How to Shop Locally

Guide Note

Shopping locally means making purchases at locally-owned stores or buying products that were made or grown locally. Once an environmentally-friendly trend, the rising cost of gas has made it an economical one as well.

Introduction
Step 1: Use the Internet
Step 2: Farmers Markets
Step 3: Local Co-ops
Step 4: Community Supported Agriculture
Step 5: Flea Markets
Step 6: Chamber of Commerce
Conclusion
References

Shopping Locally Tips

Shopping locally can help the environment and your wallet.
The Internet is a great place to start looking for local resources.
Visit your local farmers market or flea market.
Check out sites like Craigslist for local deals.
Investing in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) can make you a farmer without the hard work.

by Darcy Logan

Introduction

A local farmers market. (Creative Commons photo by Brian Chow)

The term "shop locally" actually has two meanings. The first is to shop at locally owned and run businesses.¹ The second is to shop for locally made or grown products.² This article will cover both of these ideas.

One of the few benefits of the rising cost of gas is that more things are becoming available locally.³ However, this is not the only benefit of local shopping. The reasons are vast, including:

Local stores return about 80 percent of what you spend back into your community.⁴
Money spent locally is re-circulated and creates 75 percent more tax revenue in your community.¹
Buying just one percent of your food locally can increase a local farmer's revenue by five percent.²

Step 1: Use the Internet

While the Internet has made us a global community, the Internet also makes it easier to shop locally. Many sites will help you look for items in your neighborhood, and have now made it easy for you to look for local items online. These places include:

Craigslist: Craigslist is designed to focus on local communities. However, use these online classified ads wisely. Although it is a great resource, it is also a favorite spot for scam artists.⁵
eBay: To find local sellers, look for "search options" on the left side of the page. There you will get the option of entering in your zip code and specifying how close you want sellers to be.
Etsy: Etsy offers a "shop local button," located on the left side of the page. Type in your location and you will see sellers from your area.
LiveDeal: LiveDeal offers a sort of classified ad service, although the ads you want are hidden at the bottom of the screen.
ShopLocal: ShopLocal does help you find products at local stores, but it only looks at big name chains such as Wal-Mart, OfficeMax and Radio Shack. Keep in mind that many of the products at these types of stores probably were not made or grown locally.

Doing an Internet Search

You can search the Internet to find sites dedicated to promoting your state or city's local products and resources. A few examples include Local First Arizona, California Grown, California Agritourism Database, Pick Tennessee Products and Buy Local First Utah.

Try searching for local shopping sites in your area by combining the state you live in with keywords such as "products," "shop locally," "local first," "grown," etc.

Step 2: Shop at a Farmers Market

One of the best sources to find locally grown foods is the farmers market. While the produce they offer will vary seasonally, it is usually fresher than what is on sale at your local grocery store.⁶ However, there are a few tips if you plan on shopping at one:

Go early.⁷
Bring cash, preferably smaller bills, and don't count on using credit cards.⁷
Bring your own bags or baskets.⁷
Know what is in season.⁸
Bring a cooler to keep foods frozen or cool while you shop.⁷

With more than 4,300 farmers markets in the United States, you should have no problem finding at least one near your home.⁶ Start by asking around or by checking out one of these links:

AMS at USDA: Farmers Markets Query Page
Local Harvest
National Center for Appropriate Technology: Local Food Directories
Local Fair Trade Network
FarmersMarket
Google Maps: Click on "Find business" and then enter in "Farmers Market" and your zip code

YouTube: Diet.com Farmers Market Guide (Time: 2:50)

Step 3: Check Out Your Local Co-op

Co-ops, or cooperatives, are member-owned and -governed businesses that agree to adhere to certain principles.⁹ Many people associate co-ops with natural foods.¹⁰ However, that is only one type of co-op. Since co-ops are run by members who live in the community, they are more likely to offer products produced in the community.¹¹ You can find your local co-op by checking out the following links:

Co-op Directory Service Listing: Directory
LocalHarvest: Food Co-ops
Cooperative Grocer: Food Cooperative Directory
Organic Foods Store Locator
National Cooperative Grocers Association: Member Stores
EcoBusinessLinks: Food Co-ops

Step 4: Check out Community Supported Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is when a group of individuals agree to invest in a local farm. This means that they help cover the anticipated costs while agreeing to share both the risks and bounty.¹² You can find a CSA near you by checking out the following links:

LocalHarvest: Community Supported Agriculture (and Other Farm Subscriptions)
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association: CSA listings
NewFarm: Farm Locator
Wilson College Robyn Van En Center: CSA Farm Database
The Eat Well Guide

YouTube: CSA (Time: 5:37)

Step 5: Check out Local Flea Markets

Flea markets can be a treasure trove of local shopping. (Creative Commons photo by Cosmic Kitty)

A flea market is a location where vendors come to sell their goods. One might consider it a very large garage sale. Goods sold here will vary depending on the location. Since these events occur on a regular basis, most of the vendors will probably be local, but they might not be offering local goods. While you can usually find a flea market by checking your local newspaper or asking around, there are several online resources available to help you find a local flea market, including:

National Flea Market Association: Flea Finder
Google Maps: Click on "Find business" and then enter in "Flea Market" and your zip code
Collectors.Org: Flea Market Directory
Flea Market Directory

Step 6: Check with Your Chamber of Commerce

Most local stores will be members of your local chamber of commerce. A chamber of commerce is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting local businesses. Almost every city should have one. You can find your local chamber of commerce by going to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chamber Member Directory.

Conclusion

Shopping locally is an easy way to help your community and the environment at the same time. While products might cost more on the front end, the revenue that you are bringing to local businesses will make up for it. Plus it can be a great way to get to know your neighbors and meet people in your community.