I have a friend who posted the following on Facebook this morning, Oct. 25, 2017 – “2 months until Christmas.”

Well thanks for that dose of reality adding to the list of things to get stressed out about. I need to put that on my “things to think about” list.

In the comments which followed the post, another person wrote this response, “Amazon wish lists are just around the corner. How will downtown retailers ever compete?”

It is without a doubt a very reasonable question to ask, and I am sure more than a couple of local retailers are asking the same thing.

My first response to that question was a simple, obvious one, that being, local retailers will survive the Amazon factor and compete this Christmas by providing something Amazon may have trouble providing, personalized customer service.

But that customer service should be an “all in” customer service, not just limited to face-to-face customer interaction and should include some type of electronic connection availability, ie… an Amazon type only friendlier website

There is a comfortable feeling about being able to walk into a local jewelry store, such as Huntington Jewelry, a longtime Greensburg business, as well as a longtime member of the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce, tell Dale Huntington what you might be interested in and allowing him to pull merchandise from his display cases so you can touch it and feel it.

Touching, feeling, looking closely at the merchandise, and having your questions answered by an expert in his or her field, an expert who is local and who attends a local church or supports good causes in your community, is something you don’t get with an Amazon type of online store. That is the No. 1 way local retailers will compete with the Amazon’s of the world. Friendly service where customers are greeted with a warm smile and prompt service and respect, that’s what customers are asking for.  

While there is something to be said about the possible ease and perhaps convenience of online shopping, something else to think about is returning an item that the recipient may not have been extremely happy about receiving, the wrong size or color, or perhaps may have received two of the same items.

If you buy it online, you now have to deal with the stress of packing it up, and shipping, meaning a trip to your local post office or finding a local box where FedEx or UPS picks up. If you have ever done that, you know it can be a bit of a pain.

However, the biggest pain you might encounter when buying local, is finding a parking space right in front of the merchant’s store, but keep in mind, it’s not like you have never parked at the far end of big box store such as WalMart and walked to the back of the store for gallon of milk. Go ahead and admit it.  (Greensburg’s WalMart is a member and supporting partner of the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce, just so you know. We appreciate what our local WalMart does for our community and the support they give the Chamber and other non-profits in the area.)

Local retailers also need to keep in mind how they are using electronic means to attract new customers. We live in a world today where electronic connectivity is a necessary evil in the business world. According to research from the Pew Research Center, roughly three-quarters of Americans own a smart phone. To be more specific, Pew Research Center shows 77 % of Americans owning a smart phone device.

Those numbers were collected in November of 2016 and without a doubt, are rising at a consistent rate. There’s a reason Apple introduced its newest iPhone X at an outlandish price of just one dollar under $1,000. (The iPhone X really highlights new security and photo capability, but Apple knows today’s market calls for connectivity including means to pay for purchases with cellular devices and its newest phone is full of security enhancements, which is a good thing).

While 92 percent of 18-29 year olds now own a smartphone, a whopping 74 percent of 50-64-year-old Americans also own a smartphone.

And guess what they are doing with that smartphone. They are on social media, taking photographs, paying bills, getting directions and yes, shopping and comparing items online. That is why it is also important for local retailers to at least have a small online presence.  

Car dealers know this all too well. There was a time buyers would pull on the car lot to kick a few tires, looking for that perfect car. Today, buyers know which car they want, because they have been on the dealership’s website and been able to see all there is about a particular unit.

So, will local retailers compete this holiday season with the Amazon’s of the world? I believe in Greensburg and Decatur County that they will indeed compete and that is because of the warm greetings you get when you shop local, the ability to touch, feel, see and smell the items you want to purchase and the hearty and sincere thank you that will be extended after the sale is complete.

Plus, knowing our local merchants give back to our community and Amazon doesn't contribute a single penny locally, makes shopping in our hometowns all that much more satisfying. Your money stays in the community where you shop. 

Shop local. Shop often.

It’s worth it.