By Canadians, For Canadians: This is SHOP.CA

When I was a little girl, there were only about 3-4 months out of the entire year that I could enjoy strawberries. And boy oh boy did I ever look forward to the summer season – in addition to sweet berries; cold, juicy watermelon; fuzzy peaches and perfect plums, the farmer’s market nearly overflowed with local, tree-ripe produce. We devoured the fruit to our heart’s content, knowing that eating “in season” meant enjoying it while it lasted. And was it ever GOOD.

Today, I can get strawberries any old day of the week. In the dead of winter, if I please. Because they come from countries like Mexico and the US; making it highly convenient to “enjoy” them all year round.

(Notice the sarcastic quotes around enjoy?)

The thing is, imported strawberries simply aren’t as sweet as their local counterparts. They don’t keep as well – having endured the long journey in the cargo hold of an 18-wheeler. The fruit bruises easily and sometimes gets that telltale brown blush which lets you know that at one point, they were almost frozen. They ALWAYS come with a subtle warning to “Wash Before Use”, because other countries have different regulations for pesticide use.

And I suppose the kicker is: if you have a question or concern about the food you’re consuming, you’re pretty much out of luck. Trust me, as much as the strawberry growers in Mexico care about their crops, they really don’t care about you.

So why the heck are we talking about strawberries this morning? It all comes down to the importance of buying products and services from companies created by Canadians, for Canadians. 

These are businesses that understand their customers, and how to relate to them on a professional and personal level. They are owned by people who live in the same community, and are more invested in the welfare and future of the residents and the economy. The companies understand the preferences, desires and habits of their customers, and tailor their services and business plans to meet those needs. They reduce the impact on the environment and increase local economic stimulus. But perhaps MOST importantly: they offer YOU the best service and product expertise, including a more streamlined Shopping experience, savings on shipping costs (with the elimination of brokerage fees), plus a simplified return process.

It’s totally a win-win.

SHOP.CA was created by Canadians, for Canadians. With an all-Canadian team, their mission is to make Canada the envy of Shoppers everywhere by providing a world-class destination through innovation and a relentless focus on the customer experience – Every Time!

Introducing the beginning of friendly, hassle-free online Shopping – this is SHOP.CA.

Interested? Of course you are! The site officially launches in May, but you can:

Sign-up NOW and receive $10 SHOP.CA Rewards on your first purchase of $100 or more when the site launches.

Sign-up NOW and you’ll receive 5x the Rewards for all of your purchases for the rest of 2012 (that’s 2.5% for every dollar you spend!)

Of course, signing up is completely FREE! Join me in the Canadian Shopping Revolution today.

Click here to sign up with SHOP.CA. Do you like to shop local? Why is it important to you?