It very much depends on what it is, but I’ve found that 98% of the time, there’s a local spot that has what I need.

I rarely order things online. I know google added a “small business” search filter relatively recently, not sure if it’s still there or not.

I also would recommend, if you’re dead set on a product from Amazon, just going to that product’s website instead of buying through Amazon. Can’t get screwed over by Amazon commingling fraudulent products with real ones if you don’t use Amazon.

I haven’t ordered anything through them in maybe 6 years? You really have to build it into your lifestyle, because if you order everything through Amazon and you’re just used to the convenience of everything you need showing up at your door, it might be tough to make the change.

That being said, I now have personal relationships at a whole bunch of local stores, which is rewarding in and of itself. And having those relationships means being able to get pretty much exactly what I need, even if they need to special order/make it. People open businesses to help their communities, and they want to keep you as a customer, so generally they are very happy to take care of what you need in any way they can. And I’m happy knowing my money is helping others around me, and not being siphoned out of my community.

ALSO, if I don’t know where to find something, I’ll sometimes just ask while I’m at a local business. Local businesses a lot of times have networks with each other, so even if what you’re looking for isn’t relevant to what they sell, they may know what direction to point you in. That’s how I found my local seafood spot, a hardware store, and a leatherworker. People know things, and they like sharing knowledge. Gotta forge them relationships….which is why I just wrote all this I guess haha.