Cheaper at home
On one of my recent shopping trips to a local retailer, I was reminded of the importance of shopping at home when a customer asked if the store had a particular item.
When she was told the item was sold out and probably won't be available again until next year, the customer was upset. She commented that she would have bought the item when it first arrived but went to McPherson to see if it was any cheaper.
When she discovered it wasn't less expensive elsewhere and returned to her hometown store to purchase the item, she found the item was gone.
Hmm.
It still baffles me about the misnomer that some items are automatically cheaper at the bigger stores (the ones that start with a "W" or a "D").
Sure, there are some items that are less expensive and I know there are some things you just can't buy in Marion County. But let's face it, folks, everyday necessities can be purchased in Marion County and should be.
I realize that shopping out-of-town is a form of entertainment. About once a month or so, my significant other and I spend a Saturday afternoon and evening going to a movie, out to eat, and a whirl through the store that starts with a "W" or a trip to the mall.
This is our opportunity to purchase those items that we can't get in locally.
This is human nature. People from Wichita come to Marion County for the same reasons.
My concern are those people who go to larger cities on a regular basis and purchase the majority of their necessities out of county, will probably be the first to cry when the local stores close because of low profit.
We all are so fortunate to have grocery and variety stores in our communities but some still think we save money by gassing up the car with nearly $3 per gallon fuel and drive 60 to 120 miles round trip to buy everyday items.
— SUSAN BERG
