Last week I visited three new businesses in my city. I dined in two and made a book purchase in the other. The week before I stopped by a new liquor store, almost ready to open their doors for business. Yes, I was there, the local guy, shopping locally. That’s four businesses among many others I went in recently. You know who I didn’t see? Who was not there, shopping locally? Jack Dempsey. I looked. He was nowhere to be found.
I’ve looked for him. In each of those stores, in fact, I’ve never seen Jack in any store I have visited. Does Jack shop locally? Does he spend his money, just a few of his millions, at your store? Now I’m not saying Jack doesn’t shop in his hometown or city. I don’t know. He could. He might. Or his personal shopper might shop for him. I don’t know if Jack does his own shopping. But I do know he doesn’t shop in the stores and shops in my city and I’m willing to wager he doesn’t shop in the stores, restaurants, or bars in your city either.
Even on Shop Locally Saturdays. No, Jack doesn’t but if you are a business owner you know who does. Locals do, the folks who make up your town. The folks who decide to make some of their purchases, not at the box stores, but at the local boutique. Instead of a chain restaurant they order at a local, fiercely independent diner. I hear them talking after ordering from my table because I dine locally too.
So, where’s Jack? Rather, who is Jack? Jack is a business owner, too. Well, he’s a CEO of a corporation or two. A corporation that has a product in each of those four businesses I mentioned earlier. Jack Dempsey is the CEO of Square. Each of those businesses has one of Jack’s Square payment processing systems in their business. They don’t know Jack and they will never meet Jack even as they pay his corporation a percent of every credit card transaction they make.
Who am I? I have a local merchant services agency. My agency offers payment processing equipment like Jack’s, but better. Better in price, service and yes, unlike Jack, I shop locally and know my client’s names. Square? Square doesn't know you or your business. Go online and make your account then you're set up. They don't know you until there is an issue with your money. Then Square can and hold your money until they get around to solving your issue. That could take a while because, well, Square doesn't know you.
I’m a member of the local Chamber. I bank locally. I dine locally, buy my bourbon at the downtown liquor store. I fill my tank at the independent convenience store down the road. I tell my friends to shop with the merchants that are my clients and share their social media posts. And I still shop at local businesses with stickers on the door and signs out front that say… Shop Local. So, why do local businesses do business with Jack rather than shopping locally? Next time you hand your card over to pay your local merchant maybe you could ask them.
Mike Findeisen Coastal Payment Systems
877.392.2737 info@coastalpaymentsystems.com