COVID-19 has hit our lives – our health and the economy – in ways we could have hardly anticipated only a few short months ago. As we begin to get a handle on the pandemic and as we try to return to a sense of normalcy, supporting local small businesses will be particularly important. After all, small businesses are the vital livelihood of those closest to us – our family, our friends and neighbours and maybe even ourselves.
While we’ve all gotten used to the convenience of ordering online from retailers like Amazon, getting our economy going again and helping our communities thrive might require us all to make more of an effort to shop closer to home. Shopping local also contributes to a closer community, a cleaner community and better health.
Here are a few suggestions:
· Shop locally – online: Even if you prefer window shopping on your phone or tablet, you can still do it at local or area retailers. Sites like Etsy – and heylocal.ca – let you filter for businesses near you. It also means that, if the retailer is nearby, you can save on shipping as well as environmentally wasteful packaging and drive or walk over to pick up the item you buy.
· Eat locally: As we venture back into restaurants or do take out, be mindful to choose local-area eateries if you can. While national and regional chains still employ people you know, supporting so-called mom-and-pop shops means keeping more money in and around our communities.
· Seek out and visit your local farmer’s market: It’s true that it may be easier to find everything you need at the big supermarket around the corner, farmer’s markets usually have the freshest food as well as locally made household goods. Most importantly, shopping at farmer’s market virtually guarantees you’re supporting small businesses.
· Give a shout-out: Your favourite businesses are likely online in one form or another – on Yelp, Google, Facebook or Instagram. Visit their listing or page and leave a good review or repost their business on your own Facebook or Instagram feed. It’s free advertising for them and feel good for you.
What are you doing to support small business during the pandemic and beyond? Share your ideas and inspiration with the Shop Talk blog community – let’s support local!
Did you know: Shop local for the planet
It’s estimated that half of pollution is caused by industrial sources. By buying local, you can reduce packaging, processing and transportation waste. (Source)
This site is ridiculous! I did a survey for over 20 minutes just to get a reward of a tea sample that I have to pay for and a magazine subscription that has to have a password and you didn’t give a password and than I sighn in to your site and it’s nothing! I clicked on coupons to see what I could get and you say there’s no coupons for me ! What a joke! You don’t help or give free samples or coupons and the whole 2 rewards you give me for doing all your surveys are not free and one doesn’t even give you anything unless you got a password which you don’t give and if people want the free samples they have to take a bunch of surveys and get bombed with emails and texts to fill out more surveys and still get nothing because the surveys never end and and you don’t get anything if it does end except a freebie add that says take a short survey!!!
Hi, if you have taken the Shopper’s Voice survey, there is no password requirement to access coupons, offers for samples, and other rewards. We email you the offers. By the way, you can only take the Shopper’s Voice survey once a year. That’s it. We do other research surveys occassionally but they’re not required for any of our offers. You may have come through another website which referred you to the Shopper’s Voice survey. If so, you may have to track back to it. Sorry, we can’t help more.
Received notice of this survey today at the Gateway Superstore in Winnipeg. I wanted to give a Thumbs Up to the young girl who was our cashier. We were served by Harman. She was so friendly, and so efficient. I would certainly give her a 5 out of 5.
I try to shop local as much as possible. We need to support local businesses as well as support local artisians. We need to do this to help our economy.
je suis satisfaite chaque fois que je vais chez Winners, bons prix et bons services
Support your community.
Participate in Shop The Neighbourhood.
By shopping locally, you’re strengthening small businesses and your community.
I,ve been shopping local for a long time and I will continue to do so, I live in Arthur Ont so I,m handy to Fergus and Mt forest and surrounding areas
I’m all for supporting small business, however, it’s nearly impossible to do so if the business is only open for a few short hours. I went to a local eatery only to find them closed and on restricted hours. Seems like they only want to cater to a certain crowd and to hell with everyone else. Not everyone wants to go to a bar and places like MacDonald’s, Wendy’s, excreta, become tiring and begin to taste the same. Nothing wrong with any of them, I like them to, but going to a crowed bar/ eatery and having to deal with a crowd after a long stressful day is not my idea of fun.
You want us to buy and support locally then reduce the cost. I’m sorry but I’m not going to give more money just because it’s local. Treat us better and I will buy local but won’t when it cost double or more
I always shop locally. I like to see or try on what I’m purchasing. Vernon B.C. stores are the best to shop at.
I do not shop or even bank online. I only shop locally. The BIG problem I’ve always had and still have is WHY the CANADIAN GOVERNMENT let WALMART into OUR COUNTRY almost 25 years ago. They only came here to TAKE over CANADA. They own more companies in Canada than anyone knows. They are investing 3 and a half BILLION dollars in Canada this year. They have a good excuse. They blame it on the VIRUS. They plan to have items put into a shopping cart and scanned, so that when the shopper is done, tap their card and leave the store without anyone else touching a thing they’ve bought. They are the Dirtiest and Meanest family on the planet. I saw American documentaries on the Walton Family on American channels that brought tears to anyones eyes. Why did Michael Bloomberg NOT allow them to open even one store in New York City? They may be there now that he is not. Here they only hire part-time. Only managers work full time. They started self check-outs I think. The Canadian Government should tell them, that they will have to hire FULL TIME only with a UNION involved. WALMART will pack up so QUICKLY. All one has to do, is Google the family. The Government had to know their reputation before they said, YES, YES, YES, our doors are open the MEANEST family on Earth. I have to stop.
