Record Numbers Aware of ‘Small Business Saturday’

As small business owners across the nation gear up for Small Business Saturday, a record number of shoppers are making plans to support their favorite local businesses, according to the fourth-annual Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, released today by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) and American Express.

Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 as a response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday helps rally communities to support local businesses. As Small Business Saturday enters its sixth year, 55 percent of U.S. consumers report they are aware of the day – the highest figure yet recorded – and even more encouraging, 83 percent say Small Business Saturday inspires them to Shop Small all year long.

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

 80% of consumers 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 average, consumers are planning to do 35% of their holiday shopping at small businesses

 45% of consumers who expect to shop on the day plan to spend more on Small Business Saturday this year than they spent last year

 Almost two-thirds (64%) of consumers who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday are motivated by the contributions that small businesses make to their community