Shopping For Better Home Accessories

The holidays are quickly approaching and if you are like many people, you will soon be in the market for the perfect gift. This year, instead of shopping for the ones you love at a big box store, consider shopping at one of the smaller women's clothing boutiques you can find in your city.  Here are four reasons why shopping here may keep you off the naughty list.

1. Your Money Stays Locally

By supporting small business owners, such as women's clothing boutiques, your money will be kept and circulated through your local economy. It is estimated that when you shop locally, 70 cents of every dollar stays in the community versus only 40 cents when your dollar is spent with a national chain. This not only helps to support your local tax base, but it helps to create and maintain local jobs. 

These local jobs are often able to pay higher wages than those in the big box stores. Salaries, raises, and bonuses can be decided by the owners and not a large corporate board. Higher wages help to ensure a better standard of living for those working in these businesses, which, in turn, allows them to circulate even more money in the local community.

By keeping the money in your local community and keeping these small businesses open, you ensure that there is a greater variety of businesses to choose from in your area. This will ensure you have access to more unique and hand-picked pieces that can't be found in big box stores.

2. You Build Personal Relationships

When you visit and shop at local women's clothing boutiques, you are usually supporting a local businessperson in your community. They get to know you and you get to know them. There is nothing like being greeted by name when you enter a business, or them knowing your likes and dislikes. 

These personal relationships allow the business owners to shop for specific designs they know you will be interested in, as well as direct you to areas of their shops where they know you will find a few of your favorites. This type of relationship allows for a more personalized shopping experience than you will be able to find anywhere else.

Personal relationships in a small community tend to bleed over into community events. Small businesses are often community partners who support various charitable causes. Because the business owners often live in the community where their shops are located, they have a vested interest in the success of the community.

3. You Will Find Unique Designs

Nothing is worse than going somewhere and seeing someone in the same outfit you are wearing. When you shop in big box stores, this is bound to happen sooner versus later. This is because hundreds if not thousands of the same designs are being shipped throughout the country. 

Women's clothing boutiques carry more limited and unique designs. Boutiques may also introduce you to designers or brands you will not find in the main market. This may allow you the opportunity to be one of the first to wear and promote these new finds.

4. You Will Find A Better Quality

Small women's clothing boutiques do not depend on large mass producers to fill their shelves. Because they are often more hands-on with their purchasing, they can be more selective with the clothing they select. This often leads to much higher quality items than those you will find in other places. 

Because of their hands-on approach to purchasing, they have more in-depth knowledge of their sourcing. This can allow you to avoid doing business with those who do not promote healthy ethical production environments. 

Do your part and shop locally this holiday season. It's a gift that will keep on giving.