Shop local this holiday season

Here in America, we love our holidays — and the shopping that goes along with them. In fact, we have specific days dedicated to shopping, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and our personal favorite, Small Business Saturday, which takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This shopping “holiday” was founded by a credit card company (thank you, American Express) and strategically placed between the two holiday shopping “biggies” to encourage shoppers to patronize small businesses and boost local economies. With related activities dedicated to promoting and supporting Small Business Saturday, it can also be a great way for a community to come together.

You must admit, we have pretty cool communities; there are many quality restaurants, boutiques, specialty stores, and service providers that make up our unique landscapes, and even more cool people standing behind them. Many of them will be rolling out the red carpet with attractive Small Business Saturday offers, special promotions, and other festive happenings. Heck, most of them roll out the red carpet on any day. They love their communities and want you to know they’re grateful to still be there.

So, we know shopping local on Small Business Saturday benefits you, the small businesses, and the community (in more ways than one, as many local businesses contribute a portion of the day’s proceeds to nonprofit organizations), but it pays to have a bit of a strategy in order to optimize the day. To that end, we’ve come up with some ways for shoppers to get the most out of Small Business Saturday:

Look online. Watch for online discounts local small businesses post, because you may not even have to leave home to shop local (and score big).

Get social. Spread the word on social media. Give this day (and your favorite local business owners) a shoutout and encourage others to take advantage of Small Business Saturday by sharing the message on your social media channels.

Buddy up. Meet up with friends to support local businesses, score local deals, and maybe share some local lunch. It’s always more fun to shop with a pal.

Start out early. Head out early to beat the crowds, before all the merchandise you want is gone, as even hidden gems may be busy on this day. You know what they say about the early bird!

Play favorites. That restaurant you love to frequent (they practically named a sandwich after you), the bakery that serves up your favorite cinnamon rolls, the cute boutique or trendy men’s shop that calls you when they get something new in your size, the friendly bookshop where you love to hang out? These are your SBS hot spots, the ones you hit first. 

Step out of the zone. Besides your tried-and-true haunts, look around for new spots that might have great offers. This is the perfect time to try out other independent retailers, restaurants, and specialty businesses and see what they have to offer. You might discover your new favorite coffee house, a unique jewelry (or bike) shop, or a great resale boutique.

Look for the unicorn. This is a chance to think beyond the season’s trendiest mass-produced gifts, looking for quality and workmanship in the unique gifts you purchase. Rather than wandering through the big-box store for a cookie-cutter item, our merchants really deserve the love — and often offer perks not available at the large chain store. Combine this with participating merchants’ SBS deals, and it sounds like a win-win shopping situation to us.

Ask about giving back. Many small businesses support local nonprofits. Seek out stores that donate a portion of their proceeds to nonprofit organizations, then shop knowing you’re helping to make a difference.

Double up on your deals. Consider layering your payment method with your discounted purchases to yield a bigger payoff — say, by using a card that rewards you for shopping by offering a great introductory APR, reward points, or cash back. 

We all appreciate the local merchants who make Lincoln unique, and this nationwide local shopping event is a great opportunity to support them. We hope you score big.