The holiday shopping season kicks into high-gear this weekend with the post-Thanksgiving sales blitz. In fact, nearly 2 million more people than last year are expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Right in the middle of the annual five-day sale-lebration is Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. Established by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is observed every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
This year, Metro Community Development has stepped up to assist area consumers looking to support local small businesses with the launch of its www.FABNetwork.net. The website’s home page is populated with the businesses in downtown Flint that are participating in Small Business Saturday, which falls on Nov. 27 this year.
“This is our soft rollout for now,” said Tiffany Bernethy, commercial loan officer at Metro Community Development. “With Small Business Saturday approaching, there are four or five entities planning different events for the day. So, this was a good time to launch FABNetwork to support those efforts.”
Even though the new site currently features downtown Flint businesses only, the plan is to expand to include the entire city and into the metropolitan region, Bernethy said.
Other events taking place that day include:
- City of Flint Small Business Saturday Scavenger Hunt: https://www.facebook.com/events/163655055944816/
- The scavenger hunt will start at the Flint Farmers Market “Friends of the Market” booth as the pickup location. The shoppers will be required to get 1 stamp from a business in each designated category. The drop off location will be Luigis restaurant. Over $1,000 in prizes and gift cards.
- Flint Small Business Saturday: https://www.facebook.com/events/im-building-something-consulting-llc/flint-small-business-saturday/524985747954162/
- Downtown Flint Small Business Saturday Event: https://www.facebook.com/ReclaimedByWhaley/photos/a.373924813284737/849326939077853/
- Flint Handmade Holiday Craft Market: https://www.facebook.com/events/700338928038750/
- Downtown Flushing Small Business Saturday Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/870590210311726?ref=newsfeed
The Flint & Genesee Chamber is also encouraging community members to participate in the annual campaign for multiple reasons, including:
- It’s fun! Retailers often plan special events, offer discounts and/or have extended hours on Small Business Saturday.
- It’s convenient. Shopping locally means a shorter drive. And in some cases, you don’t even need to leave the house to fill up your cart, with e-commerce options available with a number of local retailers.
- It’s a shot in the arm for the local economy. Research shows that when you buy from a locally owned independent retailer, about 67 cents of every dollar is recirculated into the community through employee payroll, purchases from other area businesses and donations to local charities, according to the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).
Nationally, holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 7 percent and 9 percent in 2021, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast. Overall, Deloitte’s retail and distribution practice projects that holiday sales will total $1.28 to $1.3 trillion during the November to January timeframe.
“We anticipate strong consumer spending for the upcoming holiday season. As vaccination rates rise and consumers are more comfortable being outside of the home, we are likely to see increased spending on services, including restaurants and travel, while spending on goods will continue to hold steady,” said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte’s U.S. economic forecaster.
In addition, this year’s Small Business Saturday is a pivotal one, said Sarah Miller, SBAM’s vice president of marketing and communications, in an interview with Crain’s Detroit Business.
“Small businesses are still recovering from the pandemic, when many were forced to endure closures or restrictions,” said Miller. “We know that, for retail stores in particular, the holiday season represents a large portion of yearly sales. Choosing to shop at a small business makes a big impact on local economies, with about 67 cents of every dollar spent staying in that community.”
Flint & Genesee is home to hundreds of small businesses and retailers, which you can support on Small Business Saturday and all year-round. For a listing of some of those businesses, check out our Chamber Member Directory.