Every community is based on small businesses. They not only generate local employment but also introduce specialty items and personality to neighborhoods. Small Business Saturday promotes local businesses by encouraging customers to spend their money in small businesses rather than big shops.
This is a day of special shopping, which serves as a reminder that whenever we shop at a local business, we are supporting real people, our neighbors, friends, and families. It is an opportunity to give back to the community and support small business owners to succeed during the hectic holiday season.
What is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is a shopping day held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year in the US. It was aimed to encourage people to shop small and prioritize local shops, restaurants, and other service providers.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are centered on large retailers and online discounts, respectively, but Small Business Saturday highlights the local shops that make our towns unique. It provides small shop owners with an opportunity to secure new customers and demonstrate their special offers at the time of the holiday shopping rush.
What is the History of Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday originated in 2010, when American Express initiated the event in the midst of the Great Recession to assist struggling local businesses. The message was straightforward: encourage consumers to shop locally and retain the funds within their own communities.
In 2011, the US Senate officially recognized the day, and shortly thereafter, the other 50 states started to participate. The event expanded at a high pace over the years:
- In 2010, American Express introduced the first Small Business Saturday.
- In 2011, A resolution in favor of the day was passed by the U.S. Senate.
- In 2015, the Small Business Administration (SBA) became a co-sponsor.
- In 2020, Americans used record funding of $19.8 billion to support small businesses.
- In 2021, the record was again broken, and more than 20 billion dollars were expended.
Today, the day is sponsored by American Express, SBA, and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP). They have collaborated to keep on spreading the Shop Small movement throughout the country.
What are the Impacts of Small Business Saturday?
The consequences of this event extend much further than a single day of shopping. Out of every dollar that is spent in local business, 67 cents remain in the community. That is because your purchase contributes to financing local schools, parks, roads, and even the creation of new jobs.
Small firms can also contribute to increased diversity in local economies and minority business opportunities. Small scale shopping creates more unified communities. In simple terms, your local dollar is paid back to you to keep up good services to the citizens, to develop locally, and to maintain communities that are alive.
When is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday 2025 will occur on November 29, the following Saturday after Thanksgiving. It falls right between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it allows customers to take their time and make conscious purchases rather than simply buying what is on sale, but making purchases that enhance local economies.
How Does Small Business Saturday Work?
Small Business Saturday is an effective ecommerce top sales event because it encourages customers to visit and make purchases at local shops, both physical and online. During the weeks before the event, small businesses organize and advertise their deals through social media, email, and local advertisements.
Most of the small businesses offer special sales, discounts, and giveaways on the day and special events to draw people on the day. For example, communities organize such events as pop-up markets, shopping maps, and live music to make shopping vibrant with a positive atmosphere. Such a mix of local energy and national awareness offers small businesses a great chance to match big stores in the holiday season.
What are the Advantages of Small Business Saturday to Your Small Local Businesses?
There are numerous benefits that you can gain by supporting and participating in Small Business Saturday in your small business. Here are the key benefits:
1. Increase Local Traffic and Sales
On this day, your store is in the spotlight. Purchasers arrive in search of local jewels, not big offers. It is possible to attract new faces by smart promotion, eye-catching displays, and a hospitable environment, and convert them into returning customers that will support you all year round.
It is also an excellent promotional setting to display your finest items and remind your community that shopping local keeps your money local.
2. Enhance Community Relationships
Being a part of it allows you to reach your neighbors and other small businesses. Attend community events, collaborate with the local shops, and demonstrate to the shoppers how your business can benefit the local area.
The local owners spend this day donating in the form of charity work or partnership, and it brings a feeling of unity and shared pride. These local contacts usually convert first time visitors into lifelong supporters.
3. Point out What Makes You Special
You can not beat big stores in terms of price, but you can outshine them in terms of personality, service, and quality. Small Business Saturday provides you with an ideal platform to showcase your homemade goods, professional guidance, or personalized details that make your shop unforgettable.
The fact that only local businesses can provide authenticity and originality to attract shoppers, which will significantly benefit you in the middle of the holiday season.
