Answer Truthfully...

jetsonx

This Christmas, when making purchases, did you go out of your way to give your custom to independent businesses as opposed to chain stores and Amazon?

Answer truthfully....

endacl

No. I made the season of unavoidable hassle as convenient as possible. And make no apologies.

callaway92

No

Would rather not get fleeced ‘buying local’

L1011

I've not bought anything from Amazon that was available anywhere else in four years - there are a few books that are only sold via Amazon.

I always use a local greengrocer and mostly use an independent butcher; but even more so at Christmas as supermarkets generally just sell full turkeys and giant hams.

So the biggest chain store I've used for any Christmas shopping has been Lidl, followed by the local Supervalu franchiser who has five or six stores.

Buddy Bubs

Haven't started yet. Going to local shopping centre at 3 O clock

Jim_Hodge

I could get neither value nor choice from local independent businesses, although I tried. Reality outweighed ideology.

sunbeam

Pretty much Amazon all the way for me, apart from food at the local supermarket and butchers. My health isn't great at the moment so I'm doing whatever makes my life easier. Plus a ranting post of Facebook from a local business claiming it was Our Duty to support them really put me off. They'll care little about the locals when they can go back to fleecing tourists.

Allinall

Only things I bought online were tickets.

Everything else bought from physical shops, as much Irish as possible, but not all.

thomil

No, for three reasons:

1) I don't have any family or close friends left to give gifts to, so I have no reason to buy gifts.

2) Gifts for myself were bought using a gift card from my employer and for that, Amazon was the best option.

3) Availability. I will always attempt to buy something locally first, but due to the fact that I'm a nerd & gadget hound, Amazon is often the only reliable source. Though I will go for manufacturer's websites if possible

I did go somewhat local for Christmas grocery shopping though. In a complete reversal of the above, some of the stuff I need for my traditional Christmas dinner is only available in specialist shops in town.

Gregor Samsa

Local shop only had pink dildos, and my Nana specifically wanted a black one, so I had to go online. You just don’t get the range or choice locally, it’s the reality of modern retail.

sniperman

NO

Mrs OBumble

Isn't the whole Santa thing the largest ever global conglomerate? That sweatshop he operates in the North Pole is stuffed full of little people who have to make toys for the whole world, and then the fecker flys them in at night when the Customs officers are on holiday, so gets around paying import tax.

Back to the original question: I got one gift from a local retailer, who has stores across Ireland. Does that make them local? Four small ones from Dunnes stores - are they local? And one from TKMaxx, so the local retails of the sort of thing I got were just too expensive.

Did most of it this morning, too.

I wont be shamed into shopping local. I'll go wherever is best for my pocket. They're the times we are living in unfortuantely.

Ubbquittious

I think I only bought 1 item off Amazon ever, about 10 years ago

dulpit

Did nearly all shopping on amazon, some bits in tesco too. While the idea of shopping locally sounds great in theory, I'm not a fan of subsidising them by paying more than online...

Define local.

Strumms

100% of my purchases I got in Irish shops, but not by design, I just went for convenience… purchases in….

Irish local independent jewellery store.

Irish clothing retailer.

Irish homeware retailer.

Irish giftware retailer.

not a single purchase did I make because I wanted to support anyone. All this support local businesses etc…. NO, I support myself and my needs and wants….We saw the Irish business community and their toys out of the pram reaction to pandemic restrictions so. No moral obligation on my behalf towards a business just because it’s Irish… all the above were convenient and are within 3 kilometres of where I’m living, had things that I liked so I purchased.

elperello

Bought nothing online.

All shopping local.

One slightly unusual purchase was a book bought for cash from the author who lives nearby.

Higgins5473

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533147#Comment_121533147

She’s ok with the pink ones when it’s going up her arse. Did you check which it was for?

Seth Brundle

I tried getting my stuff in a local shop

The shopkeepers told me that there was nothing for me in there.

tikka16751

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533147#Comment_121533147

You could have spray painted it black.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533368#Comment_121533368

I did suggest that, but she said it was racist.

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533137#Comment_121533137

I've heard some businesses decry "lazy consumer habits". Ah well, be damned then. They are not charities that need our "support".

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533334#Comment_121533334

I think you’re confusing her with my mother.

galwayguy85

While not strictly related to Christmas, in the days of bringing my bike for a yearly maintenance ‘check-up’ to the local bike shop they would bill scandalous amounts of money for parts and other bits of pieces. E.g €10 for some grease and equally extortionate prices for tire sealant. Something like €20 for the 2 wheels - a factor of 10-15x for the same volume had I bought it online.

So that’s what I done since then… give my money to Amazon and learn how to fix/replace parts by watching YouTube videos.

Its a little sad that I no longer bring my wheels to these otherwise decent guys, but what choice have I?

Addmagnet

Yeah, define local - is it still local when even though you purchased it from a shop on St. Patrick's Street in Cork, the item itself was made in China?

Leg End Reject

A mix for me, my priority was what was less hassle for me rather than noble intentions of supporting local businesses.

I point blank refuse to give up hours walking around soulless shopping centres, so if I can't get something locally without stress it's online all the way.

Not a hope of me using time off work to shop during the after Christmas sales either.

NATLOR

Split fairly evenly between online and local . Only because I couldn't get what I wanted online

thehairygrape

Try to buy presents in local craft shops but draw the line at paying an entrance fee to a craft/Christmas fair. They’re trying to sell their wares and are charging you to enter the fair. If Brown Thomas tried that they’d be closed in a week. Has never made sense to me.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533512#Comment_121533512

Even if the item isn't made locally there would be more added value to the local economy by buying it from a shop.

Padre_Pio

I buy from shops that have products I like at a price I agree with, and that's it.

I'm not going to spend over the odds for no reason.

I was looking at a Barbour jacket for Dad. Local shop sells them for 350 euro, but Barbour UK has them on sale for 200 pound. So my aunt bought it for me before she flew home.

I was looking for a Clarins set too, and local shops are all more expensive than online, though I was happy to find that some Irish pharmacies have an online presence that's competitive, so I bought from them.

Also, Irish Christmas markets are nearly all sh*te. Wooden toys mass produced in China, crap art in white frames, signs and cards with stupid sayings like "prosecco o'clock". Even gift shops sell the same Eoin O'Conner and Nicholas Mosse tat they've been selling for the past decade.