Holiday Shopping Shop Local and Safety Tips

The holiday shopping season begins Friday with Black Friday but save some of those dollars for Small Business Saturday and consider Black Friday supporting local snd local small businesses and shops first. 

Spending your dollars locally at independent shops versus big-box chains strengthens the local economy. This is because local stores recycle a much larger share of their sales revenue back into the local economy, while chains siphon most of the dollars spent at their stores out of the community, funneling them back to corporate headquarters or to distant suppliers.

The added economic benefit of local stores has been dubbed the “local premium.” Several studies have quantified it.

One was conducted in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood by the firm Civic Economics. The study analyzed ten locally owned restaurants, retail stores, and service providers and compared them with ten national chains competing in the same categories. The study found that spending $100 at one of the neighborhood’s independent businesses created $68 in additional local economic activity, while spending $100 at a chain produced only $43 worth of local impact. The difference was due to four factors:

• Local Payroll—The locally owned businesses spent a larger share of their revenue on local labor (29 vs. 23 percent), because they carried out all management functions on-site, rather than at corporate headquarters.
• Procurement—The local retailers spent more than twice as much buying goods and services from other local businesses. They banked locally; hired local accountants, attorneys, designers, and other professionals; advertised in local media; and sourced inventory from local firms.
• Profits—Because their owners live in the area, a larger portion of the local retailers’ profits stayed within the local economy.
• Charitable giving—The local retailers donated more on average to local charities and community organizations than the chains did.

Added dollars circulating in the local economy translate into a larger number and wider variety of available jobs.

The implications of the local premium for how cities approach economic development are significant. Not only do big-box stores eliminate more retail jobs than they create, but they reduce local economic activity and job creation in other sectors. Conversely, expanding local businesses generates substantially greater economic benefits.

Black Friday begins the shopping season. It is a colloquial term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States (US). It has become one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the US. This year, it is on November 24.

Where did the "Black Friday" come from? According to Britannica, back in early 1960s, police officers in Philadelphia began using the phrase “Black Friday" to describe the chaos that followed when large numbers of suburban tourists came into the city to begin their holiday shopping. "Within a few years, the term Black Friday had taken root in Philadelphia. City merchants attempted to put a prettier face on the day by calling it “Big Friday.”

Saturday, November 25, 2023 is a "Small Business Saturday". It is a day to celebrate and support small businesses. Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday has become an important part of small businesses’ busiest shopping season. It has been officially cosponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA) since 2011.

"Historically, reported projected spending among US consumers who shopped at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday reached an estimated $17.9 billion according to the 2022 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey commissioned by American Express," the SBA said.

Small Business Saturday, which encourages shoppers to visit local retailers, and Cyber Monday, which promotes shopping online. Giving Tuesday has also emerged to spur charitable donations. With many retailers participating, Black Friday has become a highly competitive market where stores aim to outdo each other with better deals.

Cyber Monday is a shopping holiday that falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, it is on November 27. Cyber Monday earlier used to focus heavily on tech and electronics. It, however, now includes discounts on the same variety of items one find on sale for Black Friday, CBS news reported.

Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport. It is indeed celebrated a day after Christmas. It is a holiday that had originally originated as a holiday to give gifts to the underprivileged in many parts of the world. It is currently celebrated as a shopping holiday.

Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26 but if it falls on a Saturday, the day is moved to Monday to keep the celebrations ongoing after Christmas, Money Control reported. If December 26 is a Sunday, the Boxing Day holiday always takes place on December 28 as December 27, Monday, becomes the substitute holiday for Christmas.

As the holiday season begin a few safety tips to consider. 

KALHRadio and AlamogordoTownNews.com wants everyone to have a safe and happy season. With that in mind, we would like to share these important tips for "playing it safe" while shopping in person and online during the holidays.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) reminds holiday shoppers to keep safety in mind as they enjoy the holidays. The organization best known for its iconic McGruff the Crime Dog offers these tips to help you shop safely while hunting those great holiday bargains.

While in a Store

• Do not buy more than you can carry. Plan ahead by taking a friend with you or ask a store employee to help you carry your packages to the car.
• Wait until asked before taking out your credit card or checkbook. An enterprising thief would love to shoulder surf to get your account information.
• Tell a security guard or store employee if you see an unattended bag or package. The same applies if you are using mass transit.

Walking to and From Your Car

• Deter pickpockets. Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.
• Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the back seat and around the car before getting in.
• Do not leave packages visible in your car windows. Lock them in the trunk or, if possible, take them directly home.

With Small Children

• If you are shopping with children, make a plan in case you are separated from each other.
• Make sure your child has a contact number for you. If the children are too small to remember the contact number, pin a copy of the number (or write it) on the inside of their jackets.
• Select a central meeting place.
• Teach children to know they can ask mall personnel or store security employees if they need help.

Shopping Online

• Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating your security software. Everyone’s computer should have anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-spam software, as well as a good firewall installed.
• Keep your personal information private and your password secure. Do not respond to requests to “verify” your password or credit card information unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate businesses will not contact you in this manner.
• Beware of “bargains” from companies with whom you are unfamiliar—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
• Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address.
• Shop with companies you know and trust. Check for background information if you plan to buy from a new or unfamiliar company.
• Save all receipts. Print and save all confirmations from your online purchases. Start a file folder to keep all receipts together and to help you verify credit card or bank statements as they come in.
• Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as onetime or multiuse disposable credit cards or money orders for online stores and auction sites.

To find more useful shopping tips and personal safety information, visit the National Crime Prevention Council’s website www.ncpc.org.

Enjoy the holidays be safe and let’s take care of one another Alamogordo! 

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