OED recommends shopping on Nov. 28

Ozaukee County small businesses are joining area Chambers of Commerce to promote Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28 with institutions such as the Grafton Chamber’s “Shopping Fun in Grafton” coupon book.

Ozaukee Economic Development Marketing and Education Coordinator Lorli Woitas wrote in a recent blog post that supporting small businesses helps keep “their local economies vital and thriving.”

She estimates 62% of small businesses need consumer spending to return to pre-coronavirus pandemic levels by the end of the year to stay in business.  

“Shopping locally creates an impact,” she said, noting supporting small businesses also aids in keeping more of their staff employed during the pandemic, and most importantly, it helps these small businesses to stay open. 

Woitas said Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 as a way to encourage support for small businesses struggling in the wake of the 2008 recession. 

The event became nationwide in 2011, with business groups, nonprofit trade groups, municipalities and public officials nationwide uniting to form a Small Business Saturday Coalition to further encourage support for consumers to shop small.

Woitas said gift card incentive promotions have been popular since the shutdowns in March as a way to boost immediate cash flow. Restaurants that cannot open their dining rooms to the public have put a new emphasis on streamlining takeout and delivery options. 

Curbside pickup and delivery apps have made ordering out a smoother process for customers and businesses, she said. Retail shops are creating or expanding their online presence with social media and other marketing campaigns so patrons can shop like they typically would at brick-and-mortar locations. 

Many shops that do not have an online presence are offering items on Facebook Marketplace or Etsy as an alternative, she said. Many small businesses are partnering with one another to create special promotions together as an incentive for patrons to visit several locations. 

“Retail locations now offer curbside pickup as an option regularly, much like the restaurant industry, to attract business in these Covid times,” Woitas said.

For more information on Small Business Saturday, visit www.ozaukeebusiness.org.