When you choose to #ShopLocal you are voting with your dollars to support local business and help keep Chatham-Kent as a strong, growing community. You own #ShopLocal. While Economic Development and the Small Business Centre are helping to share the message that shopping in Chatham-Kent is vital for our economy, residents and jobs, the #ShopLocal message is community-led and is being used by many businesses across Chatham-Kent.
Now more than ever, our local businesses need you. Thank you for shopping local!
10 Reasons to #ShopLocal
- Money stays in Chatham-Kent
- More jobs for Chatham-Kent
- Expertise is local and within reach
- Better customer service
- More selection and keeps our communities vibrant
- You know the people behind the products
- Save on the shipping
- Improves the local economy
- Reduces your carbon footprint
- Local business gives back to the community
Find local businesses on the Chatham-Kent Business Directory and search #ShopLocal on social media for posts from those businesses showcasing their products and services. Don't forget to visit the Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Chatham-Kent website, featuring a map of local farm-fresh produce locations from across the region.
The Positive Outcomes for Chatham-Kent
Some people love statistics and seeing the outcomes of shopping local. The following points will help showcase the value of voting with your dollars:
- For every $100 spent at local independent stores, they, in turn, generate $45 of secondary local spending.
- The latest research found that independent businesses recirculate up to 4.6 times more revenue than multinationals, keeping up to 63% of revenue in communities compared to 14% with multinationals. (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Independent businesses produce up to 8.4 times more jobs/ft2 & up to 8.1 times more revenue/ft2 than multinationals, and they spend up to 31.4% of their revenue on local products & services from locally-based businesses. (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Independent businesses donate up to 24 times more per dollar of revenue to local charities than multinationals. (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Local Retailers: recirculate 63% of revenue locally compared to 14% for multinationals (4.6 times). (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Local Retailers: Employ 13.4 staff per square foot compared to 1.6 staff per square foot for multinationals (8.4 times). (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Approximately one new job is created for every $300,000 in retail sales. (The Economic Impact of Local Businesses)
- Shopping local helps to drive new start-ups and new investments in small businesses. "New businesses account for nearly all net new job creation and almost 20 percent of gross job creation." (The Importance of Young Firms for Economic Growth. Jason Wiens and Chris Jackson, Entrepreneurship Policy Digest, Kauffman Foundation, Sept. 14, 2015)
