Chamber Celebrates Shop Small Season
The Chamber is proud to announce that it will continue to lead the movement to Shop Small. This year we are promoting Small Business Season: November 1-December 31. The Chamber has also renewed its commitment as a member of the Small Business Saturday Coalition, of which the Chamber has been a member since the program’s inaugural year.
Right now, it’s more important than ever to support the local businesses we love. You might not realize it, but every time you pick up a cup of coffee from your favorite neighborhood café or buy a gift from a local artist’s online store, you’re shopping small and making a difference. When you Shop Small® this holiday season – and all year long – you can help create a big impact.
Created by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday celebrates the impact small businesses have on communities across the country. Every time you order curbside pickup from your favorite eatery, purchase a gift from the local boutique, or order online from a neighborhood business, you’re shopping small and making a difference. The Small Business Economic Impact Study found that an average two-thirds of every dollar ($0.67) spent at small businesses in the U.S. stays in the local community. The study also found that in addition to small businesses directly employing members of the community, spending by those small businesses and their employees in the area also supports local jobs. In fact, for every ten jobs at a small business another seven are supported in the local community1.
Chamber CEO Deidre Peterson urges the community to support local businesses all year long and reminds shoppers
“Local entrepreneurs need your support more than ever! We all have favorite small businesses that we can’t imagine living without. However, fewer are opening and staying open in the midst of the ongoing economic stresses. An abundance of grit, passion, and determination is needed for a business to be successful. You can do your part by choosing to support local entrepreneurs and helping us rebuild a healthy economy.”
In order to drive shoppers to Shop Small this November 25, the Chamber is participating in the Small Business Saturday Coalition Program to spotlight small businesses and the impact they have on communities. According to a Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, 97% of consumers who shopped on Small Business Saturday agree that small businesses are essential to their community and 95% reported the day makes them want to shop or eat at small, independently-owned businesses all year long, not just during the holiday season2.
Shoppers are encouraged to make a pledge to #ShopSmall on social media and follow the Chamber on Facebook for more information. To find a local retailer, visit the searchable Chamber Member Directory.
November 25, 2023, marks the 14th Annual Small Business Saturday, a celebration of small businesses and the positive impact they have on communities across the country. American Express, having created Small Business Saturday in 2010, proudly works with organizations and independent businesses to provide solutions that support communities and uplift local economies. Learn more and connect with us on shopsmall.com, Instagram.com/shopsmall, and facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday.
1 The 2018 Small Business Economic Impact Study was conducted by Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) on behalf of American Express. ESI calculated the share of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment and employee compensation that small businesses with under 100 employees provide to the economy based on an analysis used by the U.S. Small Business Administration. ESI also estimated how much of each dollar spent at the average small business remains in their local community, and used input-output analysis across 100 representative U.S. counties to calculate the additional impact that is generated locally as the result of the spending of employees and the spending of the small business with local suppliers and service providers.
2 This spend statistic is an aggregate of the average spend as reported by consumers in surveys commissioned by American Express reporting spend habits on Small Business Saturday of consumers who were aware of the day. It does not reflect actual receipts or sales. Each such survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The surveys had an overall margin of error of between +/- 2.0% and +/- 5.47%, at the 95% level of confidence. The data was projected from the samples based on then-current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population (18+).
3 The 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey was conducted by Teneo on behalf of American Express and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The study is a nationally representative sample of 2,287 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. The sample was collected using an email invitation and an online survey. The study gathered self-reported data and does not reflect actual receipts or sales. It was conducted anonymously on December 1, 2019. The survey has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.0%, at the 95% level of confidence. Projections are based on the current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population, age 18 years and over.