Arkansas Blog

Don't forget to pay your sales tax when you file next year.

Don't like the online shopping unless absolutely called for. Why? The economic make-up and yes, the economic vibrancy of Little Rock ,and other towns our size (yes we are small) is compromised every time you send your dollars out of the community when you could have done otherwise.

Is it a hassle to shop in town? Yes sometimes. Can you find better selection online? Sometimes, but not for everyhting and certainly not for things where sizing and service and having to see and feel the purchase matter.

But overall,when you shop online you weaken the local economy. It is just true. It is economics 101. That is not to say that you shouldn't make the local stores and owners rise to the level you expect which can be a problem here sometimes. And yes, the level of help you sometimes get is not up to par. We're a smallish town, shopping wise, in a small state.

Bu tax dollars aside, just the pass around effect from spending locally makes a huge ecoonomic difference. And when you live in a piss poor state like Arkansas you should be doing everything you can to improve the overall lot of everyone. And convenience and time crunch is not an excuse. We all have no time. But sometimes you have to put up with the hassle.

We all buy online to some degree. But when it is your basic stance then you are missing a greater point. That is the role you play--we all play in the delicate balancing act that is the local ecoonomy. Suppose advertisers said, "Hel, it is just the Ark times. I would rather advertise in the NY Times. Suppose that made sense. All things being equal they should advertise locally. Why? Well, aren't a frew jobs on the line and families and on down the line.

Try to buy locally when you can but insist that stores here rise to your expectations and to the standards that are in bigger markets.

In fact, just to reiterate the basic point, it is not an understatement to say, in my opinion, that it is almost a civic, if not quite a moral responsibility to do what you can to foster the economic development of your local community. It is that important. Money, the passing around of it, is, the grease that lubricates peoples lives. That means food, healthcare, clothes, essentials. I'm not talking jets and yachts for the lucky sperm club members and the other 1% who made it on their own. To give short schrift to that basic reality is to miss something critical in my opinion. You livein a state wherea large percentage of people go to bed hungry. Where the tax base doesn't even cover enough jail beds. Where schools suck for the most part. Spend your money here. It helps. It all helps. And if a business is locally owned you should give them the opportunity.

I generally try to buy locally. But sometimes it's not worth the effort. I pre-ordered a gift at one of the "big box" electonic stores. I went to pick it up and stood around and stood around. The kid behind the counter finally went and picked my item off a rack and scanned it through.

But I do try to buy most of my stuff here in the Hillcrest/Heights area. If somebody would put a golf shop/sporting goods store in Midtowne I would never have to go West of Mississippi Ave.

I couldn't agree more, up to a point. Locally owned businesses are one thing. Wal-Mart, Best Buy and others of that ilk are something else entirely. They contribute to the local economy as little as they possibly can, mostly in the form of sub-par wages, while sucking our dollars out of here and into the hands of their executives and stockholders.

When do sales taxes kick in on out of state internet purchases?
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IABL1969 wrote: "That is the role you play--we all play in the delicate balancing act that is the local ecoonomy."

I agree with all your points. But you left something out when describing the delicate balancing act -- what happened to all the products that used to be manufactured here? Why are Chinese people getting rich off our economy and we're going deeper into debt?

Those local stores are getting their inventory from China, India, etc.

Who gets rich? Big Biz and Chinese.

Unfortunately, "buying locally" won't solve many problems unless Big Biz stops purchasing everything from China et al. We're in trouble, but haven't a clue about climbing out of it.

Ecce! Spiro et Spero - Try River Market ArtSpace at 301 President Clinton Avenue. Everything is not only made in the United States, but almost everything is made in Arkansas, and it is a locally owned business. There are other places all around town that offer items made in the US and some exclusively in Arkansas - The Cox Creative Center, Historic Arkansas Museum Store, etc. just to name a few. There are many local places that don't purchase from China.

Since I make a living on-line I like gather good business karma and for the past few years I've done most of my Christmas shopping on-line.
And for the most part it is from folks like me who have a small business online.
I even bought my Christmas cards this year from a site called rogerthatcards.com, they have some funny cards.
Vintage ornaments and other do-dads off of ebay.
I really, really hate shopping.

Damn Debra, you stole my thunder. Shannon at the River Market Art Space personally showed me some excellent gift items as I went through and selected gifts for wife and friends. You're right. You are supporting your community, the arts, and all the products are 100% American made. It's one of the few places where quality & beauty are available to the public.

I took a lesson from my grandmother V.O. (Yes, that was her real name!) Christmas and gift shopping went on throughout the year. She had a special drawer for these gifts & would put tags on them. Often she made gifts for family and others. She was killed in an automobile accident many years ago and it was late October. We found that drawer while going through her things and passed out the gifts for her. All were touched by these gifts from one who was greatly loved.

Also, my wife has learned to let me know as soon as she can what REALLY, REALLY would be nice to get for her. Works like a charm.

At Xmas time, we find it's easier to give tree ornaments that are unique to my siblings. Hell's bells and Santa smells, but we already own practically everything under the sun that we need and plenty more. The ornaments are a special reminder of each other and help decorate an already memorable tree. Not many gits from family members get used and put on display as much as these ornaments do.

As the River City Men's Chorus humorously sang last night: "Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree. I'm singing to a Christmas tree."

"Not many gits from family members get used and put on display as much as these ornaments do."

Errr...make that "gifts" on display. Another one of those pesky typos that changes the meaning a bit too much.

I do not agree with the assertion that it is my duty as an Arkansan to shop locally in order to help out the economy here. I am a bargain hunter, and by-and-large everything that I could get locally is cheaper somewhere online (including shipping costs). I think that it's necessary to look at the bigger picture economically.

Effeciency is the name of the game now-a-days, and local stores and retailers often sacrifice this for a more traditional brick and mortar establishment. When I buy a new DVD movie online, the company that is selling it online has much lower overhead than most brick and mortar retailers do, and can sell me the DVD for a lower price because of this. If I think they are charging too high a price, I can simply go to the other 1,000,000+ places to buy DVDs online. This vast internet market for DVD's (not available locally) has intense competition for customers, and translates into more buying power for me when they lower their prices. One day the people down the street at the local store selling antiques might instead setup shop online, and find that people in New York and California like their antiques too. This all translates into cheaper products, which translates into a higher standard of living for EVERYONE, and when one door shuts for many local business owners, others will open as the economy evolves.

It's also important to note that certain products and services will never fully translate online.

The internet is a wonderful e-commerce tool that has undoubtedly had a very big positive impact on Arkansas, and whether brick and mortar retailers like it or not they are going to have to change their business model to keep up with the times. There's too many self interested people out there who will not ward off the low prices and selection to be had online in favor of local retailers for the sake of the regional economy.

On the whole China thing: It is absolutely no ones right to have a particular job secured for them, and this includes American manufacturers. Gone is the day when you could finish high school, get a job at the local factory and be set for life. You now must educate yourself and prepare for a different kind of economy. If this manufacturing class resists this change, they do so at their own peril, and calls for protectionism will be unheard by the powers at be because it is simply to tempting to miss out on the benefits global trade has brought to the United States.

I agree that it is no ones right to have ajob secured for them and I do agree that you shouldn't just buy locally all the time. Certain commodities and uber mass produced items lend themselves to eocnomies of scale that the internet is great for and that are typcially only sold by the big boxes in-store now.

My point is that when you have a fair alternative that meets your needs then you should opt to shop locally.

The local economy touches everyone. Do your part where you can. It's not insignificant in very many very important ways. But yes, don't be taken advantage of. You have to feel like you had a fair exchange of value. That's business 101. But that is not always about price.

I do most of mine online and through various catalogs. I figure it saves gas. Although the computer uses electricity provided by dams and coal mines that destroy the environment. And the catalogs are made from trees...

And now a totally different reason for not shopping locally--lack of accessible stores and handicap parking spaces.

I have about 3 gifts left to buy - dad and two brothers. So far, I've bought just about everything on-line. I bought a number of gifts from 10,000 Villages, several from cafepress.com (movie-quote t-shirts for the hard-to-buy-for boys in the family), and unfortunately, Toys-R-Us. I HATE fighting crowds, driving all over town, and lugging everything around. When I shop other times of the year, I try to buy local, but not for the holidays.

If you are still looking for great gift ideas, check out Ninja Poodles Local on the list of AT blogs. She's got some great ideas there.

Happy shopping. :)

Of course, you can also shop with local businesses online. The Education Station, Darkstar Visuals, and French Metro Antiques are just a few. That way, you get the best of both worlds.