Local stores - did you source any gifts from them?

[FeuerFrei]

This 2017 holiday season did you buy any gifts at your local brick & mortar stores?
Just wondering how relevant they are to your holiday shopping habits.

Myself, no. I bought from Etsy, King Arthur Flour, Shutterfly, and Amazon.

We will limit the scope of this thread to holiday gifts, not any Christmas decor or food. Less to recall.

Nationally, I hear spending this year was up 5% across online/offline retail.

 

[IronWing]

Yes.

 

[lxskllr]

A little bit. Wasn't really feeling it this year. I usually go to antique shops to find interesting stuff, but I never made it. Bought some low dollar Chinese shit locally, and food items, but otherwise didn't spend much locally.

 

[BoomerD]

Ummm...actual gifts...No. Those things were all bought from a variety of on-line sources.

Stocking stuffer stuff, yes. ALMOST all of that was bought locally...although at a national chain store. (Fred Meyer's)

 

[pete6032]

Nothing local, if by "local" you are talking about buying from a local small business. I bought some gifts in a brick and mortar store but they were chain stores.

 

[purbeast0]

I bought all of my gifts on amazon except my mom and step dad, I got them a gift certificate to a local restaurant they like.

My wife bought a lot of stuff from Kohl's for her shopping.

 

[zerocool84]

I buy everything on Amazon, my wife loves shopping inside a store so everything she got was from.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Nothing local, if by "local" you are talking about buying from a local small business. I bought some gifts in a brick and mortar store but they were chain stores.

Chains are local, if they have a storefront in your area. I see what you're saying though. I don't care about local independent small businesses particularly, just the online/offline distinction of where the money is going.

 

[Kaido]

A few, mostly perishable food items. Mostly Amazon & Tomtop this year.

Next year I am just going to pay Amazon to wrap them & send them to my house. I hate wrapping so much.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Only got gift cards this year, which I got locally. But it's for chains. Well one is for the local mall which may have locally owned stores in it, so guess that counts.

I rarely buy Christmas gifts online as it's too unpredictable as to if I'll get it on time.

 

[local]

Bought the wife a laptop at the local Microcenter that was $200 more expensive at the reputable online shops. I actually did not buy anything online.

 

[tynopik]

i always shop at local stores. It's so convenient to get the sales staff to explain everything and help me pick out the exact right item so i can then order it on amazon right in front of them

 

[Carson Dyle]

i always shop at local stores. It's so convenient to get the sales staff to explain everything and help me pick out the exact right item so i can then order it on amazon right in front of them

I do my research on Amazon and then get things on sale at local stores.

 

[Starbuck1975]

I deliberately gave all of my business to local retailers this year

 

[Darwin333]

Only got gift cards this year, which I got locally. But it's for chains. Well one is for the local mall which may have locally owned stores in it, so guess that counts.

I rarely buy Christmas gifts online as it's too unpredictable as to if I'll get it on time.

I still haven't gotten mine yet from you, I prefer Visa or Amex but I'll graciously accept anything of course.

 

[OutHouse]

yes quite a bit. a Alpaca clothing store. a artisan glass shop, and a couple of others i cant remember right now.

 

[BoomerD]

Chains are local, if they have a storefront in your area. I see what you're saying though. I don't care about local independent small businesses particularly, just the online/offline distinction of where the money is going.

While the chain stores usually hire locals for staff, the bulk of the sales revenue usually goes elsewhere. Shopping at a locally owned business keeps more of that money locally...BUT, all too often, the selling price at the smaller stores is higher than the chains, and/or the selection isn't as good, so those have to be considered as well. I'd PREFER to buy from a locally owned store...but have no qualms buying from a larger national chain..or Amazon when that's the best deal. (which is why almost everything I bought this year was sourced on-line.)

 

[ch33zw1z]

mixed.

a couple small local owned places. gifts for ladies seem to be found there.

quite a few items online, like omaha steaks, an items or two from scamazon, and newegg.

 

[vi edit]

Around 50% of gifts were B&M bought. For my parents, I go out of my way to build them a locally sourced gift basket of teas, adult beverages, honey, and candies from here in central KY.

 

[stargazr]

About half and half. Bought women's jewelry and alcohol locally. Amazon for the rest.

 

[Oyeve]

I got my son a gamestop gift card in an actual gamestop. Everything else was from amazon. Stores are dead to me. And i'm an old fart. Love online shopping. Ever since they shuttered J&R Music stores I only buy online now. I do miss tangible music tho. Digital downloads are crap and I buy the CD if at all possible.

 

[Homerboy]

Bulk of things from Amazon. But we buy a lot of stuff from local ma & pa shops - handmade items, one-of-a-kinds etc.
Try to support those local artists and entrepreneurs as much as we can.

 

[purbeast0]

A few, mostly perishable food items. Mostly Amazon & Tomtop this year.

Next year I am just going to pay Amazon to wrap them & send them to my house. I hate wrapping so much.

I was not aware Amazon will even wrap gifts for you - how much does it cost to do that? I too hate wrapping and I'm not very good at it lol.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I source locally whenever possible. It's way too hard to shoplift from Amazon.

 

[vi edit]

I was not aware Amazon will even wrap gifts for you - how much does it cost to do that? I too hate wrapping and I'm not very good at it lol.

Wrapping shitty is half the fun. It's always a running joke in my house to see how much I improved year after year.