Small Business Saturday 2025: Everything You Need To Know To Celebrate

Small Business Saturday celebrates locally owned small businesses and encourages people to shop and dine at independent businesses. Read on to learn how small business owners can take advantage of this annual initiative to attract new customers and help build a strong sense of community.

What is Small Business Saturday and when is it in 2025?

Small Business Saturday is a national event that encourages people to shop local and support small businesses during the holiday season. In 2025, Small Business Saturday will fall on November 29, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

While big-box stores dominate Black Friday and online retailers reign on Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is about bringing the focus back to neighborhood shops and service providers. It can help drive real foot traffic, boost sales and give you an opportunity to reach new customers.

How did Small Business Saturday start?

Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2010 to help small businesses recover from the Great Recession. At the time, small businesses were facing a lot of competition from the big name retailers, especially during the holiday season.

The idea was to create a holiday to help small businesses compete against Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s grown in popularity and has turned into a powerful nationwide campaign that highlights the significance of supporting local businesses and the year-round Shop Small® movement.

This year marks the 15th anniversary, and the 14th year that Small Business Saturday has been co-sponsored by the SBA. Now, this annual shopping tradition provides a boost for businesses of all kinds and helps people to feel more connected to their local economies.

Who can participate in Small Business Saturday, and where do I sign up?

Any small business can take part in Small Business Saturday, including retail and service providers, as well as both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores. There’s no official registration required and how you participate is up to you.

American Express offers free marketing materials to help small businesses get the word out. You can find signs, email templates, social media graphics and more. Additionally, your local chamber of commerce or other business associations may coordinate Small Business Saturday promotions. You can reach out to see if anyone in your area is planning any events or group listings.

How can businesses promote Small Business Saturday?

Small businesses can promote Small Business Saturday by running special offers, hosting events and spreading the word early. You don’t need a big budget. With the right prep and a clear message, Small Business Saturday can help you bring in new customers and boost sales. Here are a few ideas:

Have a sale. Small Business Saturday kicks off the holiday season and is a great time to have a sale. Holiday shoppers will be out and about, so offering an exclusive discount or free gift with purchase can give them an incentive to visit your store.

Host an event. Organize workshops, live music, a free class, a behind-the-scenes tour, or special in-store experiences to generate buzz and attract customers.

Team up with other local businesses. Collaborating with other local entrepreneurs for promotions and events can draw bigger crowds and provide mutual benefits.

Free samples or sweets. Serve seasonal beverages, snacks or pass out free samples to draw people in.

Promote your business. Get the word out about your business and any sales or events you’re organizing. Creating a marketing campaign can help you attract new customers and draw a bigger crowd. Social media and email marketing are two powerful, yet inexpensive ways to reach consumers.

How can customers show their support?

Shop and dine local. The easiest way for consumers to support small businesses is by becoming a patron. Spend the day discovering unique items and experiences in your own neighborhood.

Spread the word. Consumers can spread the word about their favorite small businesses by word-of-mouth or by sharing a social media post with the hashtags #SmallBusinessSaturday and #SmallBizSat.

Leave positive reviews. Reviews can be really impactful for small businesses. Sharing great experiences can help boost their online visibility and encourage others to check them out.

Purchase gift cards for holiday presents. It’s a win-win. Consumers get their holiday shopping done, and local businesses get immediate financial support. Plus, whoever receives the gift card may become a new customer for the business.

Why is it important to support small businesses?

Supporting small businesses is important. Here are a few reasons to shop small:

Small businesses are important to the local economy. When you shop small, the money you spend often goes back into the local community. This fosters job creation and stimulates economic growth. Plus, what you spend on sales tax and the taxes the business pays, stay in your community to support schools, roads and more.

Small businesses make your town special. Small businesses contribute to the local identity, creating diverse and vibrant communities. They often offer personalized experiences that large chains cannot.

Small businesses can be better for the environment. Small businesses often use fewer resources than large retailers. They can also produce goods in smaller quantities and generate less waste. While not all small businesses are inherently eco-friendly, their scale, local orientation and connection to the community can help maintain a smaller footprint.

Small businesses may have better customer service and expertise. Small business owners are often a part of their communities, so they have a good incentive to provide excellent customer service. They’re also very invested in their business and may have a depth of knowledge and expertise not found at larger businesses.

What are your favorite ways to encourage customers to support Small Business Saturday?

“Small Business Saturday is effective when people can see real work — and not just ads. I open our workshop to the public and they watch repairs at work. It gets noisy and busy, but that honesty relates to people. They see the tools, the thought and the care that goes into fixing something that they use every day. One year, more than 80 visitors came through and 22 jobs were booked the same week. Giving away little repackaging kits for $15 makes a difference as well. This helps keep our name from being a stranger months later.

“What is more attention-grabbing is giving back. We once repaired all of the sliding doors in a local animal shelter for free and posted the progress online. That simple act reached over 5,000 people within two days and there was a wave of support. It showed that it is more important to show up for the community than it is to run discounts. People want to spend their money where they feel that they are cared about. Small Business Saturday is the best time to remind them small businesses keep neighborhoods alive — one loyal job at a time.”

Gal Cohen, Business Development Leader & Field Area Manager
JDM Sliding Doors

“At Traverse Bay Farms, we make shopping fun with our “Bowl of Discounts” promotion.

“In each of our retail stores, we offer two bowls. Each bowl is filled with discount slips.

“The first bowl gives customers an in-store reward — they draw a slip at checkout and receive a percentage off their current in-store purchase that day.

“The second bowl offers a future discount that can be used either on our website or during their next in-person visit. This encourages repeat business and cross-channel shopping.

“It’s a simple, a fun way to surprise customers, build loyalty, and keep them coming back both in person and online.”

Andy LaPointe, Founder
Traverse Bay Farms

“Times are tough. While a customer might want to support a small business this year, they may not have the means. We remind fans of other ways to support us: share our content, refer us to a friend, search our name and click on our website! There are tons of ways to support, even if you don’t have the money to spend this year.”

Mandy Hoskinson, Owner
Zolay

“I focus on storytelling rather than sales. We share the stories of those who own and run the projects, engineers, designers, and founders, and how small business innovation directly supports community development and employment. Instead of discounts, we highlight short competition and grants. It’s a reminder that purchasing from small businesses means investing in the next generation of creators and solvers.

“Our approach has continued to drive engagement and visibility while re-emphasizing the human touch that big brands often overlook.”

Michael Khoury, CEO
Go Vertical ICM