- American Express makes a $100 million commitment to its year-round Shop Small initiative
- Shop Small was launched as a year-long expansion of Small Business Saturday during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Initiative includes special offers, digital marketing assistance, and support for Black-owned businesses
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
After expanding its Small Business Saturday tradition to a year-round initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, American Express is dedicating $100 million to ongoing efforts to encourage consumers to shop at small businesses.
The “Let’s Go Shop Small” campaign will support the ongoing Shop Small effort by providing special offers exclusive to small businesses. American Express is also launching a collaboration with Pinterest to assist businesses with digital marketing and continuing its support for the Coalition to Back Black Businesses.
- Small Business Saturday, established by American Express in 2010 to encourage support of small businesses during the Great Recession, grew to a year-round campaign in 2020 as many small enterprises struggled during the pandemic
- Shop Small includes special offers for American Express members, intended to offer an incentive for customers to visit participating businesses more often
- The $100 million commitment comes during a time when nearly half of small business owners worry that their profits will shrink as regular customers travel; research suggests that shopping at small businesses on weekends can add $27 billion to the national economy in the summer months alone
- The initiative is also debuting a Shop Small Summer Pinterest Shop to feature unique seasonal items from small businesses that accept American Express
- American Express is continuing its support for the Coalition to Back Black Businesses, which was formed in 2020 to provide grants, mentorship, and training programs to Black-owned businesses through 2024