Getting Away From Corporations - Your Favorite Places for Online Shopping

[eastkygal]

As many of you have probably experienced, corporations like Wal-Mart have taken over rural America.  A reliance on these box stores has developed as the mom's and pop's have been forced to close.  My great grandfather's store was subject to this.  Anyway, I'd rather support online mom's and pop's than Wal-Mart and the like.  For your basic needs, where do you shop?  I'm thinking the Dollar General and Family Dollar might be the better choice for basic needs that can't be ordered online.  Is that the case?  Where are your favorite online shops for the basics?  I already do Melaleuca and Vitacost.

[greenmamato2]

Dollar General and Family Dollar are not at all mom and pop type stores, but they do have some good deals now and again.  I don't know that I would feel more socially responsible shopping there over walmart, though.  For mom and pop stuff, I'd stick with local grocers if you can find them.  For online stuff, what kinds of things are you thinking about buying?  That makes a big difference in where to look. :)
 

[eastkygal]

Thanks for replying.  I know that the dollar stores aren't mom and pop.  I'm just wondering... lesser of two evils.  I do all of my grocery shopping at a regional chain grocer as the only mom and pop grocer is IGA's and they don't carry what I need and I haven't been pleased when I have shopped there in the past.  The price is also very high.  However, we are going to start doing some longer distance travelling for groceries too.  Anyhow, I'm just wanting to avoid big box stores and especially Wal-Mart.  You know... lol... as I am typing this, I'm thinking of all the simple ways I can avoid Wal-Mart and such where I am.  I don't really go there all that much - maybe 10 times a year, if that much.  I'm thinking right now of things like shower curtain, bath towels, sheets... household goods like that.  I'm not coming up with a local replacement for those things.  We are also in the process of simplifying our lives and trying to consume less with our choices.  I haven't bought bath towels and sheets in 13 years though.  We really need those!  So, yeah... at this point - household goods. 

[nicolecatalan]

I try and get everything we need at local and locally owned stores. The rural small town I live in has a very tiny natural grocery store that I get all our basics at like TP, dish & laundry soap, body care etc. They even have lots of locally made stuff too :) It does cost more, but shopping and supporting local is something that I think is really really important, so even though I can't really afford to I still do. 

For other things I can't find locally I usually order from Amazon, and I'm finding that quite a few sellers seem to be smaller mom and pop owned.. 

[weliveintheforest]

frontiercoop.com is a good resource for a lot of dry goods and body care type products. Every month they have specials and I've ordered all kinds of things from them, from their herbs and spices to clothes and vitamins.  It's not a mom and pop but I feel pretty good about buying from them, and the prices are good. 

[crazyms]

I live in a rural area with very limited resources as well. I do shop the dollar stores and have been pleased with some of the things i have found ( made in us beeswax chapstick @DG, made in us storage totes @ Fred's). My big problem so far has been limited access to natural products unless i go to walmart or buy online which i prefer.

I do like to buy mom and pop and local as much as possible but there isn't really anything here so i do a lot of online shopping. Buying usa made or at least avoiding China and Mexico made is my biggest concern.

For household goods i have found 1888 mills
(i think that's right) has terry usa made towels or i found waffle weave towels that were European made. I'm not sure about sheets as i haven't needed any yet.

[PumaBearclan]

The best solution to this, IMO, is not buying things.

When I need something I buy it with the caveat that it is a permanent solution to my needs. Then I take care of what I have and don't buy any more things. I don't buy disposable items. I'm less concerned about avoiding corporations that I am with avoiding consumerism in general.

I practically never go to stores and rarely shop at all. My groceries come from the farmers & ranchers directly. I already have all the household goods and clothing I need. It takes a really long time to wear out an item of clothing or a good pair of shoes. Some things I do buy online direct from the producer, such as healing earth, about once a year. A corporation is still involved anyway in providing shipping materials and services. 

Edit: I have probably used ebay more than any other shopping outlet. Although ebay and its paypal is a (massive) corporation I'd rather buy a high quality used item from a person. There are also a lot of new items on ebay too these days.

Edited by PumaBearclan - 1/11/13 at 6:06am

[eastkygal]

This is basically my predicament too crazyms.  There is hardly anyplace here anymore that I want to spend my money at.  It will be hard to avoid corporations.  But, as you, I'd like to try to buy made in US or at least ethically ran corporations (if possible).  I am really excited though because there is a farmer's market now about 45 minutes away from my home.

Originally Posted by crazyms 

I live in a rural area with very limited resources as well. I do shop the dollar stores and have been pleased with some of the things i have found ( made in us beeswax chapstick @DG, made in us storage totes @ Fred's). My big problem so far has been limited access to natural products unless i go to walmart or buy online which i prefer.

I do like to buy mom and pop and local as much as possible but there isn't really anything here so i do a lot of online shopping. Buying usa made or at least avoiding China and Mexico made is my biggest concern.

For household goods i have found 1888 mills
(i think that's right) has terry usa made towels or i found waffle weave towels that were European made. I'm not sure about sheets as i haven't needed any yet.

PumaBearclan - I totally get this and I really am also like you.  I don't shop all that much for new things.  Just got my first new pair of tennis shoes in 6 years at Christmas.  I don't need a lot.  So, maybe I'm already avoiding all I can.  There are no farmers and ranchers who I can find much of what I need from as there are no big farms around.  Mostly personal family farms. Which we plan to do more of as well.  However, as I said... the farmer's market is starting and I'm excited about that.  Getting the food I need will always require travel it seems.  I do need clothes every few years because I have a thyroid issue that makes me very in size.  Right now, I'm postpartum and in a larger size than pre-pregnancy... wearing a few of my sister's clothes... but I do need a pair of jeans.  But, I tend to mostly get my clothes hand me down or Goodwill... or as I said Wal-Mart clearance, which I don't plan to do anymore.  We've always done pretty good about avoiding consumerism.  That just isn't our mindset.  We aren't at all things oriented.  

Originally Posted by PumaBearclan 

The best solution to this, IMO, is not buying things.

When I need something I buy it with the caveat that it is a permanent solution to my needs. Then I take care of what I have and don't buy any more things. I don't buy disposable items. I'm less concerned about avoiding corporations that I am with avoiding consumerism in general.

I practically never go to stores and rarely shop at all. My groceries come from the farmers & ranchers directly. I already have all the household goods and clothing I need. It takes a really long time to wear out an item of clothing or a good pair of shoes. Some things I do buy online direct from the producer, such as healing earth, about once a year. A corporation is still involved anyway in providing shipping materials and services. 

Edit: I have probably used ebay more than any other shopping outlet. Although ebay and its paypal is a (massive) corporation I'd rather buy a high quality used item from a person. There are also a lot of new items on ebay too these days.

[PumaBearclan]

We do the best we can! :)  It's nearly impossible to avoid participating in corporatization, no matter where you live.

[Brees_Mama]

Etsy, Hyenacart, ethical shopping places (online), local farms, farmers markets. I understand. We're in KY too and there's not a lot of shopping options here.