farmers markets

While the world becomes ever more digital, I continue to find myself seeking out local stores, handmade or hand grown products, and face to face business interactions. I have always loved going to craft fairs and farmers markets. Something about something being unique, handmade, or freshly harvested has always been appealing to me. Now, in an age of growing artificial intelligence, I think in person sales are even more valuable because they are becoming more uncommon. While there are many times we will buy things in person, like at the grocery store, purchasing things for fun— like toys, art, or unique items— is not a social thing anymore.

If you want a handcrafted item, now we go to etsy where we may have a brief text with the seller, but we don’t get to actually know who we are buying from. Online purchasing limits a seller’s ability to connect with their market in the way in person sellers are able to connect. It is disappointing as a buyer to not be able to get to know who you are engaging with, and troublesome for sellers who are wanting to build a community of buyers and create repeat customers. Perhaps not everyone feels this is as much a problem as I do; but as one who does not enjoy purchases without some form of human interaction, this does take precedent in my mind. When I need to get something I will preferentially try to get it locally or in person. While there are times this is not an option, it does change my shopping patterns— I also know my grandparents, aunts, and uncles share a similar sentiment and try to shop local as well. I don’t know “old-fashioned’ way of shopping, or it’s sentiment, will continue on, but for now it is an interesting thing that sellers and buyers will have to work through.