Ethical Essentials L.A.’s vision is to educate people on the importance of supporting small businesses. That’s why we bring you the Best Five Reasons to Support Small Businesses. More importantly, we will send you a copy of How to Resist Amazon and Why with every order when you shop at EELA.
1. Small Businesses are More Likely to Create, Buy & Sell Fair Trade Products
There are more slaves right now than in any time in history. Modern day slavery takes the form of Child Exploitation, Forced Labor, Organ Trafficking, and Sexual Exploitation. People being forced into labor makes up the majority of people enslaved. As of 2016, there were 46,000,000 slaves in the world (and 403,000 slaves in the United States). Buying from small businesses is important. Buying products from small businesses that use an ethical supply chain reduces the demand for slavery.
2. Supporting Small Businesses Helps the Economy
Tens of thousands of small businesses ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. In early 2020, there were 31.7 million small businesses in the United States. These businesses make up 99% of all businesses in the US. In 2019, small businesses created 1.6 million jobs. In fact, small firms with less than 20 employees created 1.1 million of those jobs. Patronizing these businesses means keeping people employed and creating new jobs as they grow.
3. Close the Wealth Gap
America’s top 10% now average more than nine times as much income as the bottom 90%, according to data analyzed by UC Berkeley economist Emmanuel Saez. Americans in the top .01% average 196 times the income of the bottom 90 percent. Small businesses provide opportunities to close the wealth gap. According to the 2019 SBA, 19.9 percent of all small businesses are owned by women. Minority owned small businesses make up 18.3%. Support small businesses to help women and minorities to establish themselves in significant roles or start their own businesses.
4. Save the Planet!
Small businesses are leaders when it comes to sustainability. Blue & Green Tomorrow reports, “Small businesses and independent entrepreneurs (SME) are making the biggest impact in reducing the carbon footprint of business.” Yes, giant companies are getting all of the attention. However, they seem to be greenwashing, whereas SME’s are going green because they actually care. Also, out of all registered small businesses in the United States, 52% are home-based. This means they require little to no transportation and modest electricity usage.
5. When you Shop Small, You’re Not Supporting Amazon
There are many reasons to support small businesses. However, there are just as many (or more!) reasons to not support Amazon. For instance, Amazon has no problem selling at a million dollar loss to put a small company out of business. Consequently, this creates a massive reduction of income for artisans, authors, publishers, and small stores owners (to name a few). “How to Resist Amazon and Why” by small bookstore owner Danny Caine, is a zine in which he reveals Amazon’s ruthless discount strategies. Above all, he successfully lays out the case for shifting money away from corporate giants to small, local independent businesses.
How to Resist Amazon and Why
This easy-to-read, informative zine includes links to articles and resources, and a clear path to resistance. Interestingly, Amazon does sell this book. However, apparently there was a time when they did not. Read “Did Amazon Throttle My Sales After I Criticized Them in the New York Times?”
Comments from the Publisher (Microcosm)
When a company’s workers are literally dying on the job, when their business model relies on preying on local businesses and even their own companies, when their CEO is literally the richest person in the world while their workers make minimum wage with impossible quotas… wouldn’t you want to resist? Danny Caine, owner of Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kansas compiled this zine. It’s about his commitment to fighting the seemingly impossible giant in the bookselling world: Amazon. This zine includes the open letter he wrote to Jeff Bezos, as well as, examples of successful social media activism that produced waves of successful economic solidarity for local bookstores. There are links to other resources, and some sobering words about boycotting. Let this zine inspire you to support independents and stand up to the biggest threats facing our society!
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