Small Business Saturday: 5 Reasons to Shop Small this Holiday Season
2016 marks the 6th anniversary of the national shopping holiday, Small Business Saturday. The day encourages folks to "shop small" versus visiting big box stores on Black Friday or Cyber Monday for their holiday shopping.
Since it began, Small Business Saturday has quickly become a focal point for both small businesses as well as customers throughout New England - including for us! Below, we share 5 great reasons to "Shop Small" this holiday season.
Source: Joe Phelan, Kennebec Journal
1. Support Local Communities
Studies show that 91% of small business give back to their local community either through direct cash donations, volunteering or in-kind donations. The Bates Mill Store and its manufacturing partner, Maine Heritage Weavers, is proud to be an active supporter of a variety of local organizations and events including the Monmouth Gardening Club, Theater at Monmouth, Monmouth Police Department Special Olympics, Monmouth Museum, and Monmouth Academy.
2. Help Create Jobs
In addition to direct contributions small businesses make to their local communities, they also are the number one source of jobs in America. According to the SBA, 68% of new jobs are created by small businesses in the US. Since moving to our new space in Monmouth, we're proud to say that we've made 7 new hires and plan to continue hiring locally as we continue to grow.
3. Meet the People Behind the Products
When shopping at local small businesses, customers get a more personal experience when it comes to service and many times you may be working directly with the owner themselves or a family member! For our team, we take great pride in our customer service and making sure each customer is 100% satisfied with their purchases. When you visit us on Small Business Saturday, you'll get to meet the faces behind the voices you may have chatted with on the phone that helped you place an order, and you'll also get to shake the hands of the craftsmen and women that make each of our products.
Source: Russ Dillingham, Sun-Journal
4. The Story & Experience
When you purchase from a local maker, you don't leave with just a beautiful hand-crafted gift. You also leave with your own personal connection and story to the item and people behind it. When you visit us on Small Business Saturday, we encourage you to take our factory tour and to speak with our craftsmen and women about the making of our products. We really enjoy showing each part of the manufacturing process to our customers, and some of our favorite moments from the event are often just seeing the faces of visitors seeing looms weaving for the first time!
5. Savings - It's a Shopping Holiday!
Just like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is also about the sales! Many small businesses will be offering great deals on their products to honor the day and encourage customers to shop small this holiday season. When you visit us on November 26th, we'll be offering great discounts as well as selling items only available on this day! If you're planning on joining us, be sure to RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends.
Can't make it to Maine? Share where you'll be shopping small this holiday season in the comments below.