NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As the holiday shopping season kicks off, shoppers from coast to coast made an impact at small businesses on the 10th annual Small Business Saturday, held on November 30, 2019. New data released today found U.S. shoppers who shopped at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday reported spending a record high total of an estimated $19.6 billion, according to the 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey from American Express (NYSE:AXP) and the (NFIB).ⁱ

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:

“We all came together on Saturday to prove that shopping small really does add up,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, Chief Marketing Officer at American Express. “We are thrilled to report that shoppers are increasingly making a conscious effort to Shop Small and support their local communities, and over the past 10 years consumers reported spending an estimated total of more than $120 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturdayⁱⁱ.”

Small Business Saturday was created 10 years ago by American Express in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Today, the day has become a national tradition with seven in ten (70%) American adults surveyed by American Express and NFIB reporting being aware of the day. Shoppers this year are conscious and considering the impact small businesses have in their community. A vast majority of respondents who shopped on Small Business Saturday (96%) agree that shopping at small, independently-owned businesses supports their commitment to making purchases that have a positive social, economic and environmental impact.

MAKE AN IMPACT BY SHOPPING SMALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

According to the 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, 97% of consumers who shopped on Small Business Saturday agree that small businesses are essential to their community and 95% reported the day makes them want to shop or eat at small, independently-owned businesses all year long, not just during the holiday season. American Express is hoping to inspire Card Members to make the conscious decision to Shop Small year-round by recognizing their spending at small merchants.

Beginning this year, Card Members will receive personalized communications that highlight how their Shop Small spending can add up.

“We are committed to helping small merchants grow their businesses, whether it is through marquee initiatives like Small Business Saturday in the U.S., helping to prevent fraud, or introducing new policies and programs that make accepting American Express easier and more seamless,” said Anré Williams, Group President of Global Merchant & Network Services for American Express. “We are proud that more than three million new places in the U.S. started to accept American Express over the past three years, and we look forward to continuing to demonstrate the many ways that welcoming American Express is good for business.”

ABOUT THE 2019 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY CONSUMER INSIGHTS SURVEY

The 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey was conducted by Teneo on behalf of American Express and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The study is a nationally representative sample of 2,287 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. The sample was collected using an email invitation and an online survey. The study gathered self-reported data and does not reflect actual receipts or sales. It was conducted anonymously on December 1, 2019. The survey has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.0%, at the 95% level of confidence. Projections are based on the current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population, age 18 years and over.

ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

November 30th was the tenth annual Small Business Saturday, proudly backed by American Express. Dedicated to supporting the diverse range of local businesses that create jobs, help boost the economy, and enhance neighborhoods around the country, Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Learn more at and connect with us on , , .

ABOUT SHOP SMALL

Shop Small is a nationwide movement to support small, independent businesses and call attention to the valuable and distinct contributions they make to their communities and the economy. Shop Small celebrates small businesses ranging from retail stores and restaurants to fitness studios and salons, and everything in between. The Shop Small movement was spurred by the widespread participation in Small Business Saturday, a day founded in 2010 by American Express. This national holiday shopping tradition is dedicated to celebrating small businesses and driving more customers through their doors on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. November 30, 2019 marks the tenth annual Small Business Saturday, proudly backed by American Express. Learn more and connect with us on , , .

ABOUT NFIB

For more than 75 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit .

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at , and connect with us on , , , , and .

ⁱ The 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey was conducted by Teneo on behalf of American Express and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The study is a nationally representative sample of 2,287 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. The sample was collected using an email invitation and an online survey. The study gathered self-reported data and does not reflect actual receipts or sales. It was conducted anonymously on December 1, 2019. The survey has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.0%, at the 95% level of confidence. Projections are based on the current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population, age 18 years and over.

ⁱⁱ This spend statistic is an aggregate of the average spend as reported by consumers who shopped small on SBS in surveys commissioned by American Express reporting spend habits on Small Business Saturday since 2012. It does not reflect actual receipts or sales. Each such survey was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The data was projected from the samples based on then- current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population (18+).

View source version on businesswire.com: