Main St. Retailers Say People Shopped Local Over Holidays
East Greenwich, RI – Call it a perfect retail storm: good weather, a national “shop local” movement and a hot jewelry store. The combination resulted in better sales, according to several Main Street merchants.
Unlike December 2010, which saw more than one snow storm, December 2011 was mild and dry, making a stroll on Main Street a pleasure rather than a hardship.
And the holiday season kicked off with the American Express Shop Local campaign that returned some money to buyers who used their Amex cards at certain smaller retailers. Shopping local became a slogan that extended beyond the Amex campaign – several retailers said that customers told them they were trying to do more of their shopping at smaller stores this year.