Showing Small Businesses the Love: More Consumers than Ever Are Aware of Small Business Saturday® & Plan to Shop Small® on November 26th

Of consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday, 89% agree
that the day encourages them to Shop Small all year long

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Across the country, small businesses and consumers alike are getting
excited to support their favorite local, independent businesses on Small
Business Saturday
, which takes place this year on November 26th.
Results from the fifth-annual Small Business Saturday Consumer
Insights Survey
, released today by the National Federation of
Independent Businesses (NFIB)
and American Express, show that more consumers than ever are aware of
Small Business Saturday (58% vs. the previous high of 55% in 2015). More
than six in ten (62%) consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday
and who plan to shop locally on the day say the main reason they plan to
shop at small retailers or eat at independently-owned restaurants is
because they value the contributions small businesses make to their
community.


“Since its inception, Small Business Saturday has brought national
attention to supporting the local businesses we love,” said Elizabeth
Rutledge, Executive Vice President, Global Advertising & Brand
Management at American Express, which founded Small Business Saturday in
2010. “Small Business Saturday reminds consumers of how valuable small
businesses are to our communities, and we are incredibly proud to be the
founding partner.”

Held annually on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Small Business
Saturday was founded by American Express as a response to small business
owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers through their doors,
rallying communities to support local businesses and helping kick off a
successful holiday sales period.

Planning to Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

Of consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday, 89% agree that
the day encourages them to Shop Small all year long, not just during the
holiday season. Nearly eight in ten (79%) consumers say they 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 par with last year. And just how much are they planning to spend?
Of those who are aware of Small Business Saturday and planning to shop
and dine on the day, two-thirds (67%) say that they plan to spend at
least $100 at small businesses on Small Business Saturday – a slight
increase from 2015 (65%).

Among U.S. consumers, the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights
Survey found:

  • On average, one-third (33%) of their holiday shopping this year is
    expected to be done at small retailers or restaurants – on par with
    last year.
  • 76% say they will visit at least one small business as part of their
    overall holiday shopping, on par with last year.
  • Additionally, 91% reported that supporting small, independently-owned
    bars and restaurants is important to them.

“Small businesses across the nation are often run by the friends, family
and neighbors that we know so well, so supporting them is not only
personal but critical to their success,” said NFIB CEO and President
Juanita Duggan. “Partnering with American Express to promote the
awareness and importance of shopping small is something we are very
proud of, and this year, we look forward to another successful Small
Business Saturday.”

Additional findings from the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights
Survey include:

  • 63% of consumers who are willing to pay slightly more for an item if
    purchased from a small, independently-owned retailer as opposed to
    online or at a large retailer say that in exchange for paying a higher
    price, they expect better customer service from small,
    independently-owned businesses.
  • Nearly half (48%) of consumers who are aware of Small Business
    Saturday and who plan to Shop Small on the day say they expect to
    spend more on Small Business Saturday this year than last year – up
    from 45% in 2015, and the highest amount yet recorded.
  • Consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday and who plan to
    shop on the day say they plan to support many different types of small
    businesses on the day, including clothing/accessories/shoe stores
    (45%), restaurants/bars/pubs (41%) and bakeries (39%).

Neighborhood Champions and the Small Business
Saturday Coalition Drive Excitement for the Day

Grassroots support for Small Business Saturday is largely driven by
Neighborhood Champions, a program of advocates for Small Business
Saturday comprised of small businesses, business associations, local
Chambers of Commerce and other community organizers who help to rally
their neighborhoods on the day. To date, more than 6,400 Neighborhood
Champions – an increase of 56% percent from 2015 – have signed up to
plan activities and events to draw consumers to commercial districts
across the U.S., leading up to and on Small Business Saturday. In fact,
45% of consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday and who plan
to shop say they plan to attend a community event in celebration of the
day.

Another important group that drives participation on the day is the
Small Business Saturday Coalition. Led by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP),
the Small Business Saturday Coalition was created in 2011 to help
amplify the Shop Small message. The Coalition is comprised of national,
state and local associations that help coordinate Small Business
Saturday activities with merchants, consumers and small business owners.

Show Your Love for Small Businesses on Social
Media

Each year consumers have made it a tradition to share their Small
Business Saturday experiences on social media. This year, consumers and
small businesses across the nation are encouraged to show their love for
their favorite independent businesses by using the #ShopSmall,
#SmallBizSat and #DineSmall hashtags on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

American Express® Card Members Receive Offer to
Shop Small

New this year, American Express is giving Card Members the opportunity
to earn 2X rewards when they enroll an eligible American Express Card at http://www.amex.co/shopsmalloffer
and shop at qualifying small merchants both in-store and online now
through December 31st.1 With the addition of 1.6
million merchant locations that have started accepting American Express
Cards over the past two years, Card Members now have even more places
than ever to Shop Small2. When Card Members use an eligible
Card to shop at qualifying small merchants they could earn 2X rewards in
the form of what they already earn with their Card– from Membership
Rewards® points to miles with Delta® to Cash Back and more. This offer
is the latest way American Express is supporting the expanding network
of small merchants who accept American Express Cards by giving Card
Members yet another reason to Shop Small throughout the holiday season.

Corporate Supporters Help Build Buzz for Small
Business Saturday

To help further spread the Shop Small message, American Express has
enlisted the support of many companies that are serving as Corporate
Supporters. Together these companies reach millions of small businesses
and consumers and are key players in the retail, telecom, media,
hospitality, transportation, and professional services industries. Some
of the companies that will be participating include FedEx,
Uber,
AT&T,
Valpak
and Ace
Hardware
.

About the Survey

The Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey was conducted among
a nationally representative sample of 1,653 males and females 18 years
of age or older. The sample was collected using an email invitation and
an anonymous online survey from October 18-28, 2016. The survey has an
overall margin of error of +/- 2.4%, at the 95% level of confidence.

About Small Business Saturday

November 26th is the seventh annual Small Business Saturday.
Dedicated to supporting local businesses that 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: getting more customers. Learn more
and follow us on ShopSmall.com, instagram.com/shopsmall,
facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday,
twitter.com/shopsmall.

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.

__________

1 Card Members will not earn 2X rewards on any bonus they
may already enjoy with their Card, such as when they spend on
certain types of purchases or at certain merchants. Prepaid and
Corporate Cards, American Express Cards issued by other financial
institutions, The Plum Card® and certain other Cards are not
eligible. Reward caps and other terms apply.
2 Based on internal comparison of American Express small
merchant locations in December 2013 to American Express small
merchant locations in December 2015.

Contacts

M Booth
Ryan Walker, 212-388-7677
RyanW@mbooth.com
or
NFIB
Jack
Mozloom
, 202-406-4450
jack.mozloom@nfib.org
or
American
Express
Jane Di Leo, 212-640-8055
Jane.E.DiLeo@aexp.com

Recibe gratis las noticias más importantes y más leídas diariamente en tu email

Este sitio está protegido por reCAPTCHA y Google Política de privacidad y Se aplican las Condiciones de servicio.

¡Muchas gracias!

Más sobre este tema
Contenido Patrocinado
Enlaces patrocinados por Outbrain