Give Small Businesses the Gift of Shopping Small

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a challenging year for small businesses. Many are struggling to stay afloat and it’s more important than ever to support them. While it may be tempting to take that long list of essentials you need to get through the holidays and order it all from one or two online marketplaces — why not change it up this year and shop locally?

Here are a few suggestions to help local favorites that need it most.

Join in the fun of Small Business Saturday^® by American Express, taking place Nov. 28. While the ways we shop may be different this year, there’s still plenty of opportunity to support small businesses and share joy in your community all holiday season long.

When shopping online, take the extra time to seek out smaller, local merchants. Often our online search results will present larger national retailers first and much more prominently.  Scroll down a bit and if possible, buy from a small business. Most are experts at fulfilling your order quickly and efficiently, or they offer buy-online / pick-up-in-store options. This year, consider visiting small business websites, which would show you the value offered by small businesses and would encourage your support of those businesses

Give gift cards from local stores this holiday season. Buying gift cards from community retailers is one of the easiest ways to support small businesses. And trust me, your gift recipients will thank you for your thoughtfulness when they see the unique and creative wares that small businesses take pride in offering, or the services they provide so well.

Give an experiential gift such as a meal from a local restaurant, a trial at the town yoga studio, or a visit to a popular hair and nail salon. Let’s face it — does your sister really need another sweater? An experiential gift is a win for everyone.

Don’t forget to show up for your favorite small businesses on social media. Share your positive, personal review and help them gain new followers.

The holiday season is an important time for communities everywhere and I’m tremendously optimistic that if we band together to help small businesses they’ll emerge stronger on the other side.