Why Buy Local?

We're All In This Together!

 If you look at the cover of our 2007 full-line catalog, you'll see a reminder to Buy Local.  Those two words have set the theme for us for the year!

Many of our customers are other small businesses.  Like us, you have undoubtedly felt the increased effects from big box and internet competitors.  Like us, you have probably faced the temptation to do your shopping based only on lowest prices available.  It's time now, as we enter 2007, to vow to stick together and support one another by buying locally whenever possible.  A 2004 economic study that was done in the small town of Andersonville, Illinois tells us exactly why this is important.

The findings, which compared what happens to money spent in local businesses vs. what happens to money spent at big box stores, are startling.

• For every $100 spent with a local firm, $68 remains in the local community.
• For every $100 spent at a chain store, just $43 remains in the local community.
• And, though the study did not point this out, for every $100 spent on internet purchases, $0 remain in the local community!

Stop and think about what happens to all of those extra dollars that remain in the community.  They go into home improvements and lawn care, into haircuts and legal services, into restaurant meals and movie tickets, into collection plates and other local charities.  In other words, they go into the pockets of other local businesses, and into taxable transactions that fund our local government services.  We really are all in this together!

If you buy most of your office products and computer supplies from Ionia Office Works, Thank You!  We are very grateful to you and vow to continue to serve you well! 

If you have fallen into the habit of picking up your supplies at Sam's or buying them online from our competitors, we are asking you to give us the chance to be your local partner. We can't promise to always have the lowest prices---there may even be times when we honestly tell you to buy a product somewhere else. However, we do promise to always give you fair pricing, the lowest that we can and still stay in business!  We'll also give you customer service that is second to none.

We don't currently have an outside sales person, but if your business requires someone to stop in to see you each week, just let us know.  We'll make sure that someone on our staff does that.  We can also arrange to contact you by phone if you would like.  Otherwise, we'll count on you to contact us whenever you need office products or computer supplies.  We'll take the order by phone and deliver it to you the next business day!*  How much easier could it be?

We're looking forward to partnering with you in 2007--and working together to make our Ionia County communities stronger!  Give us a call!