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. According to the fourth-annual Small Business
Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, released today by the National Federation of
Independent Businesses (NFIB) and American Express, supporting local small businesses continues to be a
priority for shoppers nationwide.
“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 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
Community Involvement Grows; Additional Activities
Provide Shopping Experiences Throughout the Day
Part of what helps make Small Business Saturday a success
is the Small Business Saturday Coalition, which helps rally communities to Shop
Small on November 28th. The Coalition was created in 2011 and is led by Women
Impacting Public Policy (WIPP). The Coalition is comprised of national, state and local associations
that help coordinate Shop Small activities with merchants, consumers and small
business owners.
Another important group that drives Small Business
Saturday activities is Neighborhood Champions, which is comprised of small
businesses, business associations, local Chambers of Commerce, and other
community organizers. To date, more than 3,500 Neighborhood Champions – an
increase of 26 percent from 2,786 in 2014 – have signed up to plan local
community activities leading up to and on the day.
In order to bring the Shop Small message to an even wider
audience, American Express will work with the following organizations to
highlight the variety of local businesses that make our communities unique:
·
Well+Good
Well+Good, a wellness media company, will help Small Business
Saturday reach a new segment of businesses in the health and wellness space by
spotlighting boutique fitness studio owners in cities across the U.S. Event
locations include independently-owned studios in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles,
New York and San Francisco.
·
Cherry
Bombe
Cherry Bombe, an independent magazine about women and food, will
spotlight the importance of frequenting independent restaurants, cafes and
coffee shops on Small Business Saturday. Events will consist of a breakfast in
Chicago, a pie party in Brooklyn, and a dinner in Oakland. To amplify these
events and Small Business Saturday, Cherry Bombe will create shopping guides of
top independent places to dine and shop in each of the three markets.
·
Record
Store Day
Record Store Day (RSD), an organization created to celebrate the unique
culture surrounding nearly 1,400 record stores in the U.S., will coordinate
special events and performances at independently-owned record stores
nationwide. A sample of events include:
o An album release by Ian Karmel at Music Millennium in
Portland, OR
o New album release from hip-hop artist Spose at Bull Moose
in Portland, ME
o Performance from My Goodness at Silver Platters in
Seattle, WA
o Performance from Third Eye Blind at Dimple Records in
Sacramento, CA
·
Street
Art
Working with Juxtapoz, the monthly magazine that covers contemporary art,
American Express commissioned #ShopSmall murals in neighborhoods across the
country. Artists in twenty markets will create works that express and bring to
life the special qualities of their local communities, engaging the support of
local businesses that embody the vibrancy of the neighborhoods. American
Express is also collaborating with 1xRUN, a Detroit-based publisher of fine art editions. For
Small Business Saturday, 1xRUN will be working with Seattle-based painter Mary
Iverson to publish a fine art print that illustrates how her art career
functions as a small business.
Show Your Love for Small Businesses on Social Media
Social media and word of mouth are invaluable tools for
raising awareness of small businesses and the Shop Small Movement in general.
To become part of the nationwide conversation this year and show support for
Small Business Saturday, consumers and small businesses are encouraged to show
their love for their favorite independent businesses leading up to and on Small
Business Saturday by using the #ShopSmall hashtag on Facebook, Instagram and
Twitter.
Also new this year, Facebook is creating custom Small
Business Saturday content for consumers and small business owners. One example
is the official Small Business Saturday Facebook event, which will help shoppers mark their calendars and share
their plans with family and friends. Additionally, by visiting the “Facebook
for Business” blog post, small businesses can learn more about how Facebook can
help market their businesses on Small Business Saturday.
Official Supporters of Small Business Saturday
In addition to the relationships listed above, American
Express has enlisted the support of many companies who have signed on as
Official Supporters. Together these companies reach millions of small business
customers and consumers and are key players in the retail, telecom, media,
hospitality, transportation, and professional services industries. Some of the
medium and large-sized companies that will be participating include FedEx, Sam’s Club, AT&T, Hertz, Eventbrite and Etsy.
About the Survey
The Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey was conducted among a
nationally representative sample of 1,847 males and females 18 years of age or
older. The sample was collected using an email invitation and an online
survey. The study was conducted anonymously by independent marketing
performance specialist Ebiquity on October 19-27, 2015. The survey has an
overall margin of error of +/- 2.3%, at the 95% level of confidence.
About Small Business Saturday
November 28th marks the sixth annual Small Business Saturday, a day
dedicated to supporting the local businesses that can help create jobs, boost
the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business
Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 in response to small business
owners’ most pressing need: more customers.
About NFIB
NFIB is the nation’s leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 states.
Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and
independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that
affect their business. NFIB’s powerful network of grassroots activists sends
their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through its unique
member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free
enterprise system. NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of its
members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB
is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.
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