Oklahoma’s Small Business Saturday More Important Than Ever This Year

Date: November 24, 2020

Oklahoma Small Business Continue to Struggle During Pandemic, Need Support

 

Small Business Saturday falls on November 28 this year, during one of the most difficult years ever for many locally owned businesses across Oklahoma. That’s especially true for restaurants and retail shops. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is encouraging people to support small businesses in a variety of ways on Small Business Saturday and beyond.

 

“While we should support small business owners every day of the year, this year’s Small Business Saturday presents an important opportunity that could get our small business owners here in Oklahoma through this unprecedented and damaging pandemic,” said Jerrod Shouse, NFIB State Director in Oklahoma. “According to a recent NFIB survey, the retail and services industry have been the hardest hit by COVID-19 as they rely on person-to-person interaction and many are hanging on by a thread. This Saturday is a critical time to support the local mom and pop shops that create jobs and have been supporting their communities for years. While small business owners in Oklahoma wait for Congress to take action and pass another needed relief package, let’s help keep our small business owners afloat here in Oklahoma by spending money locally.”

 

NFIB has conducted a series of surveys on the impact COVID-19 has had on small businesses. The latest survey highlighted that 75% of small businesses would apply or consider applying for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program funding, showing that small businesses are still balancing the everyday needs of their business and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

If people prefer not to go out shopping this season, many small businesses offer their products online as well as home delivery or curbside pickup. A small business owner is much more likely to be available by phone if customers have questions. Showing support for local businesses on Small Business Saturday and throughout 2021 will help business owners get past the recent economic downturn. That will help keep communities vibrant.

 

Small Business Saturday has been held the weekend after Thanksgiving since it was created eleven years ago by American Express following the 2009 recession. The idea was if consumers could be encouraged to “shop small” and support local businesses it would lead back to a healthy economy. The event has gained in popularity and last year, sales on Small Business Saturday reached a record $9.6 billion, according to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey conducted by American Express and NFIB.  Research commissioned by American Express shows that each dollar spent creates another 50 cents of local business activity as a result of employee spending and a business purchasing local goods.

 

 

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