Promoting Shop Local Movement via Digital Platforms

Abstract

<p>Small business retailers are struggling to survive in this economic downturn and intense competition with the national chains by highlighting their "localness" as a way to promote their services and products to customers in the competitive business environment. The “shop local” or locavore movement seeks local residents’ commitments for a sustainable community and examines the way to promote the socially responsible action. In examining a venue that promotes the shop local movement, the growing popularity of digital platforms (i.e., social and mobile media) can provide a great opportunity for promoting locavore products regardless of temporal and spatial constraints. However, there is a lack of study regarding the development and fostering of the “shop local” movement utilizing the capabilities of the digital platforms. Thus, this study aims to identify contextual variables of the digital media that can foster users’ intrinsic motivations for socially responsible action to support local vendors and businesses, based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT).</p>