By Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor
Over the past four years, Small Business Saturday has evolved from way to educate consumers’ about local businesses, to a top shopping day for communities nationwide.
Smack dab between the madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it may seem challenging for small businesses to stand out. But 79% of Americans said they are likely to shop at local businesses this holiday season, according to a survey conducted by Nielsen and commissioned by Yelp.
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Even better: nearly half (47%) of respondents said they plan to spend more than $100 at local businesses. It’s important to note, though, that spending won’t be limited to Small Business Saturday: 44% are planning to start holiday shopping before Thanksgiving and 66% will start by Monday, December 1. This can provide small businesses with a clear idea of how to execute promotions and what type of messaging may resonate with different types of shoppers.
“Yelp commissioned Nielsen to field a consumer survey to find out where and when Americans are planning to spend money this holiday season, and what draws them to shop at local businesses,” explained Darnell Holloway, Senior Manager of Local Business Outreach at Yelp. The results, overall, are “good news” for small businesses.
But it isn’t enough to just purchase from a local business. Consumers still consider a multitude of factors while making a buying decision and want to make sure an item is truly worth their money. They want:
- Something special: 66% are shopping locally to find a unique gift;
- To feel good: 60% shop locally to feel good about supporting the local economy; and
- Experience-based gifts: 60% are looking for gifts like theater tickets, pottery or photography class, massage gift certificate, etc.
"The survey showed us that local shoppers want to support the local economy and they are looking for something unique – not just the hottest gadget of the season,” Holloway said. "Another survey done by Nielsen earlier this year found that, among adults who use review sites, 78% do so monthly or more often to search for a local business and 85% make a purchase within a week. This means that you have potential customers out there, looking for a business on Yelp. So retailers should take advantage of Yelp’s free tools capitalize on these potential customers and get them through your doors this holiday season.”
Check out Holloway’s tips for a successful holiday season on the Yelp blog.
Will you be shopping at your local businesses during the holiday season? Do you have any tips for small businesses? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
