Apparently in the USA they hold a traditional shopping holiday on the Saturday after Thanksgiving - Small Business Saturday. And it's one of the busiest shopping days on the calendar, generating a huge £3.5 billion in sales for small businesses last year. This year, it falls on Saturday the 7th of December.
And Black Friday? For US consumers, it is the day which officially marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping period. It takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November and is marked with limited offer deals by retailers for bargain chasers in the same way that Boxing Day works here in the UK. More about the origins of Black Friday, the 29th of November this year, here. Some Black Friday offers on thebestof Brighton and Hove here.
Both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are increasing phenomenons in the UK, gaining ground in retailing circles as a means of drawing attention back to the High Street.
According to the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, small businesses are responsible for nearly 2/3 of jobs in the private sector and a whopping half of its turnover, so it's powerful stuff. Small businesses really are the backbone of the british economy.
We are lucky to have an unusually high number of small independent businesses in our city, and they are vital to our economy.
But Small Business Saturday encourages and supports small businesses right across the UK, so we're not alone. It's going to be a brilliant nationwide event and we're really looking forward to it!
On the big day the council and other key organisations in Brighton and Hove are supporting this year’s Small Business Saturday, with special activities and events spread across the city including:
You can find out full details of all these on the council's special Small Business Saturday page.
Part of a nationwide initiative, it means you can enter a prize draw to win £1,000 in support of local independent shops. Now that's what we call a fab prize!
Have a rummage around this site to find all sorts of tempting, exciting places to buy great stuff locally this Christmas.
Amex is also supporting the initiative with a special cardmember offer of support promoting your small business for the event, including posters, banners, logos, Facebook page messages and an interactive map showing your business address.
Good for them - great idea! Here's a link to the Amex site where you'll find full details.
There are independent shops all over the city, hidden away where you least expect them. But there are some streets where they rule, with ordinary high street outlets in the minority.
Let's celebrate them, and keep them alive. Here's a list of independent shopping areas across the city centre:
