Why shopping online can be one of the best ways to support a small business

When people talk about shopping local, the image that often comes to mind is visiting a bustling artisan market, wandering around a craft fair or popping into an independent shop. Those experiences are wonderful, and as a small handmade natural skincare business, they are an important part of what we do.

Meeting customers face to face, talking about our products and hearing your feedback is one of the most rewarding parts of running a small business. But what many people don’t always realise is that, while markets and fairs are fantastic for visibility, online orders are often what provide the stability that allows a business like ours to keep going.

Markets are wonderful… but they have their limits

As a sole trader, every market or artisan fair means packing the car, travelling, setting up a display, spending the day trading and then packing everything away again before heading home. It’s enjoyable, but it’s also time that isn’t spent making products, ordering ingredients, answering emails, updating the website, managing social media, bookkeeping or developing new ideas. Unlike larger businesses, there isn’t a separate team handling all those jobs. For most independent makers, one person wears every hat.

Markets also have a natural limit. They only reach the people who happen to be there on that particular day. Travelling further afield can increase that audience, but it also increases travel time, costs and time away from the business itself. Constantly travelling long distances simply isn’t practical or sustainable for many small makers.

Why not just have a shop?

It’s a question many people ask. The reality is that having a permanent retail premises comes with significant overheads: rent, utilities, business rates, staffing and many other ongoing costs. For many small handmade businesses, those costs simply aren’t realistic. Working from a home workshop or small studio allows us to invest more into creating quality products rather than maintaining expensive premises.

Selling through retailers isn’t always straightforward

Having products stocked in independent shops is another valuable way to reach customers, and we’re incredibly grateful to those retailers who collaborate with small brands like ours. However, wholesale isn’t always as simple as it appears. Retailers often need a substantial wholesale discount so they can make their own margin, sometimes requiring products to be supplied at around 40% of their retail price. In some cases, products are supplied on a sale-or-return basis, meaning payment isn’t received until the products have actually sold. While wholesale can introduce a brand to new customers, it doesn’t always provide immediate or predictable cash flow.

Why regular online orders make such a difference

Online sales help create something every small business needs: consistency. A steady stream of website orders allows us to plan production more effectively, purchase ingredients with greater confidence and manage cash flow more efficiently. When we know roughly what demand looks like, we’re better able to buy raw materials in larger quantities. Buying in bulk often reduces ingredient costs, helping improve margins without compromising on quality. That, in turn, gives us more flexibility to invest in better packaging, develop new products and continue growing the business.

Shopping online is still shopping local

Sometimes people assume that supporting local means visiting a market or buying in person. But if you’re purchasing directly from a local maker’s website, you’re still supporting a local business. In many cases, you’re actually providing one of the most valuable forms of support. An online order goes directly to the maker. It can be packed around production schedules, processed between batches being made and managed alongside all the other daily jobs that come with running a small independent business. For customers, it’s convenient too. You don’t have to wait until the next market comes to town or hope we’re attending an event nearby. If you’ve found a product you love, you can simply reorder whenever you need it.

Every Order Helps Build Something Sustainable. Every online purchase does more than generate a sale.

It helps us plan ahead with confidence. It helps us purchase materials more efficiently. It helps us continue making products by hand rather than rushing production. It gives us the stability to keep attending the artisan markets and events that allow us to meet so many wonderful customers in person. Markets introduce people to our business. Our website allows those relationships to continue long after the market has packed away.

So next time you think about supporting a small business, remember that you don’t always have to visit a market or a shop. Buying directly from a maker’s website is still supporting local, and for many independent businesses, it can be one of the most meaningful ways to do it.

Thank you for supporting small businesses, whether you discover us at a market, through a stockist or online. Every order, however it arrives, is genuinely appreciated.

 “If you’ve found me at a market and enjoyed using my products, remember you don’t have to wait until our next event. My online shop is always open, and every order helps support my small business all year round.”

Appreciating every purchase, and purchaser

Catherine, Founder