmer. That is why it is more important than ever to search for those local Michigan businesses and consider giving them your business.
I was recently in need of a mattress and I went back to a local Battle Creek business I had purchased a mattress from in the past. That business is named Mattress Mart. I started speaking to the owner, Trent Scheuer and he started to inform me of the issues local companies have had over this last year. Difficulties that ranged from losing customers and increased shipping costs.
Trent recently sent me an email about local businesses and I wanted to share his thoughts with all of you. The following is that letter written by Trent Scheuer owner of Mattress Mart:
“During these times, I feel it is more important than ever to patronize the local business that are the backbone of our communities. To be able to walk into an establishment and touch, feel and interact with knowledgeable people is priceless.
I wanted to touch base on shopping locally. Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, on-line business has soared to incredible new levels. We can order anything and everything and have it shipped to our home. I won’t even begin to touch base on inferior products being substituted, products with inaccurate 5-star reviews, and not to mention not being able to touch, feel and speak to a human who has knowledge of the products.
Let’s just put all that aside and look at the economic impact of shopping locally. For every $100 spent at a local business, $68 stays in the local community. That same $100 spent with a chain store only leaves $43 left in the local community. Spend that same $100 on-line and even less stays locally. At the bare minimum, that is 25% less money going to our local economy.
Simply put, when we buy local our money stays local and strengthens our local economy. Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a greater share of every dollar as they create locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local retailers return 52% of their revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14% for national chains. I think that is important to point out that is 38% less money being funneled into our local economy.
Also due to an increase in demand in shipping products from the pandemic (everyone giving Amazon more money and power) it lead to increase in shipping costs for all my manufacturers. They have to pay more to ship from their suppliers. Sometimes 40 percent more. Those costs are passed along to the retailer. It sometimes means we pay more, but we certainly are not going to go back and ask the customers for more money as we entered into a sales agreement. End result is the retailer simply makes less profit in those situations.
As a locally owned...thank you for your business. Thank you for letting me rant about shopping locally.“
Can there be a better reason than what Trent just explained to buy local?
I wIll advise you to do something Governor Whitmer says but not what she does. Recently Whitmer told us all to buy Michigan as she was buying Wisconsin.
I chose to buy Michigan and local Governor Whitmer, I hope in the future you will also.
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