Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28

This year’s Small Business Saturday, which will take place on November 28 during Thanksgiving weekend, is an important part of the holiday season for small merchants as they work to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, an estimated 110 million people participated in Small Business Saturday, and sales hit a record high with an estimated $19.6 billion in reported spending.

Like the Chamber's holiday "Stand Tall, Shop Small" campaign, Small Business Saturday has a social media element, where consumers are encouraged to share positive stories of shopping and supporting their local retailers. 

Why is "shopping small" important? Taking pride in Oklahoma City by shopping small, local businesses is a direct way to fund vital city services. While the sales tax collection has been down because of the pandemic, for every dollar spent at a locally-owned store, 67 cents stay in the community. Money spent at independent stores is multiplied in the community because it helps pay wages for local residents, who have such pride in their city they support local businesses as well.

Like the Chamber's holiday "Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC" campaign, Small Business Saturday has a social media element, where consumers are encouraged to share positive stories of shopping and supporting their local retailers. 

"Small Business Saturday is an important part of our global Shop Small campaign, and small businesses need our support more than ever as they continue to navigate the effects of COVID-19,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, Chief Marketing Officer, American Express. “We know 88% of U.S. consumers feel a personal commitment to support small businesses in the wake of the pandemic. Whether online, curbside or safely in store, we’re reminding consumers that they can help make an impact by shopping small and sharing their favorite small businesses on social media all holiday season long.”

Small Business Saturday was originally envisioned as a way to help small retailers and businesses survive poor economic conditions, in this case, the "Great Recession." Over the years, the campaign grew into a year-round effort. According to American Express, shoppers want to do their part to support small businesses this holiday season – 75% will Shop Small because they want to support their favorite local shops and restaurants during this challenging time, and 42% said they supported a small business on social media. The study also reveals that the effects of COVID-19 have sparked feelings of deep responsibility among consumers to support the places they love this Small Business Saturday and beyond. A large majority of consumers (88%) feel a personal commitment to support small businesses in the wake of the pandemic and in a divided year, 95% of Americans agree that supporting small businesses unites their community.

According to American Express' recent small business survey, almost all (92%) of small business owners have pivoted the way they do business to stay open during the pandemic including selling on social (38%) or a third-party platform (28%), introducing curbside pickup (46%) or contactless delivery (40%). As the biggest shopping season of the year approaches, 46% of small business owners are counting on above average holiday sales to stay in business in 2021. Sixty-four percent have a positive outlook for their holiday sales and say that Small Business Saturday is more critical than ever. As a result they are innovating by offering extended store hours (41%), using social media as a storefront for the first time (25%), partnering with other businesses in their community to offer something special to customers (25%) and offering giveaways to customers (35%).

Find local "Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC" graphics and social media assets at okcchamber.com/shopsmallforokc. Learn more at and connect with the American Express Small Business Saturday / Shop Small campaign at ShopSmall.com, instagram.com/shopsmall, facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday.