I was sitting in a cute little (independent) coffee shop in Seattle when I read this article http://www.usaweekend.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011308190012 from USA Today's Gregory Connne, where he advocates;
"Swing by the brick-and-mortar store to see exactly what you want, but try looking on one of these websites - there's a good chance you will find that machine for less" - Gregory Connne
My mother wouldn't be proud, but I spoke with my mouth full. Actually, I more or less yelled, "Holy crap - are $#%ing you kidding me?!?!?" with bits of scone falling down my shirt.
This actually sparked up a great conversation with a couple of other "local"patrons that turned into a bit of an impromptu big tent revival. By the end of it all, I can assure you that everyone in the coffee shop had a better understanding of where their money goes when spent with online sites like NewEgg and TigerDirect vs. spending it with a local computer store.
Everybody *seemed* happy to spend a little extra knowing that at least a portion of their money spent locally stays local - to pay for jobs, schools, roads, etc.
So, my message to Mr. Conne is simply this, "Please wear your name tag every time you go shop at brick and mortars so the retailer will know that you are really just there to waste their time and resources and would rather send your money across the country than to support your local economy."
It's one thing to be duplicitous by wasting a company's time and resources by utilizing their expertise and getting a hands-on feel for the products that they are selling. But, it's another thing to actually admit it! ;^>
(In case you all were wondering - yes, this article got under my skin! And yes, I realize that my response will likely get me www.RelyLocal.com on USA Today's "naughty" list.)
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To find out how you can help support your local neighbors, visit www.relylocal.com
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