Santa Monica, situated along the sun-kissed shores of Southern California, stands among the many North American cities championing a strong local businesses initiative within its community: Buy Local Santa Monica. This movement urges its residents to embrace and prioritize buying from local businesses. We ask ourselves, what would happen if the city government itself also prioritized buying local? In this blog post, we delve into the 8 reasons listed by the city for buying locally and explore why the Santa Monica government should adopt this practice as well.

The city, with its idyllic climate and equable atmosphere, is more than just a dreamy beachside destination. It prides itself on nurturing a close-knit community, where small and local businesses form the backbone of its economic landscape. At the heart of this communal spirit lies the "Buy Local Santa Monica" campaign, an inspiring initiative that empowers individuals to play an active role in supporting the growth and prosperity of their community. 

“With every local purchase you make, your patronage positively impacts the local economy,” the city points out when encouraging people to buy local. Also, the Independent We Stand Organization highlighted that “for every $100 you spend at locally owned businesses, $68 will stay in the community,” in opposition to when people spend the same $100 at a national chain: only $43 stays in the community. 

The city’s government highlights the following 8 reasons for residents and tourists to buy locally: 

📌 It keeps the money in the city, supporting its schools, parks and vital community services.

📌 It helps the environment, as it reduces people's carbon footprint.

📌 It creates and sustains local jobs.

📌 It helps keep Santa Monica unique and authentic.

📌 It nurtures the city’s community. 

📌 It creates more alternatives and choices for customers, as local businesses respond to their clients.

📌 It fosters entrepreneurship.

📌 It is considered a fun thing to do!

This movement has always been intended to target both residents and tourists, encouraging them to buy locally. But the question arises: Could this call-to-action (CTA) be extended to government buyers as well?

According to the city, if all of Santa Monica's 90,000 residents spent a minimum of $5 per day shopping at local businesses, it could result in a whopping $162 million in local purchases each year. But what if, on top of that, the City of Santa Monica's government, with its annual budget exceeding $700 million dollars, also embraced buying local? What kind of impact could that have? Governments consistently promote local purchasing, often focusing on their own residents and tourists, unaware of the immense potential their purchasing power holds. 

Governments are the largest buyers in the world. For instance, the U.S. federal government stands as the largest individual consumer globally, expending over $630 billion annually on products and services. Undoubtedly, residents and visitors can significantly contribute to local economies by choosing to buy locally. However, it's equally important to direct these calls-to-action (CTAs) towards government buyers who hold the capacity to readily support local, diverse, and small businesses, thus making a notable contribution to their very own "Buy Local" initiative.

At GLASS, we recognize the importance of small businesses and the significant impact they have on the economy. This is why we are advocates for these businesses to be recognized and valued by residents, the community, and governments. We’re constantly seeking new ways to support and elevate these businesses. By developing Glass Commerce, an e-commerce marketplace that ensures compliant transactions between verified small vendors and government buyers, we enable a seamless and direct connection between small business owners and local, state, and federal governments.

While we encourage and promote "Buy Local" initiatives across the United States, we emphasize the importance of directing this CTA towards governments. They have the potential to make a considerable difference, amounting to millions of dollars in local purchases each year. “Buy Local” could transcend beyond communities and extend its reach to the world's largest buyers—governments.

This blog was written by Gisela Montes, GovTech Community Lead at Glass.