Small Business Saturday
Small Businesses have been very important and are the backbone of the American economy and the local community. The introduction of Small Business Saturday back in 2010 has made the small business sector to thrive due to its nature of drawing large crowds. Small Business Saturday offers unique products and services, thus encouraging local shopping and unique experiences. These businesses were designed to draw the customer to local small businesses during holidays. The coronavirus pandemic has really affected this year’s Small business design; it has forced many businesses to change the way they operate and has reduced opportunities for in-person events.
Although this holidays are meant to bring local customers to small businesses, it can be challenging for business owners to plan events, decorate their stores, and market their offers. Every year, Small Business Saturday falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a day after Black Friday, and two days before Cyber Monday. Placing Small Business Saturday on this weekend, which marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, ensures that consumers keep local businesses in mind as they buy gifts.
The Small Business Saturday should be observed this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This is because this business is equally important to the economy as those large corporations. Many people depend on the holiday season to boost their businesses due to the influx of customers. If this year’s small business Saturday is evaded, many people are going to lose a lot of money and thus may collapse sooner. However, the business should be conducted with high adherence to the covid-19 measures of wearing face masks and keeping social distances. The fact that small business Saturday draws large crowds should not be taken as an excuse to avoid conducting. Strict observance of the measures to combat the virus’s spread can effectively allow the event to occur.
Small businesses compete with large corporations. This competition is disadvantageous to small businesses due to the nature of the economy. The majority of Americans prefer doing business with large establishments and corporations. The outbreak of Coronavirus has further affected small businesses negatively. Big businesses have the ability to meet all the covid-19 measures and therefore are not so much affected by the pandemic as the small businesses. Furthermore, small business Saturday benefits the local community and towns. It should, therefore, be promoted by local authorities.
During this year’s holiday, people would not purchase goods such as holiday gifts from a local business. Most of the small hotels and restaurants would not operate fully due to combating the spreads of Covid-19. These businesses will be requiring masks and hosting a sidewalk sale, and the in-person shopping experience can’t really be duplicated. Most of the favorite restaurants would offer outdoor dining, takeout, or delivery, and many other types of local businesses would offer shipping, curbside pickup — or sidewalk sales. The federal government, local, and states should relieve this business from taxes and regulations. In fact, they should be given incentives and support to prevent them from collapsing.
The small business sector faces many challenges; for instance, small business startups’ mortality rate is an astounding 30 percent after two years and 50 percent after five. The government, organizations and big corporation should follow the lead of American Express and promotes small business Saturday. The coronavirus pandemic has cost small businesses many jobs and the loss of millions of money. For instance, Kern County is one of 45 California counties in the purple or most restrictive tier. Many of the surviving businesses have been pushed literally out into the cold. The businesses have small profit margins, and the margin of errors is also small.
The federal government, local, and states should relieve this business from taxes and regulations. In fact, they should be given incentives and support to prevent them from collapsing. The government can help businesses with enough sanitizers and face masks to be given to customers. This will help those businesses which may have otherwise fail to open due to the inability to meet the minimum required safety measures. Moreover, the local authorities should advocate for the small business Saturday because they directly benefit the local community. It should be on the frontline to ensure that the event is done successfully.