ATLANTA — As Black Friday comes to a close, small businesses are preparing for a big day Saturday and experts say they should. A recent survey from Bankrate found 59 percent of holiday shoppers are likely to shop on Small Business Saturday over Black Friday.
Black Friday shoppers were out bright and early Friday morning, as malls in metro Atlanta are opened their doors around 6 a.m. While crowds were bigger than in years past due to the pandemic, economists said inflation has changed shoppers' habits and that small business Saturday may outshine Black Friday.
“I think a lot of people are very conscious of where their dollars are being spent, considering a number of factors, the threat of recession, inflation and tight incomes,'" explained Michael Skordeles, Senior U.S. Macro Strategist at Truist Advisory Services, Inc.
Experts said shoppers are being more mindful of where and how they spend money this year. Small businesses said they're taking note, trying to attract customers by creating more experiences and understanding that when people want to make sure their money is well spent.
“It’s nice to get off the couch and get into stores again… especially with fragrances you’ve got to come here and smell the things," INDIEHOUSE Fragrance Advisor David Lee said. "There’s just some special events that you don’t get if you’re at home."
Experts said retailers should also expect overall higher holiday sales than we've seen in three years due to in-person shopping returning and supply chain issues being resolved.