The South end: Is buying local dying?

I stand live in the south end I am proud to do so. I would never move out of this area. My job, my family and all my friends are now in this area. I am firmly embedded here, with deep roots that actually extend back by several generations. My friends from north of the river may call me a southern softie, if that’s what I am, I am proud to be so.

As an aware member of my community, I do my best to buy locally to support the local business in my area and to put money back into my local mini economy. However, in the run up to a exhibition that I am attending, when trying to buy some roller banners, I found it impossible to be able to find a local supplier that could help me at a reasonable cost.

The thing about buying any kind of banner stands, is that they really are a specialist piece of equiptment. Whilst my local printers could source them, because he would have to go through another supplier to get them in it just works out as far too expensive for me. Whilst I want to support my local businesses, I can’t do so at the expense of fore-fitting my own profit margins. I really like buying local, but in this case I am having to get the things I need in from Manchester.

To be honest, the thing is that it has really worked out for me as well. I bought from these people called the Image Group. They have their production in Manchester itself, and then ship everything out from there. I am very used to dealing with people face to face, and not at all comfortable with making deals long distance and over the phone as much, but actually I’ve come away having had a really good experience with them. They were polite, helpful and upfront about all costs involved. They even as part of the package managed to cut me a deal on a really good pop up display stand to compliment the other stands I’d ordered from them. It all arrived on time, and looked really good when put up.

I feel a little like I am betraying my local community here, but if I were to buy more stands, I am going to go back to people in Manchester for it. I can’t afford to buy it through my local printers, and they did a really good of it all. I’ll continue to buy what I can here, but I wonder if this is the way things are going? Is it going to get the point in a few generations time where ‘local’ doesn’t exist anymore and all we can do is order everything from the specialist supplier where ever they are based?

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Lastly, this is a quick shout out to Enigin.