Shop Small®: What's in It for the Customer?

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When it comes to your money, it can help to be thoughtful and careful. You may have wondered, why should you shop small businesses? 

After all, the corporate chains, warehouse stores, and global online retailers became household names because they often offer exactly what a consumer needs. So you may wonder – am I just being nice when I’m shopping at an independent store, or am I actually getting something out of it?

If the benefits aren't always apparent, maybe you rarely do it. Supporting small business is sometimes a little like investing. It may take some time before you realize the full benefits.

What’s really in it for the customer when they shop small businesses? 

1. You’ll often get more personalized service.

This isn’t to say you can’t get personal service at a big retailer. But small businesses can often be able to do more for their customers, possibly because you’re often working with the store owners who care deeply about delivering for their customers.

Rustin Yasavolian is the CEO of Masina Diamonds, a fine jewelry store in Atlanta. Yasavolian’s parents opened the store in 1984. Yasavolian doubts his bigger competitors would be able to provide the same type of service as his store.

“I had a client call me on Valentine's Day to get something for his wife. He didn't have time to pick it up before his dinner reservations, so I met him outside the restaurant and gave him the necklace while he pretended to go to the bathroom,” Yasavolian says.

Yasavolian also remembers reminding a client about an upcoming anniversary years ago. The client was out of state and couldn’t buy anything for his wife, so he asked Yasavolian to send her a gift, trusting he would select something special. Yasavolian sent over a gift, and it was a hit.

“We knew her taste because of our longstanding relationship,” Yasavolian says. “He still thanks us to this day.”

Even if you don’t have a personal relationship to a small-business owner, you’re likely going to get much better customer service, Yasavolian says.

“The biggest benefit of shopping small is the direct access a person has to the business. It drives me crazy when I'm trying to get a hold of somebody and end up with an automated message or a different representative that has no recollection of my previous conversations," he says.

2. You’ll often feel more connected to your community.

Shop small stores enough, and you just might feel that small town vibe – even if you live in a big city.

“It's all about community and personal connection,” says Wanda Wen, owner of Soolip, a boutique stationery and paper store in Westlake Village, California. Her store has been part of the neighborhood since 1995.

“Being a neighborhood business, I have folks dropping by all the time,” Wen says. “They get to know me, my staff – and even my adult kids, who grew up in the business.”

“The biggest benefit of shopping small is the direct access a person has to the business."  —Rustin Yasavolian, CEO of Masina Diamonds

She says when customers see their energy and hard-earned dollars going toward people they know and have a relationship with, it gives them a sense of satisfaction and completion.

“They feel like not only are they supporting a business, but they're supporting people who make up their community, helping us all thrive together,” Wen says.

Yasavolian agrees.

“We have multiple family generations who come shop with us,” he says. “It's actually a beautiful thing. There have been so many instances where my father worked with a client 25 years ago on an engagement ring, and now I've recently helped their son on their engagement ring. We have family clients that go back three generations. It's an amazing thing to watch these people grow and their families get larger.”

3. You may be more likely to find unusual and useful products.

No store – no matter its size – carries everything. Smaller businesses can often have different inventory than bigger brands.

Willow Wright is the owner of Urban Redeux, a store that sells antiques, art, vintage and modern home décor and furniture in Alexandria, Virginia. Her inventory changes almost every week. Wright says her store offers “the best and most unique goods we can get our hands on.”

Smaller stores know you can go to giant retailers and buy just about anything. Small-business owners like Wright understand they have to try harder – and because of that, they tend to pair their offerings with a personal touch and expertise. Wright says customers looking to decorate or spruce up their homes often show her photos of their rooms. By being able to see what space they have, she can offer more specific recommendations.

4. You can help the local economy.

In fact, if you’re a homeowner, in a very indirect way, when you spend money on a nearby small business, you may be helping your house’s value increase.

“There's no question: shopping at small businesses increases the percentage of the dollar that stays in the local economies,” Wright says.

Meanwhile, small businesses tend to give a lot back to the local economy too, says Kimberlee Josephson, associate professor business administration at Lebanon Valley College, in Annville, Pennsylvania.

“It’s common for small businesses to sponsor local events and school programs,” Josephson says.

Indeed, Yasavolian's store has been holding semi-annual luncheons for the Atlanta Fire Department for years and is in the midst of setting up a scholarship for young entrepreneurs.

Josephson also says when smaller retailers are doing well, they may take better care of their storefronts, which makes the whole town look better. There’s often then a “ripple effect in the creation of new complementary stores and specialty services,” Josephson says.  After all, if small businesses are thriving in your community, that can inspire more businesses to bring their talents, services, and products to your neighborhood.

5. You can create amazing memories.

Shopping can be fun, and it can be a chore. Because of the special attention small-business owners can lavish on their customers, it can also be remarkable.

Wen says during the last holiday season, an 11-year-old girl came into her store with her mother. The girl was interested in journaling and had been following Wen on Instagram. The girl wanted to buy journals to give to her friends as gifts.

“She was so excited to meet me,” says Wen. It was really a heartwarming moment for Wen, she says, to spend time with this young customer.

“Together we picked out the perfect journal and added a special pencil to complete the gift,” Wen says.

The Takeaway

Supporting small businesses may seem like a small gesture, and the benefits of small businesses may not always be apparent, but when the magic happens, shopping small can pay off big time.

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