People know all about Cyber Monday and Black Friday, but what about Small Business Saturday? A promotion created five years ago to help support small, locally owned businesses.
Small stores were open across the US today in an attempt to encourage people to shop local. Small businesses have suffered in the past from increasingly bigger cyberbusinesses, and huge shopping malls with well known corporate names.
Casey Lynch, co-owner of Street Glitter Gallery in Fishtown, told CBS Philly:
“It’s important, because the money goes directly back into the community,”
Adding:
“In a shop like ours, we have 50-60 different Philadelphia artists, jewelers and crafts people. So when the money is spent in our gallery, it goes directly to local artisans.”
It can be difficult for small businesses like the one that Casey owns to compete with the prices of large corporate chains. Small Business Saturday helps give these local businesses a bit of a boost.
“There’s less money for advertising, there’s less money for sales,” she says. “We can’t sell things below wholesale.”
However, she told CBS Philly that although prices are higher at small locally owned stores, consumers are getting quality at shops like hers. There is also a higher sense of community feel when shopping local as merchants are much more likely to know their customers names and remember their previous purchases.
It is important for consumers to know that small businesses are the backbone of any community and can offer personal touch and craft.
“You’ll need to re-buy that mass-produced product in a few years,” she says, “where if you get something handmade that’s carefully and well done, it could last a lifetime.”
You no longer have to use American Express to be a part of Small Business Saturday. However, by contacting them and letting them know your small business will be participating has its perks.
“But if you’re a small business owner and contact (American Express), and tell them that you’re participating in Small Business Saturday, they’ll send you reusable tote bags, door mats, balloons, to give out to your customers.”