Small Businesses Goes Big for Small Business Saturday
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CREDIT: Open Sign image via Shutterstock
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Local businesses should expect big crowds this Small Business Saturday, a new survey finds.
Nearly 70 percent of those familiar with Small Business Saturday said they are planning to shop at a small business during the event Nov. 24, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and American Express revealed.
Among consumers who shopped last year on Small Business Saturday, the survey found that 70 percent are preparing to shell out the same amount or more than last year, which is about $100 on average.
Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, was created as a way to drive consumers to local businesses during the holiday shopping season. Thousands of small businesses around the country are planning special offers, partnering with neighboring businesses and hosting events to support the small business shopping day.
Susan Sobbott, president of American Express OPEN, said the event has become the ceremonial kickoff to the holiday shopping season for small business owners across the country.
"Small Business Saturday provides an opportunity to harness the nation's enthusiasm for small business and celebrate their impact on local communities and the national economy," Sobbott said.
Restaurants, bakeries, clothing stores, gift shops and book shops are the top five places consumers plan to shop on Small Business Saturday, research shows.
The shoppers said the main reasons they plan to participate in the event are because they value the contributions small businesses make to their community and that they provide better customer service than the big-box retailers.
“America’s small businesses contribute to their communities in innumerable ways -- creating half of private sector jobs, generating the revenue that spurs continued growth, and supporting the families they employ," said Dan Danner, Ceo of NFIB.
The research was based on surveys of 1,000 men and women over age 18.
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