Nearly all of us have dreamt of throwing in the job and becoming our own boss. And often that dream involves setting up a business in the form of an independent retail shop. Today it seems like there is a shop or the opportunity to set up one for every niche. Moreover, with apps like shopify and sello deals where you can explore hundreds of online coupons and save on brand-new products from the hottest independent retailers, the internet is enabling entrepreneurs and savvy shoppers to buy and sell goods among themselves ever more easily.
However, from Land’s End to John O’Groats, many of the brave business folk who have followed their dream are facing difficulty; suffering from archaic business rates tax, the rise of e-commerce giants like Amazon and the impending doom and gloom of Brexit.
Yep, competing against the ‘big boys’ isn’t easy. So in the name of independent entrepreneurship, we say it’s time to actively start seeking out independent retailers, not only for their benefit but for ours, as the consumer, too. With this is mind, here’s 5 IDEAL reasons to shop online at independent retailers.
YOU CAN INVEST IN UNIQUE ITEMS
Enough of the identikit Ikea rooms and fast fashion, mass produced brand items. We say all hail to the independent retailers who, in this increasingly homogenized world, are still creating truly unique items. If you’re looking for something special, then you’re guaranteed to find it at an independent retailer. They offer us alternative shopping experiences that you can’t find at big online stores and with that, bring individuality and variety to our lives.
YOU’RE SUPPORTING ARTISANAL VALUES
Central to shopping at independent retailers is the artisanal approach; stuff made with hands, craft and love. We’re talking about high quality and authentic products made with real passion; something that’s been created by a skilled person, rather than a machine at a factory. And what could be better than that?
SUPPORT CREATIVITY
If we’re to foster creativity and imagination in a world where manufacturing is increasingly automated, then independent production needs to be encouraged wherever possible. Independent business brings a creative consciousness to the world and supporting such ventures helps harness that creativity. Without it, identikitism looms.
YOUR PURCHASE MAKES A DIFFERENCE
By supporting independents, you’re not helping the CEO of a major brand buy his second or third holiday home. Most independent retailers aren’t run by boards with the interest of their shareholders in mind. Nor are they run by computer algorithms controlling the prices and products you see when you shop online. They aren’t run by big corporations, either. Instead, they are run by your friends and family, by your neighbours and by the next generation. And buying from them can a make all the difference to their livelihoods.
TO KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE
When you shop at independent retailers, you’re contributing to the realisation of someone’s dream – one to throw off the shackles of the corporate rat race – and helping to keep that dream alive. Also, by seeing other independent retailers thrive, it enables us to continue day dreaming of undertaking such a journey ourselves.