Black Friday sales numbers were down this year, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, due to a multitude of factors including “season creep,” an improving economy and an increase in shoppers scoring deals online.
But despite those factors, small businesses in Scarsdale had a busy Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29. The promotion was started by American Express in 2010 to encourage people to shop at small, locally owned businesses.
“It was very, very positive,” said Gary Holsten of Holsten Jewelers on Harwood Court. The company offered a 25 percent discount on all watches in stock on Nov. 29. “The people coming in responded, people were shopping and taking advantage of the discount we offered. Overall, it was very positive.”
The National Retail Federation, which conducted a pre-season survey of shoppers about their post-Thanksgiving shopping plans for the 11th consecutive year, forecasted that the average person who shopped or would shop during the holiday weekend would spend $380.95, down 6.4 percent from $407.02 last year.
Total spending was expected to reach $50.9 billion, down from last year”™s estimated $57.4 billion. Additionally, more than three-quarters of those surveyed (77.2 percent) said they took advantage of retailers”™ online and in-store promotions to buy nongift items for themselves or their family, similar to the 76.4 percent who did so in 2013.
“A strengthening economy that changes consumers”™ reliance on deep discounts, a highly competitive environment, early promotions and the ability to shop 24/7 online all contributed to the shift witnessed this weekend,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “We are excited to be witnessing an evolutionary change in holiday shopping by both consumers and retailers and expect this trend to continue in the years ahead.”
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are make-or-break days for some retailers, Holsten said it is different for his business.
“It”™s definitely more of a big-box day,” Holsten said of the Friday following Thanksgiving. “Black Friday to us is usually just a good day. But it”™s not like the last two Saturdays before Christmas where we do 20 to 50 times the amount of business we do on Black Friday.”
Holsten and other business owners pointed to Scarsdale”™s “buy local” study and marketing campaign as having helped get people out to support local businesses. The campaign was started by Scarsdale residents Lisa Tretler and Jane Veron through The Acceleration Project, their not-for-profit consultancy that pairs local professional women with small businesses in need of strategic advice.
For the “buy local” study, the results of which were presented in June, Tretler and Veron gathered 19 people who surveyed 514 local residents and 50 local businesses. Volunteers contributed approximately 2,400 hours of labor to produce the study, aimed at encouraging people to patronize local businesses. The study was followed by a marketing campaign featuring the slogans “Shop the ”™Dale” and “Dine the ”™Dale.”
More than 40 merchants ran special offers for Scarsdale”™s Small Business Saturday, including discounts of 10 to 50 percent off purchases, giveaways, coupons for future purchases and free samples. The event was publicized in local print and social media, and consumers were asked to spread the word about the event via their personal email and social media platforms.
“We have to thank the amazing team at The Acceleration Project for orchestrating the buzz around Scarsdale yesterday,” said Jack Tacconi of Standing Room Only Fine Foods, which offered 20 percent off on in-store purchases on Small Business Saturday. “We had many, many happy customers throughout the day and we certainly appreciated all of (The Acceleration Project”™s) efforts.”
Tretler said The Acceleration Project modified its “Shop the ”™Dale” and “Dine the ”™Dale” logos for Small Business Saturday, as well as other events during the year, and have seen positive results.
“It demonstrates that you can put ideas into action,” Tretler said. “We”™re seeing merchants put the logos up in their windows, and that”™s all part of good marketing. The more exposure the consumer has to a message, the more it is reinforced.”
Tretler and Veron said merchants are dependent on the holiday season for the long-term health of their businesses, and that a community”™s health and value is closely linked to thriving local businesses.
“One thing we have going is that people do want to support independent businesses, and with the Shop The ”™Dale program, we hope to continue the momentum,” Holsten said.
“People want to continue to shop locally, but we have to give them reasons why they should,” Holsten said. “Certain things still require that personal touch ”” and the mom-and-pop shops still do that.”
