Shop Small Business Saturday November 27th…

and This Holiday Season

It’s just about that time again. It’s getting colder and the holidays are fastly approaching! If you haven’t started to do your holiday shopping yet, you are already ten steps behind. Black Friday is this Friday, and there are so many shopping centers and online retailers available to you that it might be making your head spin. But have you ever thought of shopping locally at small businesses in the Monmouth and Ocean County area? That’s right! These retailers have some amazing, high-quality gifts for you to pick up for your loved ones. When you make these purchases you’re not just buying something great. When you shop small, you are also helping to contribute greatly to your community and even the environment!

Small Business Saturday is celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving which falls on Nov. 27. Historically, reported projected spending among U.S. consumers who shopped at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday reached an estimated $19.8 billion* according to the 2020 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey commissioned by American Express. The survey also found that 97% of shoppers recognized the positive impact they can make by shopping small and 85% of them reported they also encouraged friends and family to Shop Small® as well.

MOSBDC is dedicated to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in our area because we know how important these businesses are for the livelihood of our community. Here are four great reasons why shopping small November 27, 2021 and  this season is the best choice you can make for both your community and your wallet.

4 Reasons to Shop Small November 27th and this Holiday Season

Great for Small Business

Shopping small puts the “small” in “small business”. This one is pretty easy to understand – if customers don’t shop small at small businesses, then these businesses can’t survive. The more money they make, the more they invest into our communities. Small businesses that feel supported will stay in the communities in which they operate, and they’ll make an effort to do what they can to give back. These businesses are the backbone of our communities in more ways than we could imagine.

Great for Customers

When consumers decide to shop small, they are getting what we like to call “bang for their buck”. By shopping at local businesses, you are getting products that are fresher and are made with better quality. The products will be unique compared to items in corporate chain stores, allowing customers to get a boutique experience that not many others have access to. When customers are dedicated to small businesses and become “regulars”, they’re certain to get incredible customer service in exchange. 

Great for the Community

You’d think that the benefits of shopping small wouldn’t extend beyond small business and customers…think again! Deciding to shop small is making a decision to better serve your community. For every $100 spent at small businesses, $68 of it goes back into the community. If money is going into local businesses instead of large corporations, it’s helping to stimulate your local economy. It also offers local businesses more tax income, which allows your municipalities to do things like develop school programs and perform roadwork. Additionally, it creates dozens, if not hundreds of jobs for locals!

Great for the Environment

One of the best parts about supporting local businesses comes as a byproduct that not many of us realize. By deciding to shop small, you are deciding to help save our environment! That’s right – shopping small helps both customers and businesses reduce their carbon footprint.

By shopping small, businesses use less packaging, less plastic, and produce less waste than larger businesses. Because local businesses are just short car rides or even short walks away from their homes, less fuel is being used and put into the atmosphere. Local stores often get their products from other local businesses, resulting in even less fuel consumption. They also tend to set up shop close to one another. This means less sprawl and deforestation!

Have you ever heard of “food miles”? When we sit down for a meal, we don’t often realize how far most of the food has travelled to get to us. Food often crosses state lines, and might even come from different countries! By buying fresh produce and food products from local companies, you are helping to eliminate more environmental waste than you could imagine.

Shop Small This Holiday Season

There’s never been a better time to shop small than right now. Our communities have suffered tremendously through the COVID-19 pandemic. Many small businesses have been forced to close their doors, but others have somehow managed to survive. Now that most of the restrictions have been lifted, it’s our responsibility as members of this community to support them in whichever ways we can.

It’s clear that there are so many reasons to shop small, for the benefit of both small businesses and customers alike. Monmouth and Ocean County need your help! When you are shopping for holiday gifts this year, please keep small businesses in mind. Your support makes a world of difference. If you’re a small business, click here for additional resources on how the MOSBDC can help you support your businesses.

Don’t forget that shopping small doesn’t just mean buying goods from retailers. Supporting local restaurants, spas, nail salons, artists, activity centers, and so much more.

Shopping small will help us all!

Here are a few of the many businesses in Monmouth and Ocean County that you can support this holiday season: