Fashion Fair’s Karen Cowper said she loved the Daily Liberal’s campaign, Buy Local, Buy a Local Job because it raised awareness about buying local.

Ms Cowper said buying local meant the community would grow and people could stay in their jobs.

“Buying local is an integral part of the city’s fabric,” she said.

“I’ve moved around a bit and I have seen shops closed because they weren’t supported and other cities which grow because people buy local.”

The point of difference between online shopping and local stores, she said, was the level of customer service.

“You can’t walk inside an online store and find a retail assistant to help you,” she said.

Shopping local had a great atmosphere and residents received a friendly smile when they walked in the store.

The price of products in store could at times be more expensive than online because residents paid for “the rewarding shopping experience”.

She said residents should first chat with the retailer about the price to see if they could beat or match it before they shopped online.

Ms Cowper said if residents did not support local stores it would create job losses anddampen community spirit.

This would cause people to leave Dubbo, she said, and move to bigger cities where they could find jobs.