WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging Americans to support Main Streets across America by “shopping small” ahead of the holiday season on Small Business Saturday, November 29th. As one of the most important economic drivers of the year, Small Business Saturday, created by American Express, has generated over $220 billion* for independent retailers, restaurants, and service-based businesses since it began in 2010.
“With the economy rebounding from forty-year high inflation, there’s never been a better time to shop small in support of local businesses,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Small businesses employ half of the private sector workforce and generate nearly half of GDP – which means that when we as consumers take part in Small Business Saturday, we’re investing in the workers and job creators who power our own communities. This Christmas Season, the SBA asks every American to join us in standing with Main Street to support the small businesses that make our nation strong.”
Small Business Saturday has been co-sponsored by the SBA since 2011. It represents a vital shopping holiday for America’s 36 million small businesses, who represent 99% of all businesses in America, employ nearly half of the private workforce, and contribute about half of GDP. According to American Express, small business owners surveyed expect nearly 20%** of their annual revenue to come from sales on Small Business Saturday alone. In 2024, the estimated spending at local merchants on Small Business Saturday was around $22 billion***.
To learn more about SBA’s support of Small Business Saturday, visit sba.gov/Saturday.
*This spend statistic is an aggregate of the average spend as reported by consumers who shopped small on Small Business Saturday in surveys commissioned by American Express reporting spend habits on Small Business Saturday since 2012. It does not reflect actual receipts, sales or American Express Card Member spending data. Each such survey was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The data was projected from the samples based on then-current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population (18+).
