I have recently been studying this issue. I think we need to be re-familiarized with some of the benefits in actively supporting businesses first locally and then nationally. There are many great articles online that give the reasons behind supporting local businesses. I have also visited some sites that exclusively promote buying things made in the USA. Doing so in today's marketplace requires a committed and conscientious consumer.
Years ago, we relied exclusively on local sales. Of course there was no internet. Word of mouth was our very best advertising tool. Even the home shows that we exhibited at were mostly by locals for the locals. We had wonderful relationships with our customers. Mom was so good at remembering names, and dad just had this way of giving personal attention to every possible customer. My husband and his brother learned that as they literally grew up watching it. Being a keen observer, dad was the leading proponent of having a website. Our website was first created in the early 1990's. At that time, we could hardly imagine selling piece of furniture to someone that lived outside our local area! As the story goes, dad never saw the fruit of the impact of our website. Now we cannot imagine how companies can be in existence without a website! We try to keep things personal by sending photo email updates on the furniture being made.
In this ever complicated world, our business is still not. We are a family business building a great product in the United States. Our lumber is a product of the US as well. It's just worth mentioning.
This Black Friday or Cyber Monday or whenever, please consider supporting at least one locally owned business, or look for items made in USA. I'm pretty sure local businesses will be eager to serve you, and there are many, capacious benefits.
If you are around the Cooperstown, NY area, we will be bringing a few items to the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday, November 28th for a Chamber membership exhibition and sale. Then, on December 6th, we will be at the Van Alstyne Holiday Craft Fair in Canajoharie.
