Will we keep our local spending habits after lockdown?

Will we keep our local spending habits after lockdown?

There’s no doubt that many of us have valued the care, attention and innovation shown by our local, independent businesses over the last year as they’ve adapted to the challenges of the pandemic. Forced to spend much of our time close to home, we’ve come to more fully appreciate what’s on our doorstep – and we’ve been spending more locally.

Research from Lansons and Opinium during 2020 concluded that our spending habits are unlikely to return to our pre-pandemic normal, with 39% of those interviewed spending more [in 2020] with local businesses.

“As the local community becomes the core focus for people during the crisis, we are seeing a shift in consumer attitudes and a buoying sense of community around our local businesses. During this period of slowing down, taking stock and reflecting on what really matters, many of us are realising that the experience of shopping small, supporting local businesses and at the same time being more sustainable is worth an extra few pounds.”

77% believed spending with local businesses will continue after the crisis and 34% believed it will become the new normal.

But will this last as life opens up?

Well, so far the trend seems to be holding firm. A study published in March 2021 by the Policy Institute at King’s College London and Ipsos MORI for BBC News, shows that 30% say they would do more of their shopping locally after lockdown restrictions are lifted compared to the year before the pandemic, coming third behind walking (38%) and talking to family members (32%).

The challenge now for many local shops and suppliers is to be able to operate profitably and see a long term future for their business as restrictions ease. Many commentators say it is foolish to believe that we will all flock back immediately to our pre-Covid levels of activity and spending.

But we can still consciously choose to spend as much as we can locally with our independent suppliers – whether that’s through home delivery, click and collect, turning up in person, or gifting through Myndy.

Local businesses are not just another shop or service, they’re people’s livelihoods and they’re what makes our neighbourhoods uniquely ours. To say we’ll shop more locally is one thing, to actually keep on doing it is another. Let’s make sure our best intentions last.

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Gifts that make a difference

Gifts that make a difference

What kind of lister are you?   

While we’ve been researching and building the Myndy platform over the last few months we’ve had so many conversations with friends, colleagues, clients and family about what makes a really meaningful gift.

For some, gift vouchers are seen as the space for last minute gifters, or for those who just don’t really know the person they are giving to well enough to get them something really meaningful.  But what if your gift voucher could be for something you really need and want AND make a difference to your local community?

Kitchen fitterPlenty of our conversations have focused on wanting less stuff and more of the things that matter.  These include time spent on taking care of ourselves (e.g. with a chiropractor, on a sports massage, with a nutritionist),  or perhaps a contribution to a bigger project or investment (such as help with conveyancing fees, help on a building project or a new kitchen or bathroom).  We also heard lots of suggestions about being able to help friends and family out with smaller, ‘everyday’ gifts or experiences like shouting a round of drinks as a gift so a friend can join in a get together even if cashflow is a bit tight or buying someone a haircut or shouting them a coffee and a cake at their favourite coffee shop.

Whether you are focused on the environmental impact of our buying habits and want fewer “things” in your life or you have a project like buying your first home to focus on, or if you just need a bit of help to treat yourself, Myndy lets you keep a list of local businesses you would love to spend with so your friends and family can make sure the gift they give you makes just the difference you need and want.  

What will you put on your list?

So when you’re next asked “What do you want for your birthday/Christmas/as a thank you” what businesses, experience and treats will you put on your list?  

  • Vouchers to spend on coffee and cake
  • Vouchers to spend at my favourite pub
  • Vouchers to help me take care of myself (hair dresser, nailbar, chiropractor, phsyiotherapist, nutritionist
  • Vouchers to help me with a big project (independent kitchen designer, legal fees, builder, plumber, decorator)
  • Vouchers to spend at my favourite local independent retailer (butcher, bakery, florist, clothes shop, gift shop, shoe shop)

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Small Business Saturday – 5th December

Small Business Saturday - 5th December

Time to make a difference and support small business

On Saturday 5th December, our small businesses are counting on us more than ever to support them in this relentlessly challenging year.  It’s Small Business Saturday, a campaign that is now in it’s eighth year.  In 2019 the campaign estimated that £800m was spent in small businesses across the UK.

This Christmas is set to be like no other festive season in living memory and times are tough for many.  But it’s also been a year that has seen us all value our independent, local shops, trades, restaurants, cafes and entertainment businesses more than ever.  There has been an outpouring of love for these businesses that we previously took for granted as part of our routines, whether they were daily, weekly or for special occasions.   

So this year, whether you can walk through the door of your favourite local business, or you can buy from them online, or you can support them by buying a voucher, we hope that we can play a small part in helping you, help them.  Our goal is to make sure that those businesses we all love are still there on our high streets and in our communities when this is all over so we can enjoy the freedom to meet, greet, treat, gather and celebrate together once more.

If you want to keep up to date with all things here at Myndy to help you support your favourite local businesses, then why not pop your email in the sign up form below and we’ll make sure you know when it’s time to start shopping.
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Just who or what is Myndy?

Just who or what is Myndy?

Myndy is the new wishlist and digital gift voucher system designed to make it easy for you to create a wishlist exclusively of small, local, independent businesses, services and trades. Myndy has grown out of a project funded by Innovate UK  as part of the government’s rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Our goal is to make it simpler for us all, as consumers, to support our local, independent high street businesses. 

As a Lister you can make Wishlists of your favourite local businesses to share with friends and family.  Then your friends and family (the Gifters) can ‘buy local’ from anywhere in the UK (coming soon).  Initially we are piloting in our home town of Leamington Spa, along with neighborouging Warwick and Kenilworth. 

When you buy a voucher through Myndy the money you spend goes directly to the local business via Stripe (a super secure global payment gateway that sits behind big names such as Deliveroo, Salesforce, Spotify and Amazon).  Gift vouchers are easily exchanged in store using the Myndy app.  It’s a no set-up cost, low transaction fee system, that helps local independent businesses compete with global online giants.  Instead of an Amazon wishlist, why not a Myndy wishlist – for birthdays, Christmas, weddings, new arrivals, friends, family or colleagues.  Or you can use Myndy just to let people know which your favourite local high street businesses are.

Myndy is being developed by a small team of local creatives and developers based in Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.  We want to keep buying and spending locally to ensure all of our favourite businesses make it through these extra tough times. 

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