Amanda Walker
As Christmas approaches and the advertising noise reaches fever pitch, I want to ask our Wheatbelt community a simple question: Where will you spend your Christmas dollars this year?
As someone who runs multiple retail stores across the Wheatbelt and works with small businesses throughout our region, I’m watching the Christmas shopping season with both hope and concern.
The statistics tell a concerning story. Australians will spend $11.8 billion on Christmas gifts this year, with Black Friday sales alone generating $6.7 billion over just four days. What was once a single day of sales has become a month-long blitz that small, independent businesses simply cannot compete with.
Here in the Wheatbelt, our local retailers face the same pressures as small businesses across Australia. Recent research shows that 60% of small businesses feel unable to compete with big box retailers during these sales periods, whilst nearly a third can’t afford to offer the discounts that major chains use to lure customers away.
But here’s what those big retailers and online giants can’t offer: they don’t sponsor our local footy teams, they don’t know your family by name, and when times get tough, they’re not the ones donating to our community causes or employing our kids after school.
For many Wheatbelt businesses, the Christmas period isn’t just busy—it’s essential. The revenue from these crucial weeks often sustains them through quieter months. When you shop at the local gift shop, hardware store, or boutique, you’re not just buying a product. You’re helping pay someone’s mortgage, keeping local families employed, and ensuring our town centres remain vibrant.
Small businesses make up 97.3% of all Australian businesses, and in regional areas like ours, they’re even more critical to community survival.
This Christmas, I’m challenging myself—and you—to buy at least half our gifts locally. Visit our town centres. Talk to the owners. Choose local first.
When the decorations come down in January, let’s make sure our local shops are still standing strong. Our Wheatbelt communities deserve nothing less.
