In 2010, American Express created campaign to support small businesses known as #SmallBusinessSaturday. Their idea was to encourage the average consumer to forego large retailers the weekend after Thanksgiving and spend their holiday budget at small retailers who were struggling. The movement took off and over the years, more and more consumers make it a point to shop at small local retailers the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
As an introvert, I prefer to avoid interacting with people in person. However, I will go out during the holiday season to support individual artisans, small businesses, and mom and pop restaurants. This year was no exception. I told my daughter last night that I would be going up to Main Street today for #SmallBusinessSaturday. She decided to go with me.
There were lot more people than I expected out shopping on Main Street. I was unexpectedly shocked, however, at how many store employees didn’t know about #SmallBusinessSaturday. I do not understand someone working in a retail establishment not knowing about #SmallBusinessSaturday? Especially when that establishment is not a nationwide chain and has fewer than 500 employees (the standard definition of a small business)?
One store, out of several, had employees that understood the value, and mindset, of the #SmallBusinessSaturday shopper. That is the one store I will visit again. I may or may not visit the others, but I will go out of my way to visit the one. Why? Because, as a consumer, I want, need, and expect the employees of any establishment I visit in person to understand I could have stayed home and ordered what I wanted instead. The employees of that one store got that! Small businesses rely on repeat customers. I will go to the small business that understands their customer over the one just wanting my money.
Do you go out of your way to support small businesses? If so, what do you expect from the employees when you visit?