Opinion
Nov. 25 marks the eighth annual “Small Business Saturday”! This special shopping day, which falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, aims to support and bring attention to local small businesses during the holiday shopping season.
Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two days known for large sales offered by even-larger retailers, Small Business Saturday offers an opportunity to recognize the small businesses that are often the cornerstones of communities.
Shopping at small businesses helps the local economy, promotes entrepreneurship and helps preserve neighborhoods and their unique identities.
BBB strives to support businesses of all sizes every day by setting standards for marketplace ethics and behavior and by connecting consumers to trustworthy businesses.
According to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, in 2016 “112 million consumers reported shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday” – a record high!
Do you want to get involved in supporting local small businesses? Follow these BBB tips to get started:
– Find trustworthy businesses in your area. Visit bbb.org to search for, and research, businesses near you. You can filter your results by distance, type of business, and accreditation status. You can also visit shopsmall.com to find a list of participating businesses. To maximize your experience, make sure to read reviews and look up sales before you head out. For more holiday shopping tips, visit BBB Holiday Helper at bbb.org/holidayhelper.
– Spread the word. Invite your friends and family – shopping small together can be a fun-filled way to explore your community. If there’s a small business you appreciate, consider writing them a Customer Review on their BBB Business Profile to spread the love and help them get noticed by other customers.
– Use social media. Look for the hashtag #ShopSmall on your favorite social media platform to find small businesses participating in the movement. Take a picture at your favorite small business and show the world why you shop small by uploading it to social media using the same hashtag.
– For businesses: Join the movement! Shopsmall.com has tips to help you get started and customizable resources you can download to promote your business. Get in on the social media action by advertising yourself using #ShopSmall. Consider offering special deals for Small Business Saturday to attract new customers. Get in touch with your customer base to let them know about the special holiday. Encourage them to get involved and spread the word about you and other small businesses.
Small Business Saturday, created by American Express (a BBB Accredited Business), is the perfect time to take a break from crowded shopping malls and maze-like stores, and connect with your community. You might find that perfect and unique gift that you’ve been searching for, and your family and friends, as well as the small business community, will appreciate the thoughtfulness.”
Rebecca Harpster is community outreach coordinator for the Better Business Bureau, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.
Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two days known for large sales offered by even-larger retailers, Small Business Saturday offers an opportunity to recognize the small businesses that are often the cornerstones of communities.
Shopping at small businesses helps the local economy, promotes entrepreneurship and helps preserve neighborhoods and their unique identities.
BBB strives to support businesses of all sizes every day by setting standards for marketplace ethics and behavior and by connecting consumers to trustworthy businesses.
According to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, in 2016 “112 million consumers reported shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday” – a record high!
Do you want to get involved in supporting local small businesses? Follow these BBB tips to get started:
– Find trustworthy businesses in your area. Visit bbb.org to search for, and research, businesses near you. You can filter your results by distance, type of business, and accreditation status. You can also visit shopsmall.com to find a list of participating businesses. To maximize your experience, make sure to read reviews and look up sales before you head out. For more holiday shopping tips, visit BBB Holiday Helper at bbb.org/holidayhelper.
– Spread the word. Invite your friends and family – shopping small together can be a fun-filled way to explore your community. If there’s a small business you appreciate, consider writing them a Customer Review on their BBB Business Profile to spread the love and help them get noticed by other customers.
– Use social media. Look for the hashtag #ShopSmall on your favorite social media platform to find small businesses participating in the movement. Take a picture at your favorite small business and show the world why you shop small by uploading it to social media using the same hashtag.
– For businesses: Join the movement! Shopsmall.com has tips to help you get started and customizable resources you can download to promote your business. Get in on the social media action by advertising yourself using #ShopSmall. Consider offering special deals for Small Business Saturday to attract new customers. Get in touch with your customer base to let them know about the special holiday. Encourage them to get involved and spread the word about you and other small businesses.
Small Business Saturday, created by American Express (a BBB Accredited Business), is the perfect time to take a break from crowded shopping malls and maze-like stores, and connect with your community. You might find that perfect and unique gift that you’ve been searching for, and your family and friends, as well as the small business community, will appreciate the thoughtfulness.”
Rebecca Harpster is community outreach coordinator for the Better Business Bureau, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.
- Details
- Written by: Rebecca Harpster
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Enticed by price cuts on electronics, toys, and everything in between, consumers flock to stores in the hopes of completing their holiday shopping in one chaotic, and savings-filled, day.
According the National Retail Federation, 164 million Americans plan to shop during the 2017 Thanksgiving weekend, and holiday retail sales are expected to increase to $682 billion.
With that much money on the table, businesses are doing all they can to attract customers and stand out from the competition.
However, it’s important to do your research: in 2016, consumers nationwide filed more than 1,300 complaints with BBB against retail stores.
