Reasons For Shopping At A Small Business

Over the past decade I have had thousands of customers visit my little store in a local flea market. I have tried very hard to provide the type of service that I would appreciate if I were a customer. Part of this service has been paying attention to what my customers ask for and then, if enough customers ask, sourcing those products if they are available. I now have a reputation for having items that are not available in the big box stores. Most of the time it has been a firearm related item, from a left-handed holster that would accept an optic to an uncommon caliber of ammunition or a repair part for an inherited weapon that belonged to a grandparent. This is one of the biggest advantages to shopping at local independent small businesses. Most big box stores are unable to do their own ordering. Rather, they have to take what the warehouse decides to send them based on some corporate metric. As an independently owned small business, I have acess to most of the same items but I get to order what my customers are asking for, as well as especially ordering an item for that customer.

I ask questions about what my customers are asking for. For example if a customer asks if I have .30-06 ammo, I ask them what weapon they are shooting. Most repeat that it is a .30-06, so I ask if they are shooting a bolt action rifle. The reason is that a M1 Garand fires a .30-06 round, but a standard load cartridge can damage the rifle over time. When I explain this, I can see the expression on the customer's faces relax as they realize I am actually looking out for them. It might seem like a little thing to ask a question like that, but it will usually stick in the customer's mind that not only did I know the difference, but I had their back and was looking out for them. When you combine those two facts, product knowledge and a genuine concern for the customer, you have a proven formula for customer loyalty and repeat business. Some years ago, about 40 if my memory holds true, the manager of an auto parts store I worked in told me something I try to remember today. That saying is "A happy customer will tell 1 other person about their experience. An unhappy customer will in turn tell 10 others."

Support the businesses that go the extra mine like it was the standard operating proceedure. Their prices might not be the lowest, but they will be fair, and the reassurance of dealing with a knowledgable sales representative will often make the trip to the that local small business be the highlight of your day.