Seven reasons to shop small

With Black Friday looming and adverts telling of huge discounts and fantastic deals, Vicki Harris of Folk Features’ key partner, From Suffolk With Love, has put together some reasons to shop small this Christmas and beyond.

1. Passion

You’ll find that your local small business owner has a lot of passion for their product and will be happy to share that with you. Ask them any questions and you’ll get a detailed and enthusiastic response! Much better than an automated email that doesn’t answer your question in the first place.

2. Character

You can really get to know the business and the people behind it. Small business owners really put their heart and soul into everything they do! Not only that, but you’ll find that their values more likely align to your own.

3. Happy people

Even the smallest of purchases are celebrated and appreciated, so you can really feel good about spending your hard-earned cash. I’m sure you’ve heard that every ping of the phone with an order gets met with a big smile and a happy dance!

4. Small business support

Small businesses are more likely to support other small businesses in turn. Once you follow a small business on social media, you’ll find lots of recommendations of others to discover. So, the happy chain continues!

5. Quirkiness

Supporting small means that you get that special original something. No two products or businesses are the same! Nothing mass produced here, all lovingly made or put together, just for you.

6. We care

Your happiness is important! Small businesses will go out of their way to help and provide good service. They want you to come back again and again and although they can’t necessarily offer the bargain prices of the big companies, the service will more than make up for it.

7. Better for the environment

Of course, we know that shopping small and local means less pollution as it doesn’t have so far to travel. It also means more money reinvested into your local community. When you buy from a small business you are likely paying for a child’s swimming or dance lessons rather than a billionaire’s trip into space!