Completing your holiday shopping while sticking to a budget is hard enough, so let your BBB help you navigate the complexities of Black Friday with these tips.
Do your research
Before doing business anywhere, make sure to look up the company at bbb.org to see their BBB Business Profile, which includes information about the business, their complaint history, BBB Customer Reviews, and any major advertising issues.
It’s also smart to look up prices, find deals, and comparison shop online before the main event so that you can go in with a game plan.
Make sure to read product reviews of potential purchases before heading out so that you don’t have any regrets.
Protect your identity
Identity theft can happen at any time, and fraudsters might try to take advantage of the swell of shoppers on Black Friday.
It’s OK to use public Wi-Fi to read product reviews and check out businesses on www.bbb.org, but be careful entering any personal information when connected. Steer clear of online banking and social media – your login information could be stolen. It’s also important to be aware of your surroundings and watch your wallet – someone might try to snatch it while you’re occupied comparing TVs.
Watch out for deceptive advertising
You’re bound to see ads for deals that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, some of these advertisements may be misleading at best and fraudulent at worst.
Make sure to read the fine print, as ads often come with a multitude of restrictions. BBB’s AdTruth campaign can help you identify and avoid common schemes and highlights bad ads. If you see false advertising while out shopping you can report it at www.bbb.org/council/ad-truth/ as well.
Read up on return and exchange policies
Before you make a purchase, make sure you understand the return and exchange policies, and keep your receipts in one place in case you need to take something back.
Some stores may not let you return specific “final sale” items, charge restocking fees, or only refund you in store credit.
If you’re shopping for presents, get gift receipts and save all warranty information in case a problem occurs.
Watch out for phishing
You’re bound to receive emails from brands advertising huge sales. But be careful, some might be phishing.
Fraudsters can create fake, look-alike business Web sites to trick you into entering credit card information, so search for the company’s Web site independently instead of clicking on any link.
Be careful clicking on links on social media or from unfamiliar or unsolicited senders, and look up businesses you don’t know on www.bbb.org before engaging with them.
Check out www.bbb.org to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, report a scam, read tips, follow them on social media and more.
Rebecca Harpster is community outreach coordinator for the Better Business Bureau, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.
Enticed by price cuts on electronics, toys, and everything in between, consumers flock to stores in the hopes of completing their holiday shopping in one chaotic, and savings-filled, day.
According the National Retail Federation, 164 million Americans plan to shop during the 2017 Thanksgiving weekend, and holiday retail sales are expected to increase to $682 billion.
With that much money on the table, businesses are doing all they can to attract customers and stand out from the competition.
However, it’s important to do your research: in 2016, consumers nationwide filed more than 1,300 complaints with BBB against retail stores.
Completing your holiday shopping while sticking to a budget is hard enough, so let your BBB help you navigate the complexities of Black Friday with these tips.
Do your research
Before doing business anywhere, make sure to look up the company at bbb.org to see their BBB Business Profile, which includes information about the business, their complaint history, BBB Customer Reviews, and any major advertising issues.
It’s also smart to look up prices, find deals, and comparison shop online before the main event so that you can go in with a game plan.
Make sure to read product reviews of potential purchases before heading out so that you don’t have any regrets.
Protect your identity
Identity theft can happen at any time, and fraudsters might try to take advantage of the swell of shoppers on Black Friday.
It’s OK to use public Wi-Fi to read product reviews and check out businesses on www.bbb.org, but be careful entering any personal information when connected. Steer clear of online banking and social media – your login information could be stolen. It’s also important to be aware of your surroundings and watch your wallet – someone might try to snatch it while you’re occupied comparing TVs.
Watch out for deceptive advertising
You’re bound to see ads for deals that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, some of these advertisements may be misleading at best and fraudulent at worst.
Make sure to read the fine print, as ads often come with a multitude of restrictions. BBB’s AdTruth campaign can help you identify and avoid common schemes and highlights bad ads. If you see false advertising while out shopping you can report it at www.bbb.org/council/ad-truth/ as well.
Read up on return and exchange policies
Before you make a purchase, make sure you understand the return and exchange policies, and keep your receipts in one place in case you need to take something back.
Some stores may not let you return specific “final sale” items, charge restocking fees, or only refund you in store credit.
If you’re shopping for presents, get gift receipts and save all warranty information in case a problem occurs.
Watch out for phishing
You’re bound to receive emails from brands advertising huge sales. But be careful, some might be phishing.
Fraudsters can create fake, look-alike business Web sites to trick you into entering credit card information, so search for the company’s Web site independently instead of clicking on any link.
Be careful clicking on links on social media or from unfamiliar or unsolicited senders, and look up businesses you don’t know on www.bbb.org before engaging with them.
Check out www.bbb.org to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, report a scam, read tips, follow them on social media and more.
Rebecca Harpster is community outreach coordinator for the Better Business Bureau, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.
- Details
- Written by: Rebecca Harpster
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