I’M WILLING TO SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY AND BY THE LOCAL PRODUCT-JUST I DON”T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE IMPORTED-
I have tried to do this for years. I buy a lot of fresh local vegetables in the summertime and freeze them for the cold winter months. I reuse my freezer bags after they have been washed. I use mesh produce bags when I purchase local produce. I frequent our local health food store and eat the few restaurant meals that I consume at two eateries that are privately owned. I use environmentally friendly cleaning products as much as possible and buy my body soap at the health food store as well as all my flour and other items that I can purchase there. I buy clothes at the end of seasons to ensure a better quality product that will last a long time and donate the clothes that no longer fit me to a local charity. We all need to do our part for the well-being of the next generation who are going to face major climate change hurdles and try to save the planet while there is time.
We are trying our best to support our local area… lots of businesses did close, very sad, we remain optimistic that everything will return to some kind of normal soon. Our favourite place is “Brekkie”, a lovely atmosphere and the staff are extremely friendly and attentive….
we even had a new place open… Fritou … hope to try them out soon… If you like sushi… Towa is fantastic… unfortunately Bratopia was burgled and 75% stock stolen… very sad… the Vinroom is lots of fun and they have extended the outside area… Fergus Bix is another fun place to eat, food is absolutely yummy… atmosphere brilliant….
I like to shop and support local business when I can; but being on a fixed income, it’s not always an option. Most local products have been priced higher than out of province. And I don’t mean by a few pennies, either. The difference in pricing is usually quite significant.
I shop in our local store . Lately I saw the price of the furnace filter, mere 8 pack of two which I used and it went up by $3 from 10.99 to 14.99! How can Canadian Tire increase the price that much! Is it justifiable? It’s price gouging! I am not going to buy at Canadian tire anymore if it can be bought somewhere.
As we do are part..we can not forget to do are part in being safe..with that in mind please wear a mask wash and sanitized your hands and stay 6 feet apart and we all will get through this and are economy can come back
As we do are part..we can not forget to do are part in being safe..with that in mind please wear a mask wash and sanitized your hands and stay 6 feet apart and we all will get through this and are economy can come back
Being a small business owner myself. I feel that we have recieved lots of support from our community. Very good points made in the article.
All the small shops have to join together.
My family has tried to do this since before it became popular. Always look for Canadian made products, maybe a little more expensive, but much better quality.
Shop till you drop safely
We post pictures of local places we’ve been to on Facebook. We buy local, even before the pandemic,
I would like to see a weekly post of local food trucks that are in accessible areas without difficult parking spots. Have found one so far. The rest move around from week to week or keep parking in the same locations that are on extremely busy streets and with impossible parking locations. Hours are only 11 – 2 ie lunch hour downtown Winnipeg: no thanks. There are plenty of empty parking lots that lost local eateries or never had one or with poor options.
Thanks to those who give me a chance and choice.
I always shop locally. I firmly believe in supporting my neighbourhood businesses.
Thx 😊 for your wonderful work to support Toronto people. This is the moment of truth for all of us TOGETHER, or we sink TOGETHER. Shoppers seems to be stepping up to the plate – lets watch to see if they will slug 🐌 it out of the baseball ⚾️ park like Joe Carter did in the 1993 World 🌎 Series. Like Tom Cheeks said in that momentous 🐌; “Touch em all JOE- you’ll never hit another home run 🏃 like that in you life!”
Denvil by Bridlewood @ Bridletowne Circle ⭕️; within walking 🚶 distance of Shooers @ Bridlewood.
I will support shopping locally when wearing mask is mandatory in Lincoln.
WE always shop local and insist that the product is CANADIAN over others even if it is a little more and yes to the local farm market.
Count me in
There is a Little Ceasars Pizza on Wonderland near Oxford in London, Ontario that has what they call “Hot and Ready” pizzas. This means you can go in at any time and they will have pepperoni pizzas ready to go! Or, of course, you can phone in an order. Their pizzas are great and the staff is always cheerful.
I tell myself I’m supporting local businesses when I grab a pizza from them every week. Which I am. But really, it’s a nice inexpensive treat. Especially if you get the pepperoni.
no comment at this time
I would like to see people come out and support their local Legions once open.
I have been trying to shop in my hometown as much as possible since the pandemic hit. Before, I would have shopped out of town, only at the large supermarket chains, because of how favorable the pricing was. Now, I realize I may have to pay a little more, but it keeps my local businesses open.
I have also ordered takeout meals locally whenever possible as well as shopping at our local hardware store.
I am in when it comes to environment and the planet safe to use
I love the ideas and comments I read.
Usually shop local. I would come 30 mins before closing then buy what I need. With the Covid-19 gives the opportunity of doing cleaning my covered of everything.
Please please ask the helpers at self checkout in the Walmart super west Brampton to Clean down between customers
Was there just now…… not done …did myself!
I try to always support the little guy small businesses,ex the hotdog man with a little hut
I try to shop local-BUT some places i go into don’t accept cash ( i’m not a techy guy so sorry if you won;t accept my cash-& don’t have any type of cards) so i go where i can-Thx
hello there,
i would love to see a small local farmer markey within walking distance, as we can even barter or trades for our vegetables, plants and good, etc
thank you for your reply,
have a sparkacular day
purply sparkles xoxo
we are in caledon ontario and theres a coffee shop called butter and cup it reminds me of starbucks because they offer an array of specialty coffees teas drinks. They have some really great scones in an assortment of flavors. We love going here and seeing what new flavors they have! I prefer them over tim hortons and starbucks 100%!