Why should I support local business over online?

Just go into table top gaming and I notice local store prices are insane compared to the online competition. For example one table top game I was looking for was 29.00 online + 7 dollars for shipping or 35.00 2 day shipping amazon prime.. Or spend 100 and get free shipping.. The local stores in town wanted 50 + tax.. I don't mind spending 5 bucks more maybe 10 max to support a local store especially one built around a community that will abuse your store until you go under; however, 20 dollars more on a 30 dollar game is a bit much.

I honestly think these game stores need to change their business model to renting board games out and selling things that cannot be purchased online. But they all seem stead fast in this huge support your friendly local game store.. I think this entire buy local movement is just supporting models doomed to fail.. Such as this 10% card which brings down the prices from rape with no lube to rape with a drop of lube..

http://thegolocalcard.com/

I swear I didn't click the news icon >.> Can someone change it to debate?

I don't disagree with you.

You're right, how do the local companies expect to compete over the long haul? It's just a matter of the bigger fish leveraging their buying power, IMO.

Game theory is what this comes down to for me.

If everyone worked together for the common good we all come out better on average, but if some look out for their individual interests the rest lose out and the greedy get more than their fair share. This is the way reality works. If everyone or even a large percentage of people bought local, the local stores would cover their expenses more easily and be more competitive in the market. You would create more jobs locally and keep more wealth locally instead of shipping it off to corporations or foreign countries.

The problem is, we all have limited resources and most of us desire more than we can afford. So we worry about ourselves over the collective. If we weren't short sighted we could make better decisions.

Knowing that others are going to look out for their best interests and be better served by it lures many more to follow, myself and the vast majority of people on this site included.

It's an interesting topic. Now that I'm old(er), I try to buy local when the difference is not significant, but when I was younger I almost always went with the lowest price.

Quote from jplayland : Game theory is what this comes down to for me. If everyone worked together for the common good we all come out better on average, but if some look out for their individual interests the rest lose out and the greedy get more than their fair share. This is the way reality works. If everyone or even a large percentage of people bought local, the local stores would cover their expenses more easily and be more competitive in the market. You would create more jobs locally and keep more wealth locally instead of shipping it off to corporations or foreign countries. The problem is, we all have limited resources and most of us desire more than we can afford. So we worry about ourselves over the collective. If we weren't short sighted we could make better decisions. Knowing that others are going to look out for their best interests and be better served by it lures many more to follow, myself and the vast majority of people on this site included.

You assume that all these online stores are huge corps like walmart or something. A good amount of online gaming stores are small stores owned by one person. Good portion of them are just ebay stores.

Quote from Mr.Ritz : You assume that all these online stores are huge corps like walmart or something. A good amount of online gaming stores are small stores owned by one person. Good portion of them are just ebay stores.

You are correct that there are a good number of small stores online. The difference between a mom and pop online store and a mom and pop B&M store is enormous though. A B&M store pays local property tax, sales tax is collected, they pay local workers, they pay rent on a store front. This keeps a lot of money in a local loop.

You get paid by Main street hardware.
You buy groceries down at main street grocery.
Your friend Joe works at main street grocery, he gets paid.
Joe buys hardware at main street hardware.
The owner takes his cut and pays his employees and tax
The loop repeats.

The result, more money stays local, the location becomes more wealthy.

An online store avoids many of these things. You have less employees, you don't need high cost store fronts, rarely is sales tax paid. The best place to spend your money from a community perspective is at a local shop owned and staffed by local people. The best place to shop as an individual is the place with the lowest price.

Quote from jplayland : You are correct that there are a good number of small stores online. The difference between a mom and pop online store and a mom and pop B&M store is enormous though. A B&M store pays local property tax, sales tax is collected, they pay local workers, they pay rent on a store front. This keeps a lot of money in a local loop. You get paid by Main street hardware. You buy groceries down at main street grocery. Your friend Joe works at main street grocery, he gets paid. Joe buys hardware at main street hardware. The owner takes his cut and pays his employees and tax The loop repeats. The result, more money stays local, the location becomes more wealthy. An online store avoids many of these things. You have less employees, you don't need high cost store fronts, rarely is sales tax paid. The best place to spend your money from a community perspective is at a local shop owned and staffed by local people. The best place to shop as an individual is the place with the lowest price.

A ton of places run store fronts and online fronts. I honestly think it is silly in this day and age not to have an online presence in retail

To me, it's about developing a level of respect & trust. I bought a 50g water heater from my local plumbing vendor. It was $50.00 more than Lowes. I dropped my old water heater off at the owner's store b/c the owner encouraged me to do so. Furthermore, the local store ensured me if I had any problems, he would send a technician to my house immediately. This service was confirmed to me by my neighbor.

I'll pay for this any day of the week.

Quote from WindySummer : To me, it's about developing a level of respect & trust. I bought a 50g water heater from my local plumbing vendor. It was $50.00 more than Lowes. I dropped my old water heater off at the owner's store b/c the owner encouraged me to do so. Furthermore, the local store ensured me if I had any problems, he would send a technician to my house immediately. This service was confirmed to me by my neighbor. I'll pay for this any day of the week.

50 bucks more on what price?? It is one thing to pay 5 to 10% more but another to pay 30-40% more local

Quote from Mr.Ritz : 50 bucks more on what price?? It is one thing to pay 5 to 10% more but another to pay 30-40% more local

IIRC, The cost was about $600. Don't get me wrong, $50 is nothing to sneeze about, AND I don't live & die by it. I'm confident an online vendor could match local service for water heaters. The fact is... many do not.

Being a lifetime reader of Consumer Reports, I'm not a fan of extended warranties. However; SquareTrade is an exception, especially when it comes to the appliances that are monopolized by Whirlpool.

To your point, I believe an online vendor could easily outperform a local vendor IF they follow-up with the the CS.

I never go to any local small mom and pop shops besides restaurants.

Mom and pops need to get it together if they want to compete with China. Capitalism ftw?

Quote from jplayland : Game theory is what this comes down to for me. If everyone worked together for the common good we all come out better on average, but if some look out for their individual interests the rest lose out and the greedy get more than their fair share. This is the way reality works. If everyone or even a large percentage of people bought local, the local stores would cover their expenses more easily and be more competitive in the market. You would create more jobs locally and keep more wealth locally instead of shipping it off to corporations or foreign countries. The problem is, we all have limited resources and most of us desire more than we can afford. So we worry about ourselves over the collective. If we weren't short sighted we could make better decisions. Knowing that others are going to look out for their best interests and be better served by it lures many more to follow, myself and the vast majority of people on this site included.

This is a chicken and the egg argument. Is the local shop not competitive because local customers don't buy there, or do local customers not buy there because the shop isn't competitive.

Theoretically, if the local shop were more competitive on price, they would get more of the local business, and they would be able to cover their expenses more easily and be more competitive. Why should the customers pay inflated prices until the local shop can be more competitive and drop their prices? And if the customers are paying the inflated prices, what incentive is there for the local shop to lower prices at all?

either get out & waste gas & time drivin to local stores to pay high prices + tax or

click on the internet & pay low prices & have it shipped free

tough choice