Vernon Presents Many Options For Small Business Saturday

VERNON, CT — Saturday, Nov. 29, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Vernon. It’s Small Business Saturday, the kickoff to “shop small” events that emphasize the power of dollars spent in local communities.

Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is sandwiched between the major Black Friday retail shopping holiday, which tends to favor national brands, and Cyber Monday, an online shopping event that this year takes place on Dec. 1.

The stakes for small businesses are higher than ever this holiday shopping season. They have faced increased operating costs, supply chain disruptions and overall market uncertainty. Unlike large big box retailers, they often lack the financial resources and operational flexibility to easily absorb increased costs.

Vernon is way ahead of the curve when making a list of where to ship through its "Buy Local Vernon" campaign. Participating businesses display a distinct logo and are listed at:

• Vernonbusinessdirectory.com

Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $210 billion at small businesses across all 15 Small Business Saturdays combined.

Local businesses depend on increased sales in the last few months of the year to help them reach their revenue goals, and you’ll find plenty of in-store cheer and holiday happenings that will make the shopping experience fun.

Locally owned businesses recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally compared to absentee-owned businesses, according to the American Independent Business Alliance. Independents return about 48 percent of their revenues back into the local economy, compared to 14 percent returned to the local economy by chains.

Vernon lists several reasons to shop locally:

• Build Community! Local businesses are part of the fabric of our Town. Local businesses donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, charitable events and teams as compared to their national counterparts.
• Strengthen Our Local Economy! Dollars spent locally are re-invested locally. Each dollar that you spend at locally-owned, independent businesses returns 3 times more money to the local economy than one spent at a national chain and almost 50 times more than buying from a distant on-line retailer.
• Keep Our Community Unique! In an increasingly homogenized world, independent, one-of-a-kind businesses help give our Town a distinct identity and unique sense of place.
• Create A Sustainable Future! Independent, community-serving businesses typically consume less land, carry more locally-made products, and create less traffic and air pollution.
• Create More Jobs And Economic Opportunities! Small businesses are the largest employer nationally and create two out of every three new jobs. Entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in places that work to preserve their distinctive community character and one-of-a-kind stores, creating additional opportunities.
• Realize Better Value For Yourself! Small businesses make decisions based on the needs of their local customers, not on a national sales plan. Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products that they sell and take more time to get to know their customers. Consumer surveys repeatedly show independent businesses beating their chain competitors in overall customer satisfaction.

Small businesses are typically defined by the federal government as those with fewer than 500 employees. They are responsible for about two of every three jobs since 1995, according to the Small Business Administration. Even a partial collapse of small businesses could weaken the overall U.S. economy.