Love to shop small? Why it’s good to support small businesses in the UK

Did you know how important small and medium enterprises are for the British economy?  As businesses that employ between one and 249 employees contribute more than £2 trillion in turnover and employ 44% of the British workforce!

As a small business OohBox is a huge advocate of shopping with small and independent businesses, that’s why we try and feature as many as possible in our gift boxes.  Our gifts have a good balance of small artisan suppliers that sit perfectly with some beautifully crafted products from larger well-known brands.

A prime example is our Wine O’clock gift hamper.  The Lolita hand painted stemmed wine glass sits beautifully alongside the stylish cut glass stopper then the handmade wine charms by artisan craftswoman “Little Doris” complete the set to perfection!

There are several reasons why it is good to support small businesses in the UK:

Boosting the local economy: Small businesses are often locally owned and operated, which means that when you spend money at a small business, you are supporting your local economy. This can help create jobs and stimulate economic growth in your community.  This isn’t just the high street stores.  Choose independent online businesses too.  Of course Amazon offer super-fast delivery, but many of their products are mass imported and not always the cheapest.  Ooh-Box and many other online stores offer next day delivery which is free to UK addresses!

Unique products and services: Small businesses often offer unique products and services that you can't find at larger chain stores. By supporting small businesses, you will find a diverse and unique range of products.  We set up Ooh-Box just for that reason, we wanted to create beautiful and unique gift boxes that you won’t find anywhere else.

Personalized customer service: Small businesses typically offer more personalised customer service, as the owners and employees often have a more direct relationship with their customers. This can lead to a better shopping experience and stronger customer loyalty.  No pre-recorded call centres, you’ll get to speak to or email a real person.  Many small businesses like ours will bend over backwards to give good service, it’s crucial if we are to survive alongside the big multi-nationals.

Environmentally friendly: Small businesses tend to have a smaller environmental footprint than larger companies, as they often use less energy, produce less waste, and source their materials locally. By supporting small businesses, you are indirectly helping to protect the environment.  Our packaging is all recyclable, except the gift box itself which we chose as a keepsake box which you can re-use to store, photos, paperwork or the children’s precious artwork!

Ethical and socially responsible: Small businesses are often more closely tied to their communities and may be more likely to prioritize ethical and socially responsible practices, such as paying fair wages, using sustainable materials, and supporting local charities and causes.  As a long standing business in the Manchester area, we employ locally, pay a living wage and also provide free storage to our local Foodbank.

Overall, supporting small businesses in the UK can help create a more vibrant, diverse, and sustainable local economy, supports artisan creators and can lead to a more positive shopping experience for customers.

Shop small and keep the economy going.