New York – As small business owners across the nation gear up for Small Business Saturday, a record number of shoppers are making plans to support their favorite local businesses on Nov. 28.
According to the fourth-annual Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, released
by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) and American Express, supporting local small businesses continues to be a priority for shoppers nationwide.
Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 as a response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday helps rally communities to support local businesses. As Small Business Saturday enters its sixth year, 55 percent of U.S. consumers report they are aware of the day – the highest figure yet recorded – and even more encouraging, 83 percent say Small Business Saturday inspires them to Shop Small all year long.
“Small Business Saturday is a major part of the holiday shopping tradition, and has become a celebration of the local small business owners that we call friends, neighbors and family,” said Janey Whiteside, Senior Vice President and General Manager of American Express OPEN. “We’re immensely proud to be a founding partner of Small Business Saturday, and it is gratifying to see how it has become the movement that it is today.”
“Small Business Saturday has grown every year and it’s been a big boost to Main Street America,” said NFIB CEO and President Dan Danner. “We are very proud to partner with American Express once again this year to promote an event that connects American consumers with their hometown businesses.”
Additional findings from the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey include:
- 80% of consumers are willing to pay slightly more for an item if it is purchased from a small, independently-owned retailer as opposed to online or at a large retailer
- On average, consumers are planning to do 35% of their holiday shopping at small businesses
- 45% of consumers who expect to shop on the day plan to spend more on Small Business Saturday this year than they spent last year
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of consumers who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday are motivated by the contributions that small businesses make to their community
Add Comment