LETTER – Shop local instead of online and you might even save some money

Shop Local! Start Now!! Here are some recent experiences which show how easy it is to support our friends and neighbors.

(1) My clock radio quit so I bought a new one at London Drugs, then decided to check online to see if I could save a bundle. I plugged make/model into Google. The first hit was Amazon.ca. To the penny, the price was the same so my purchase helped support a local clerk and cashier and didn’t put another parcel on an airplane and courier. It also supported a company which pays local taxes and contributes to local events and activities.

(2) I needed a 12v fan for a cabin. The first search result was Amazon.ca; the second was Canadian Tire but their identical fan was $3 cheaper and again, a clerk helped me find it and a cashier took my money.

There’s another story involving razor blades. Or the story of the local music shop who offer free post-sale service for items they sell but charge for items bought online. Buying from Canadian-owned stores will have you supporting London Drugs, Canadian Tire, Rexall, as well as local businesses carrying locally made products.

These examples illustrate how we can keep our money in our community, not supporting far-off billionaires and website programmers. All the staff and owners above had more money in their pocket to go to a restaurant, purchase an oil change, buy some clothes, or get work done on their home. It’s about building our community!

Christmas is about much more than shopping but for those necessary purchases, make Christmas more Merry and Shop Local!!

TOM RANKIN
Kamloops