We haven’t even passed Thanksgiving but you’re probably reaching full capacity when it comes to hearing about Black Friday. Maybe you’re against all the corporate bigwigs creating chaos the day after, and in some cases on, Thanksgiving. Lucky for you after Black Friday its Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday was actually created by American Express in an effort to get consumers to support small businesses in their community during the holidays. Last year 103 million Americans shopped independent on Small Business Saturday. If you’re not participating in the big day, here are a few reasons why you should.
- Support your local economy. If you buy locally, your money stays locally. On average revenue from a local business is more likely to return to the local economy than revenue from a national retailer.
- Get money back from American Express. If you have an American Express card and enroll in their Small Business Saturday program, you could earn $25 back if you spend $25 at a local participating retailer.
- Avoid Black Friday. Although some people turn to Cyber Monday so avoid Black Friday, this Is another way you can avoid waking up before the sun rises and standing line with hundreds of others for a good deal.
- It’s better for the environment. When you buy from a national chain it’s likely their items are being shipped to them via train, planes, or trucks. Along with how much your product costs there is the environmental costs you don’t see right away such as greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.
If you own a small business you can benefit from the big day with free marketing resources to show your support of Small Business Saturday. Instead of just looking for deals at big name retailers, look for deals at your local small businsesses and help support your local economy!