4. Encourage Repeat Business
Any newcomer on Small Business Saturday is also a possible regular client. Provide loyalty cards, special coupons, or discounts on their next visit. You are even able to gather their contact details so as to get in touch with them later in order to update them and even offer personalized deals.
Being in touch with these shoppers will keep your sales high and will make them supportive all year long.
5. Get More Online and Social Media Exposure
Small Business Saturday is not only a store event, but also a big moment on the Internet. A lot of shoppers use hashtags, such as #ShopSmall or #SmallBusinessSaturday, to find local businesses.
You can increase your social media activity by posting behind-the-scenes stories, special offers, and attracting new customers who perhaps did not previously learn about your brand.
6. Build Long-Term Customer Loyalty
The day assists you in creating memorable impressions. The personal relationship you establish with customers, such as remembering their names, giving good advice, or even saying thank you, can be very helpful in creating a loyal customer.
As soon as your customers realize that you truly care about their well-being and that you are a community member, they will continue helping you even after the holiday season is over.
7. Gain Exposure Through National Promotion
With the help of American Express and other sponsors, Small Business Saturday gains national publicity annually. You can also win the opportunity to have your business featured on the Shop Small Map, community listings, or even make the local press coverage.
Such exposure is invaluable to small business owners who are struggling to target new audiences without massive spending on marketing.
8. Strengthen the Local Economy
Research indicates that every dollar that is spent in a local business would remain in the local economy up to 67 cents, which would be used to finance local services, parks, and public schools. Your store is directly involved in the local economic health of your town and in generating jobs by participating in Small Business Saturday.
9. Encourage Collaboration and Partnerships
Small Business Saturday opens the door to networking with other businesspeople. Several communities carry out collaborative promotions, shopping passports, or local neighbourhood events, where local shops collaborate with consumers.
Such collaborations not only create better exposure but also have a long-term professional relationship, which could be beneficial to your business even after the season is over.
10. Create Repeat Visits
In the case of small businesses, this day may determine the mood of the entire holiday shopping scenario. A good Small Business Saturday creates repeat visits throughout the month of December. It assists in establishing a solid foundation for your most profitable and busiest season.
Why Shipixy is the Best Choice for Small Business Saturday
Shipixy realizes the significance of Small Business Saturday to the local business owners. Dealing with a flood of orders, on-time deliveries, and shipping fees during the holiday season is not as easy as it may seem, and this is where we come in. Shipixy provides the easiest and cheapest shipping solutions to small businesses and matches them with reliable carriers at reasonable costs.
We will enable you to compare prices, bulk print labels, and monitor all your deliveries, all in a convenient dashboard. We will take care of the logistics, and you can concentrate on expanding your business. On this Small Business Saturday, ship smarter and make your customers happy with Shipixy by creating a free business shipping account. Sign up now, it's free!
FAQs
1. What kinds of small businesses can I shop at locally?
You will be able to shop in any local business, which can be a boutique or a cafe, a bookstore or a salon, a repair shop or a local online store. Whenever you shop at them, you are helping pay off real people behind the counter and keep your community alive.
2. Who can participate in Small Business Saturday?
Everyone! Small business owners are encouraged to be a part of the celebration by marketing their products, and shoppers can contribute by simply going to the local stores rather than the big stores. Local organizations and communities can also participate by organizing local events.
3. How to participate in Small Business Saturday 2025?
As a business owner, you should begin planning your promotions. Register your company in the Shop Small Map of American Express, promote on social media, and work with other local stores. Consumers can join by visiting their local stores and doing it by posting their experiences with the hashtag ShopSmall.
4. How does shopping at small businesses help my local economy?
Each time you make a local purchase, you are contributing to the development of your town. Much of the money you spend will remain in the community to support public schools, parks, and services, as well as employ residents.
5. How can I support small businesses on Small Business Saturday?
Some of the ways you can help them are to shop locally, eat at local restaurants, leave good reviews online, or mention your favourite small businesses on social media. Any little thing can contribute greatly to the success of local stores.
