A good balance of local and non-local product sourcing can be good for your ecommerce business.  While international sourcing carries with it many convenient benefits, such as reduced prices, mass volumes, and established and secure delivery systems, local sourcing can also carry the same benefits and more.

The obvious cost benefit from local sourcing comes from the shorter supply chain.  In theory and practice, it is easy to establish a direct line of communication with local suppliers.  Furthermore, their delivery times are shorter, lowering delivery costs.  In cases of product shortages brought by the holiday season, or supply scarcity brought by bad weather conditions, local producers are more agile in delivering the goods than external sources.

Ecommerce stores connect with local suppliers either offline or online.  Online, product suppliers can setup their business-to-business operations to make them more accessible to ecommerce businesses.  With a simple and non-expensive order and payment system, local sourcing is well underway.

There is another reason why local sourcing is a better option:  shoppers’ preference for locally-made and freshly-supplied goods.  Ecommerce stores can deepen relationships with local customers who appreciate the support for local community retailers.

Food stores and e-groceries commonly favor local sourcing.  This is due to the increasingly-popular preference of costumers for locally-grown and fresh food supplies. These dovetails with the environmental trend nowadays, wherein consumers purchase home-grown products because local goods use up less energy and emit lesser amounts of pollutants during their transport and storage.

Crafts and arts ecommerce stores naturally source their products locally, to great advantage.  Unique or indigenous products can saturate the local markets and therefore cost low, but in foreign markets they can be sold higher.  For example, Aboriginal art can be a big hit in non-Australian markets, while Oriental lamps can be sold for hefty amounts in London.

For ecommerce stores that carry other types of products, below are some local sources that can provide inexpensive and easy-to-market goods for your business:

1.  Thrift shops
2.  Auctions
3.  Estate sales
4.  Yard and garage sales
5.  Clearance sales
6.  Factory sales
6.  Local artisans

Local sourcing is effective for your ecommerce business, as long as you uphold the quality and reliability of your product supply.  Essential to your ecommerce business survival and longevity is a steady product supply at all times, no matter where you source it.