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What is Small Business Saturday, and When is it?
November 30th, 2024, is Small Business Saturday, an initiative encouraging people to support local restaurants and retailers and keep their money close to home. With the holidays approaching and many people shopping for gifts, the campaign is timely. But eating local food, shopping locally, and supporting small businesses are things we should strive to do year-round!
Why Shop Small and Local?
Over the last several years, I have made a point of shopping locally when looking for gifts or things for the house or my family. From food items and clothing to pottery, plants, jewelry, and soaps, I always feel better about purchasing quality items I know were made and sold close to home.
We needed to shop locally when the global pandemic caused widespread supply chain issues. Small businesses supported us through challenging times, and keeping our money with them is a trend that needs to continue because it offers many benefits.
Small Business Saturday is celebrated worldwide on various dates around the holiday season. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) runs a campaign highlighting the many benefits of supporting small and local:
Love Local
According to a CFIB report called Small Business, Big Impact: Small Retailers’ Local Contributions, 9 out of 10 people value having local businesses in their neighborhoods. There’s a nostalgic feeling associated with getting to know your farmer, butcher, barista, or seamstress. Building relationships with others makes life more enjoyable, and when you support locals, you show them love.
Keep Dollars Close
When you support local businesses, your dollars stay close to home, and everyone in the community wins! The CFIB report finds that 66 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in their neighborhood. This leads to more local jobs, sponsorships of local clubs and teams, and better community infrastructure. Shopping online from big box retailers doesn’t carry any local economic benefit, except for a delivery person.
Make a Difference
As many of us look for ways to reduce our climate footprint, part of the solution is right in front of us: shopping local. Eating locally grown food supports a small farmer and offers consumers more nutritious selections that don’t carry many food miles. The same can be said for everything produced locally. The CFIB says shifting a small portion of our spending away from major retailers makes a big difference!
Discover Hidden Gems
I have always found local products from small businesses to be better quality than anything I’ve purchased from a big box store. Local artisans put love, time, and energy into their products to keep their local customer base happy. They sell unique items because they don’t participate in mass production and often offer specialized advice that can help with longevity and proper care. For example, my favorite local plant shop has gone as far as to look at photos of my living room to help me choose the right houseplant for my space. That’s service! Small businesses offer a personal touch because they get to know you.
Mobilizing For Small Businesses
When you get to know a local business and appreciate its products and everything else it offers, you’re more likely to recommend it to friends and family. The CFIB points out that these personal and positive reviews go a long way and serve the entire community. Be a champion for small businesses and tell people you know if you’re happy with locally purchased products!
Supporting Small Businesses: Time To Act
Finding small businesses and local artisans to support this time of year is easy. Head to your local Christmas market or mom-and-pop shop and make connections you can carry throughout the year.
This post was originally published by our media partner here.