What does it mean when you "shop small"?

Say NO to mass-produced! 

1) Handmade usually means BETTER quality items individually made by hand from a skilled small shop maker.

2) Small shop owners have the ability to make each & every customer feel special when they do business with them. Imagine walking into a big box store and asking employee #1639 to drop what they're doing and find XYZ, read the title of the product and then hand you 10 boxes individually while you decide what you need. While they are doing that they are listening to your needs and WHY you need 10 of them. At the same time their ear piece is blaring in their ear telling them that there was a spill in aisle 24 and that as man and woman with a baby in the cart just walked out with a big screen tv under their coat.... 

3)  When you shop small:

- 70% of the purchase price generally goes right back into the local economy of       that shop's location.

- You help create jobs for single parents, stay at home moms, elderly people trying to stretch their income a bit more. Small businesses create 2 out of every 3 new jobs in the US and employ over 1/2 of the people in the workforce.

- You're allowing a small shop owner to buy groceries, pay utility bills, pay for      medical needs, give dance lessons, pay for team uniforms, and more. It helps with family budgets and pays for the little extras!

- You aren't supporting billionaires and lining the pockets of a corporate CEO                driving that sports car and living in a gated community. 

Begin by visiting The Handmade Pledge and commit to purchase handmade items for you, your loved ones and to ask others to do te same when buying this holiday shopping season.

2nd, Rock the Sock and start filling up your shopping list when you click the following image:

Disclaimer: I was not asked to post for GSHandmade and no compensation was received. I do have a shop on GSHandmade and that is the only way I may receive any compensation.