How Sorewards supports local purchasing

Globalization and its excesses no longer hold sway in the minds and purchasing habits of consumers. In the wake of the health crisis, a majority (57%) confided their desire to support local businesses through their purchases, according to an IAS study. This trend is more marked among people concerned about climate change, who are aware of the environmental impact of purchases made on the other side of the world.

Buying local has many advantages for consumers and communities alike:

• Favoring local shops for your purchases helps maintain employment by stimulating the local economy, which in turn contributes to the life of the neighborhood or commune.
• The other quality associated with eating locally is the quality of products and services. In the food sector, for example, local products that use short distribution channels are fresher and have a smaller carbon footprint than frozen foods imported by boat or plane from another continent, under less transparent production conditions.
• Proximity also means personalized service, compared to buying online!
• Buying in a store close to home, rather than ordering online from the other side of the world, limits the transportation of goods. And shopping around the corner rather than driving to a regional shopping mall dozens of kilometers away reduces travel and the associated GHGs. So buying local has a positive impact on the environment!

Buying local is a matter of consumer choice, but everyone can do their bit to encourage local businesses. Such is the case with a rewards program, which can offer incentives and benefits to consumers who choose to support local commerce. How can this be done? By integrating a local offer into their network of partners, whereas practice is generally limited to large national or international chains. A rewards program can in fact transform the consumer into a consumer-actor through "incentive". Favoring stores close to home can lead to attractive rewards such as bonus points, special discounts or exclusive offers.

For a local, independent business, participating in a rewards program is an important lever for visibility and attractiveness, as well as an effective way of standing out from the competition. Being listed and promoted in this type of program can generate customer traffic - a godsend for a retailer with more limited communication and marketing resources than a large chain. And by offering attractive rewards to this influx of prospects, they can broaden their customer base and build loyalty, while strengthening ties with their community.

By supporting local purchasing through rewards programs, Sorewards is putting into practice one of its fundamental convictions: giving meaning to the gift card. Indeed, localism is part of a responsible purchasing approach that will strengthen local communities and promote a fairer, more sustainable economy. By encouraging consumers to support local businesses, we help preserve the social and economic fabric of our neighborhoods, and create stronger, more resilient communities for all!

Supporting local purchasing isn't just a consumer choice: it's a concrete act of support for your community. The purse vote! Through its incentive dimension, a rewards program can stimulate a virtuous circle in the promotion of local consumption, from support for local businesses to benefits for health and the planet. By working together to promote local purchasing, we can create a more prosperous and inclusive future for all!