Buy LOCAL: Avoid Corporate Sleaze!

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There are dirty secrets you need to know before you hit big-box retail stores the day after Thanksgiving. According to CNN, shoppers who think they will snag unbelievable bargains in a merchants' circular, will be stuck holding an empty bag.

Black Friday Sleaze Tactics

Don't we believe that if a national retailer mentions that they have a juicy deal, then they're probably prepared to have it in sufficient quantities, and if not, then provide you with a rain check? Nope. Look at the bottom of your circulars this year. You'll find wording such as:

• "while supplies last"
• "minimum 2 per store" - yes, that's 2 per STORE
• "no rain checks"
• "all items in limited quantities"

An example? This year, Sears for Black Friday is offering a 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $599.99 "Only while quantities last, minimum three per store, no rain checks."  Are you going to stand in line starting at 4am under such poor odds?

Also beware of another Black Friday Sleaze Tactic of selling "derivative" electronics. Derivative models have less features than a standard model in that product line, but the difference is subtle, and most consumers can't notice the difference. According to Consumer Reports, Samsung and Sony are advertising Black Friday Deals on popular HDTV TV models, but aren't letting you know that you're buying a derivative - a TV that is actually cheaper than the standard model - at standard model discount pricing. This means you're buying an electronic derivative, and actually paying MORE for it that it's worth.

So why should we support our locally owned businesses?

Purchasing locally allows you to foster relationships with your businesses and their owners. Your local retailers and small businesses don't have large corporate sleaze scams intended to take advantage of you.

According to the New Rules Project, we can enjoy our Black Friday shopping rituals as if OUR COMMUNITY mattered, not some corporate enterprise.

Investing our holiday dollars with locally owned businesses within 50 miles of where we live would:

• Prevent big-box homogenization, preserving our unique businesses and adding charachacter to our individual neighborhoods
• Locally owned businesses build strong communities by participating and giving back
• Local business owners participate in local decision making, preserving your neighborhood
• Keeps dollars, jobs, innovation & healthy competition, and passionate entrepreneurs where YOU live
• Small businesses offer products based on their interests and not on a national sales plan increasing product diversity

Swipe your VISA -- Cast a Vote.

Where will you spend your money this year?

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