9 reasons you should support small businesses this Black Friday
With Black Friday fast approaching, large chain brands from across the world have started ramping up their marketing campaigns to tempt shoppers with deals galore.
Taking place in the USA since 1952, the Friday after Thanksgiving is now widely regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping season. And because it’s become one of the biggest retail days of the year, Black Friday is now a key date in the calendar for businesses across the UK.
Brits parted with nearly £6 billion on Black Friday in 2019, but much of this huge amount was pumped in to giant corporations who quite frankly didn’t need the cash.
To put it in to context, did you know that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos earns around £242 million per day? That’s £10.1 million an hour, £168,000 per minute and an insane £2,806 a SECOND.
On Black Friday, Amazon and other big corporations are set to make far, far more.
But, what if we changed our shopping habits? And instead of giving even more money to Jeff and his billion dollar pals on 27th November, we supported small businesses instead?
Check out 9 brilliant reasons why you should consider shopping small this Black Friday!
They boost the local economy
Did you know that with every £1 spent with small businesses, around 70p goes straight back in to the local economy, compared with only 40p spent with larger businesses?
This is because small business owners know the value of working with and shopping small, so spend the money they earn from you on supporting other independents. And so the cycle goes on!
They are also fantastic for growth and innovation. Not only do independents provide job opportunities and increase competition in the market, they even encourage others to start up their own small businesses.
They generate local job opportunities
Chances are, you know at least one person who works for a small business. In fact, small businesses actually employ 16.3 million people in the UK which accounts for about 60% of all private sector employment.
This means the more small business-made products you buy, the more local jobs that will be created thanks to your custom!
As well as creating employment, small businesses usually pay fairer wages than the bigger chains and are generally committed to providing good working conditions for their employees.
They are better for the environment
Did you know that shopping small can really help towards reducing your carbon footprint?
Many small businesses make their products right here in the UK, so you’re automatically cutting out thousands of airmiles that would come with purchasing items that have been manufactured overseas.
Small businesses also typically produce their products on a much smaller scale and make them from materials that are be sourced locally. This means less waste and less emissions from transportation. Winning!
Teddy Edward is no exception. We are committed to doing our bit to reduce the economic impact of the fashion industry, so make our luxury clothing and accessories here in Great Britain. Each item is produced in exclusive batches and our materials only ever come from this fair isle.
You can get to know the people behind the brand
Do you know the people behind retail giant John Lewis? Didn’t think so. That’s because large chains are run by a board of directors and thousands upon thousands of employees.
Walk down the road and step in to a small business however, and chances are the owner will be there to greet you (or answer your questions online of they are internet based!) With a small business, you are often buying directly from the person who actually designed or made the product. This means they can tell you more about where it came from, how it was made or help with any issues.
Being able to meet or speak to the owners behind a small business makes the shopping experience that much more genuine. Knowing there’s someone who cares more about providing you with a fantastic, quality product than taking your hard-earned cash is definitely a huge draw of shopping small.
They keep it in the family
A really lovely part of shopping with independents is that many of them are family run or have an age-old family story behind them. In fact, according to Startups, 57% of UK small businesses are actually run by relatives.
Keeping a business in the same family tree means passing down skills and expertise from generation to generation. With each purchase, you are benefiting from timeless knowledge, expertly made products, and often a slice of history.
And even if an independent isn’t family run and doesn’t have a lengthy past, chances are they work closely with other small businesses that do!
You get to be unique
There’s nothing worse than turning up at a party and realising you’re wearing the exact same outfit as someone else. But by shopping small, you can pretty much eradicate that problem!
Far from picking up a carbon copy of that popular dress from a high street fashion retailer, small businesses offer a vast array of unique products. They often only create their goods in limited batches too, meaning not only will you have something no one else has, but you’ll have one of a kind items that you can treasure forever.
If you’re someone who likes to express themselves through what they purchase, shopping small is for you!
They offer personalised customer service
Does the barista behind the counter in Costa know your name and what you like to order? Does he suggest other drinks that you might enjoy or go out of his way to give you the best deal?
Unlikely. But shop small and that is what you’ll get!
You see, you’re likely to receive a far more personalised experience with small, local businesses, and bigger chains just can’t compete! Independent business owners want you to keep coming back for more, so they tend to go above and beyond to ensure you are a regular part of their customer base.
They reward loyalty
No matter how many times you shop with Apple or how much you spend with them, they aren’t going to reward you for being a repeat customer. Quite frankly, the big guys don’t really care if you shop with them or not.
To a small business though, every single order counts and they rely on repeat shoppers like you to keep their business thriving.
This is why many independents will offer a loyalty scheme, recommend a friend discounts or special deals to keep you coming back time and time again.
Shop small and get rewarded? Count us in!
They give you the feel good factor
Shopping small and the feel good factor go hand in hand! Knowing you are contributing to the economy, helping to create jobs and lowering your carbon footprint all by changing your shopping habits is a great feeling.
Not only will you feel good when you shop with a small business, the owner will be jumping for joy too! To see you purchasing the products they have lovingly designed, taken years to perfect and put time and money in to manufacturing – well that’s a pretty special feeling!
Have we convinced you to shop with small businesses over the big guys this Black Friday? Let us know what brilliant independents you support in the comments, and if you choose to shop with us here at Teddy Edward – THANK YOU!
Don’t forget to tag us in the photos of you rocking your Teddy Edward Black Friday threads on social media @teddyedwardclothing!
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