Holiday shoppers alienated with the traditional bedlam of Black Friday should support Small Business Saturday by shopping locally on November 26—whether done in person or online.
You can find an amazing mix of unique gifts and exceptional services to purchase for family and friends, while contributing to the well-being of your community’s economy.
Since its 2010 inception by American Express, Small Business Saturday has generated some $163 billion in consumer spending.
In 2021—the program’s 12th Anniversary year—an estimated 110 million consumers shopped and/or dined on Small Business Saturday, generating a record $23.3 billion in spending, an increase of 18 percent from 2020 ($19.8 billion), according to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey.
Survey responses for 2021 indicated that 64 percent of consumers who shopped or dined on Small Business Saturday did so with the mindset of supporting underrepresented-owned businesses within their communities.
The survey also revealed that online shopping—a source of small business revenue growth during the Coronavirus Pandemic—increased slightly in 2021, with 58 percent of shoppers making a purchase online, compared to 2020 (56 percent) and 2019 (43 percent).
Nearly four out of every Small Business Saturday five consumers (79 percent) understood the importance of supporting the small businesses in their community and two out of every three (66 percent) reported that the day makes them want to “Shop Small” all year long.
Today, small businesses (500 employees or less) account for nearly 33.2 million U.S. businesses, employ 46.4 percent of those working in the private sector and create two out of every three new jobs.
For many communities, sales taxes account for a municipality’s largest source of budget revenue, often offsetting any need for a property tax increase. Home-rule municipalities like Elmhurst benefit even more from local taxes on food and beverage, retail, motor fuel, etc.
More importantly, 68% of every $1 spent at a local small business stays in the community, as compared to 44% from a big box retailer.
So there are numerous benefits to shopping “small” this holiday season—and all year ‘round.