Do you shop local?

[matai]

If so, why?
If so not, why not and where do you go instead?

(Please NO negative specific business review)

[logman]

Yes. Unless I need some crazy groceries from Wesbank.

[GordonH]

Yes, I do shop locally as much as possible. Reason why to support local businesses.

Bank locally as well by using Interior Savings & Credit Union.

[southy]

Mathieu, I truly believe we have to define "LOCAL". For some folks local means the community they live in, ie: Kelowna, Vernon, WK, Penticton. For others though "LOCAL" means the valley. I've talked to folks who shop from Penticton to Kelowna to Vernon and they honestly believe they are shopping local because they are not going to Vancouver, Seattle, Omak, Spokane or Calgary. Have friends in Naramata who will not shop their local general store but say they are shopping local because they shop Penticton. I also don't believe there is such a thing as local loyalty. Folks will shop where it is most convenient and where they will save the most money plain and simple.

[Captain Awesome]

I go to a local Superstore and Costco, does that count?

[Queen K]

We usually don't shop and it shows. Because when we do, it's like tsunami of spending ie debit and credit cards really can smoke from over use. Case in point: the last two days have been especially prolific for shopping bags. Contrary to popular opinion that I live here.

[Bettyb]

Supporting big box stores is not shopping local

[Ken7]

We do in most cases stick to Kelowna.

When you consider fuel, and your time even Costco is a waste of my time. The only way it ,may pay is if you purchase $600.00 of goods.

Do the math some dya paying yourself $10.00 per hour. The average 5-10 bags of goods you save nothing after fighting through the linesups and your time spent driving there and shopping.

[fluffy]

Truthfully, I guess I'm a mixed shopper. Price is a factor for me as with a lot of people, and although I will spend a little more at times to support local, small, independant businesses it doesn't escape my notice that it is more expensive to shop that way in most instances. It's a treat to find outlets for local products at competitive prices, and those businesses quickly become a regular stop on my route. It hurts to see the indies fall to the big box strategy, I was just reading an article about the closure a few years back of one of my regular stops in Vancouver, an out-of-the-way magazine store on lower Commercial Drive called the "Magpie Magazine Gallery" which fell prey to the likes of Chapters and Amazon. It is a harsh reality that it's tough for a small operation to compete with the economies of scale available to the big guys, and that is usually reflected in higher prices at the less efficient, smaller stores. I guess in the end it will be up to us as to whether or not these places survive.

[GordonH]

Truthfully, I guess I'm a mixed shopper. Price is a factor for me as with a lot of people, and although I will spend a little more at times to support local, small, independant businesses it doesn't escape my notice that it is more expensive to shop that way in most instances. It's a treat to find outlets for local products at competitive prices, and those businesses quickly become a regular stop on my route. It hurts to see the indies fall to the big box strategy, I was just reading an article about the closure a few years back of one of my regular stops in Vancouver, an out-of-the-way magazine store on lower Commercial Drive called the "Magpie Magazine Gallery" which fell prey to the likes of Chapters and Amazon. It is a harsh reality that it's tough for a small operation to compete with the economies of scale available to the big guys, and that is usually reflected in higher prices at the less efficient, smaller stores. I guess in the end it will be up to us as to whether or not these places survive.

That is the thing about it for local independent stores/businesses.
Big box stores or large multi-nationals can buy in large bulk orders and in doing so get huge discounts, so of course their price is going to be lower.
Yes, I may pay more for items because I chose to support the local independent stores. That is my chose to make.

[Queen K]

We shopped at some speciality stores yesterday, know what the owner said while I'm buy two pairs of discounted items? "I could sell these on Ebay and make more money."

Yup. No kidding. But I could stay home too and not shop local and spend all day on the 'net shopping. But I couldn't try them on and couldn't get a feel for the fabric and etc. So who wins?

No way in blank could I afford things not on sale in her store, but hey! I'm glad to swoop in at a lower selection and buy up what I can when I can.

[fall]

No because the prices are a rip off and the customer service is awful!

[matai]

Mathieu, I truly believe we have to define "LOCAL". For some folks local means the community they live in, For others though "LOCAL" means the valley. I've talked to folks who shop from Penticton to Kelowna to Vernon and they honestly believe they are shopping local because they are not going to Vancouver, Seattle, Omak, Spokane or Calgary.

By shopping local I mean encouraging local businesses (from your very own local municipality). Big box store are excluded from "local", at the exception of grocery stores, if they do business where you live, of course.

Hum, some other words to be more concise...

Local = Where you live
Regional = The Okanagan
Provincial = BC
Interprovincial = Within Canada
International = USA
Online = Wherever your mouse finds cheese

[GordonH]

excluded from "local", at the exception of grocery stores

No need to just shop here http://lakeview-market.com/index.html

[gardengirl]

excluded from "local", at the exception of grocery stores

No need to just shop here http://lakeview-market.com/index.html

That's where I shopped when I lived on Pandosy.