Thoughts on Small Business Saturday
I am not a shopper, and I am even less of a shopper on crazy hyped-up shopping days. You will never find me in a store the day after Thanksgiving or the day after Christmas. I will certainly never line up at midnight on a perfectly leisurely holiday to buy more junk that I don't need.
I am really tired of one-day sales that occur every single Tuesday and Wednesday of the week. I am even more tired of "lowest price of the season" come-on sales that use the scarcity principle of marketing.
That said, however, I do have a soft spot in my heart for local businesses that struggle to survive in the face of big box/big corporate entities that could care less about the local economy. We should support local businesses.
I don't think, though, that one day will do it. If we want small, independent, local merchants to survive we have to support them all year long. It will take much more commitment than one day to make a difference, and it will take much more stamina to resist the low prices and huge volume of goods that the big box stores tantalize us with every day.
It will take a change in our spending habits, a change in our obsession to follow the latest trends, a change in our ability to say no to mindless purchases, a change in our focus on quantity over quality. That won't happen in a day.
And I must confess that I think it will also take someone other than American Express to create Small Business Saturday. It's ironic that many small business don't accept American Express because of the fees, yet American Express created Small Business Saturday (in 2010).
To sweeten the pot, American Express has been advertising that it is giving $25 off the monthly statement if a purchase is made on Saturday at a participating merchant. Of course, it's going to be attractive to the buyer, but what about the merchants who can't afford to pay the fees? I think it's good that American Express is supportive of small business, but enticing people to charge purchases on a credit card and giving a $25 reward to do so (to participating members only) if they use an American Express card seems just a bit duplicitious. Because by doing so, consumers are also supporting big business (American Express).
While many small businesses are grateful for the attention and business generated by Small Business Saturday, I think they deserve more than that. They need our patronage every day--not just on one day. And they need us to do it without being bribed by American Express.
So, in case you are like me who didn't shop at all today, remember that you can patronize local businesses on other days--every day and every week of the year. Go visit your local businesses, your local restaurants, your one-of-a-kind entrepreneurs that will provide the quality-over-quantity experience that will make a difference in your life. Feel good about that and don't worry about the one-day marketing hype.
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Peggy Chirico, REALTOR®
Serving the Greater Hartford Area
Prudential CT Realty
peggychirico@gmail.com
860-748-8900
If you are buying or selling a home in Hartford County or Tolland County, please call me, email me, or visit my website. I would be happy to help you with your home search or provide a market analysis for your home.
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